The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-02-10
Gossip.
New York, February End, 1888.

in the third house. and what efforts the
monopolists Of all kinds are making to
hold their cwi. l have conversed with
several Congressman who has been in town
| during the last week on flying trips, and
from what l have learned l think there is
scarcely any doubt but that a tariff bill
will be passed. But there will be no re
form in it. The franchise Of systematical-
~ extorting money from the poor will be
continued oniE under another name.
There is every reason to believe that the
Stat. Legislature will adjourn early in
April. There is no likelihood that a new
charter for the city will be enacted during
the present session. In conversation q few
days ago Mr.. John Kelly said that he did
nos rhl,.k that anything would be done.
nor was he il fact i'll favor of any such
Measure. The present charter he said
couit be amended to much advantage iii
many respects. Single headed commits
siops should be placed at the head Of every
department with the Police and Charities
and Corrections Departments. The busi
ness of these two officers. he said was too
large that any one man conld condnct it
properly. TIE appointment Of q single
head u. nd necessitate much Of the work
being done by a bureau. and this might
and probably would lead to corruption.
The re-iuterment of the great Arch
bishop Huges in the crypt of tie new Gu
theSlral this week, was one Of the most
solemn ard impressive funeral pageants
ever witnessed in this city. When at the
conclusion o the S ryic s,the chancel choir
OF nearly three hundred voices Numbered
OFT See5hoyen's grand I;Sere,e the effect
was absolutely thrilling. One poor ser
want girl was so overcome by it that her
| sri,,1 lo,,, y~I1,,oDI Oh, ourh.l
and cried Historically and had to be con-
veyed ont OF the church and sent home in
q cab. The next day she lost her reason
entirely ana was sent to al, Insane AsylHm.
The solemnity recalls to mind the cele
DRAFTED religious controversy the ArchbisL
OPP had with Mr.. Erastus Brooks some
twenty-five years ago. Erastus and James
W. Brooks at that time owned and con-
Quoted the Express which in those days
had both II morning and an evening edi-
ton: James was the active man Of the
concern, the fighter, the writer of vlgo-
rons. prngent short editorials, while Eras
tus was more the scholar and the student.
He was we'll versed in religious matters.
AID for Il layman had a remarkable knowl
edge of theology. The public school sys
TEN was at that time in its infancy and
the discussion arose whether the Bible
should he read to the children. Mr.. Eras-
tus Brooks wrote some articles on the sub
jiect not favorable to Catholicism, which at
tracted so much attention and aroused SO
much comment that the Archbishop re-
Piled IL a letter to the editor" This
brought cut further remarks, and in a few
days all Of New York was interested in the
controversial duel between these two bril-
liant men. Bishop Hughes then proposed
fhof tho I1...on xn1:n1, ,~~- Ill -
stlied large proportions and wandered
from its original limited field to an argu
ment as TO the truth of the Catholic relig-
ion-sliouid lie conducted in another IA
per. He thorght i: would be fairer
than if Mr.. Brooks would have his
say in the Express and the Archbishop his
reply in his organ, the FTeemdn's Journal
About that time the only paper which
was really making money was the Express
and some OF the great dailies of the present |
day had indeed a hard time Of it. The
Brookses advanced them all money, and
thus were quite a power in the fraternity |
itself. Among their heaviest debtors was
Webb's Courier Enquirer, a paper long
since extinct. Despite all assistance and
all coddling the paper continued to retro
grade, and for awhile it looked as if the
Messrs. Brooks would never be able to ret
back their money. Then when the Arch
bishop proposed to have the discussion in
some independent paper, the Brookses sug
gested the Courier-Enquirer. Bishop
Hughes was satisfied, and then the circu
lation of the paper went up with a bound,
advertisements began to pour in, and in
less than no time the paper was able to
quite a while. AS an old New Yorker ex-
pressed it, 1T was a beautiful race. neck
and neck" Towards the epd Bishop
Hughes seemed to be winning, but in All
unfortunate moment he lost his temper
and made use of an ugly expression against
his antagonist. AS one of the conditions
the controversy was that it was to be
conducted in a purely objective manner.
stopped at once, claiming that ii a !
man was compelled to leave argument for
vituperation he had lost his case. aud pub
tic opinion awarded him the victory.
The Archbishop afterwards was very
sorry for his words. and I believe the omar
rel between the two men WAS made up. He '
was q warm hearted impulsive mar and
was frequently led into words and acts
which he afterwards repented. The Irish I
people i'll the city were intensely bitter
against Brooks and the Express, and it
was frequently necessary for him and the
employees ofthe paper to leave through
back doors to escape violence, but Bishop
Huges rebuked them severely for it. Mr..
however had the Americans proper
with him. and they elected him to the Sen
ate with an overwhelming vote. The Cou
rier-Enquirer after the discussion ended
refrigerated again and soon after
expired. but the Brookses had their money
and did not complain. This is a bit Of Sc
cret Journalistic history which l think has
never been written before.
AT THE STRING.
ERN HOTEL.