The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-06-23
Tbe DoqaldsoqviIIe CPieff'
= Two Dollars Year.
Qua LETTER FROM BRoADBRlM.
'swo Dollars a Yea

e85s {
Two Dollars Year.
Our LETTER FROM BRoADBRlM'
Excitement among the Catholics Of Goth
:,tl-C Clerical Marriages and Assaults
"Reminiscences of u Board or Bank Burg
1ars-Hot Weather, etc.
New YORK, June 9. 1888.
No sooner is our big bridge finished than
we find ourselves in trouble. Before it was
completed we took something more than a
pnssinp interest in our sister city we felt
bound to keep an eye on her morals, for
they more or less affected our own: we
could not help feeling an interest IN her
politics, for if VIC did not keep our weather
ayc open she frequently decided our State
elections. And then if it be true that blood
ID thicker than water, there may have been
so1mething in that; for the Emperor of one
city was named Kelly, and the Gar OF the
other was named McLaughlip. So as re-
marked, it is but natural that we should feel
d lively interest in our sister city of Brook
Iyn. When we require a little frst-class
preaching, we frequently cross the ferry;
but that is not the only thing they have
first-class. Sometimes it Is frst-class
murder; sometimes a burglary; but in the
matter of first-class sensations Brooklyn IS
way ahead of New York. In fact, if it had
not been for Brooklyn, should frequently
n iY,ta lin ~
weekly letter.
It has been lively week among our
Catholic friends, and one that is not likely
to be forgotten for sometime. Father Nc
Church of "Our Lady of Mercy" was
married to Miss Vanderbilt, in the presence
of large congregation. The ceremony
being performed by another ex- priest, Fa-
tlner de Kin, who had taken unto himself a
rib; and there were also six or eight ex-
priests present at the ceremony who ap-
peared to think that Father McNamee had
done the very best thing he could do, and
as he and his beautiful bride appeared to
think so too, there is no particular reason
why everybody else should not be satisfied.
The Church of st. Cecilia is one OF the
largest and most respectable Catholic
churches in Brooklyn. The pastor is Father
Florence Mccarthy who has ministered
their acceptably for several years. The
organist of the church until quite recently
Res Miss Bridget Cronin, q beautiful young
5ady Of about twenty summers. A couple
of weeks ago Father Mccarthy was cele-
tbrating mass. The church was crammed
to suffocation with the worshipers, when
suddenly the whole congregation were hor-
riied by seeing a lady rise in the body of
tho church, and shaking her fist at the priest
on the altar, she screamed out at the top of
her voice: "You have insulted my daugh-
ter; if you NEEDLE with her again I'll shoot
you" It is hardly necessary to say that the
scene produced the liveliest kind of sen
sation, for the speaker was well known to
the entire congregation as the mother of
the pretty organist. For few moments it
seemed as if the multitude lost their heads.
Cries of "Sacrilege," and ''Put her out"
with other expressions of like character
completely drowned the voice of the priest,
who stopped the celebration of mass, and
tried to bring order out of chaos. At last
two old Deacons, who were personal friends,
succeeded in reaching the Infatuated woman
and induced her to leave the church. Father
Mccarthy had Mrs. Cronin arrested for dis
turbing public worship, and Mrs. Cronin
has entered suit against Mccarthy for as
sault, placing her damages at $4,000.
What makes the case particularly interest
ing, is that the Cronin family are exceed
ingly devout Catholics, and have been for
many years among the most generous sup
porters of st. Cecilia Church. It appears
that some weeks ago, Miss Cronin called
upon Father Mccarthy, who was sick in his
room. AT the time, she wanted tickets for
a church entertainment, and called Oh Fa-
Their Mccarthy to procure them. 1t was at
this time that the assault complained of was
said to have taken place: but as the affair
has got into the courts, we will patiently
wait for the verdict. Father Mccarthy
says that the devil has got possession of the
Cronins;s and the Cronins appear to think
that the devil has got into the priest. At
any rate, $4,000 is the amount they consid-
cred themselves damaged, and if their ale
cations are true hope they get it.
Going along the street the other day who
should sec but Bill Porter. Who is he?
lnethinks l hear you say. Well, Bill Porter
a few years ago was one of the smartest
bank burglars in the United States, or in
the world. It was he in company with |
Shany Draper and five or six others who |
formed combination before which country
banks trembled, and even the best of our |
city scarcely considered themselves safe. |
William Porter scarcely filled the bill for
the popular idea Of "A bank burglar or a |
thief, for q nicer looking Or more gentle |
manly man could not be found in DAYS |
walk. Though Brooklyn and New York are
SO close together, well known criminal |
may skip from one to the other and escape
detection for months. So it was with the
Pafchen Avenue gang. to which Bill Porter
Il ielitsTiaoie ROBBERY IN new
York caused them to skip across the river,
and the whole party, under assumed names,
hired a fine house on Patchen Avenue
Brooklyn. The reputed wives or Molls of
the burglars looked like elegant ladies. They
dressed finely, played on the piano, occa-
sionally INDUCED in a game of crcquet on the
lawn, and although they made but very few
acquaintances, they seemed to enjoy them
selves SO well that they were the envy of all
Lle uaiohhnrs. Seyeral darinor rohlaarias IL, |