The daily gazette., 1880-03-13
FIRST EDITION.
Charges against a Priest.
MARY MccABE, A PRIESTS HoUsEKEEP-
ER, ENTERS COMPLAINT TO A BIsH-

mere puDl1Shes special from Delavan,
Ill. an abstract Of which is as follows:
Some ten days ago, young girl resid-
ing near Mason City, Mason county,
ILL.,, fifteen miles southwest of this lit
tie paririe city, took the train and pro-
cseded to Peoria. On her arrival there
she sought and obtained an interview
with the Rt. Rev. j. L. Spaulding,
Catholic bishop of this diocese. EN-.
erging from the presence of the dis
tinGuished prelate she departed from
the city as quietly as she had entered
1t.
| Returning TO her rural home, the
girl at once sought her aged mother,
and in the privacy of her chamber con-
fided secret.
The next recital was in the Office of
the States Attorney of Mason county,
and the story was the same as that
which had brought profound sorrow
to the bishop. and horror, indignation
and grief to the mother.
The girl again visited Peoria, and
again had audience with the bishop,
on this occasion there was
THIRD PARTY
present. This third person was Faith
er Thomas Duggan, the parish priest
residing at Delavan, but whose pas
toral jurisdiction also includes Mason
City, he officiating at each place on al
ternate Sundays. These three per-
sons constituted court of the sim
plest form. The bishop was the Judge;
the girl was the plaintiff and accuser,
and the priest was the defendant.
The girls story is substantially as
follows: Her name is
NARY M'cABE.
She Is 10 years Of age, and the daugh-
ter ofIrish Catholic parents who own and
reside ON small farm some four miles
east Of Mason City. In November last,
Farther Duggan having expressed a
desire TO engage the services Of a house
keeper, a lady member of his church at
Mason City recommended Mary McCabe.
She was sent for and engaged TO 20
to Delavan and take charge of the fath-
er's residence. II was the Tuesday be-
fore Thanksgiving that she was installed
In her new position. Everything went
pleasantly enough that day, and the
next, but on Wednesday night, as Is
ALLEGED, transpired the event that is Just
now convulsiDg the diocese. Mary, ac-
cording to her statement, was sitting in
the little parlor engaged in some trihing
feminine occupation when the father
entered and jocularly saluted her
WITH KISS
She was somewhat surprised Al this
faniil arity OIL the part of priest, but
having been schooled from infancy 10
resa' the Catholic clergy As the embodi-
ment OF purity, she passed the oscula-
tory freak by as bit of Innocent pleas
antry. This, as the sequel shows, was
fatal error. Encouraged by the recep-
non his FIRST advances had met, Fa-Dug-
gan presently renewed the familiarity,
and with gradually increasing warmth.
1t was not, however, until he began to
take liberties with her person that she
became fully aware of his intentions.
The terrible truth came TO her like a
revelation. The man OF God, in whom
she had left home, and parents, and
brothers, and sisters, to serve him In
capacity that placed her entirely at
his mercy, was
READY TO BETRAY HER.
Almost before hersusp cions had taken
definite form they were rendered useless
and common place BY passionate
avowal by the priest Of his guilty inten-
tions. Horrified by the situation, the
girl, at first knew not what 10 do. She
was alone, at the dead hour Of night, In
a house remote from all others, and at
the mercy ofa strong man crazed by
passion. Snatching the lamp In her
hand she ran frantically TO her room,
thinking that behind It's bolts aud locks
she would at least have temporary i'm
munity, and could there hit upon some
means of escape, or, If the worst came, of
defense. False hopel The closing door
was hurled violently back by the pursu-
ing priest before the locks could be
sprung opposition had maddened him
To frenzy he seized the frail child In his
arms, threw her upon the bed, stified her
cries for aid, and all was over! Then,
steaithily as the burglar deserts the house
he has rified Of its j.wels, did this deg
poller of virtue abandon the scene of bis
foul wrong, hiding himself in the dark
Less of his own chamber.
When man who has taken the holy
VOWS of celibacy gives way TO nnholy
lust, it would be natural TO expect that
remorse should slash him 10 the verge
of despair. With Father Duggan this
was not the case, IL Mary McCabe speaks
truly, for she swears that few hours
later, on that very night, he f
AGAIN BURST INTO HER ROOM,
and, despite her protestations and en-
treaties, renewed the outrage. Then
she was left alone.
As soon as daylight came Mary hur-
riediy dressed herself, and prepared 10
leave that house OF horror. AS she
glided noiselessly through the parlor,
fearful lest her Intentions, having been
anticipated, might be frustrated, note
| lying on the table, addressed to her,
caught her eye, and she glanced at its
contents sufficiently to see that it was
from the priest, peremtorily dismissing
her from his service, She knew by this
that he had determined to cover his own
crime by branding her as q scarlet wo-
man. She then resolved to tell all to
the Bishop. Father Duggan denied the
charges and the case, at last accounts,
was In the hands Of the Bishop.