The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-11-01
no pISRESPECT
% rAE AMERICAN FLAa INTENDED.
An oeeurrtnes At Funeral Yesterday which
Caused Little rAlk-A Society Forbidden By
nOuhsaor Sullivan to Take Part In a Fu.
a.rll-sOth sides of the Story

There was some talk about town yesterday
OF an occurrence at ttefunsral OF Mr.. George
Weigand. soE.!r.lsw OF Mr.. F. striff, the
dyer. Mr.. Weigsnd was Catholic, and a
member Of the 81. Alphonsus Benevolent So
clety. This society went In body TO tie
residence Of Mr.. strif, on Market street,
where the corEss lay, Just before the hour set
for the funeral yesterday afternoon, one Of
the members bearing an United States flag,
and one Of the officers baton, used In the
society as the mark OF his authority. Rev.
Father McElligott, the officiating priest, told
one Of the officers OF the society thst hecould
not otIiciate II thtso were carried In the tu.
neral procession, whe:eupon the members oil
the society filed by the bier upon which lay
the coffin, and Withdrew, marching 10 their
hall and there dispersing.
seyeral members Of tho 81. Alphonsus Sc.
cis,y expressed their surprise at no ajtitp Of
Father McEIligott, and said they could not
conceive what the objection to the flag c;uld
be.
Mr.. Charles Z. Behler, one OF the leading
men OF the society, was called upon. He
taid that he had had conversation with
Father Sullivan by telephone, and had
asked him II any objection would be made TO
the members Of the society wearing the SC.
ciety badge. The Father answered that this
would not be allowed, as 1t would mark the
society as an organization. MIR. Behler
said he did not understand ths opposition to
the society, as the members had alwayssur-
posed 1t to be recognized Catholic society In
good standing. So far as be knew, It had
never violated any OF the rules OF the church.
A reporter called at the Cathedral aud
asked Monsignor Sullivan and Rev. Father
McElligott for their version OF the affair.
They explained that at the Diocesan Synod
Of 1889 q statute bad been adopted requiring
all Catholic organizations to submit their
constitutions and rules 10 the Bishop for his
approval, and STIMULATING that no society
which should not do 80 should enjoy the
special privileges accorded to recognized
Catholic societies among which was tnat OF
taking part as organ:Z:tion In religious
PROFESSIONS, attending services in rsgalia,
and the like.
The st. Alphonsus socieiy, Monsiguor Bull
Ivan said, did not comply with this statute,
and 80 ceased to have any claims IS a Gath
ole society. On Tuesday evening member
OF the society was at the Episcopal residence,
and to avoid any Misunderstanding, the
Monsgror reminded him that the society
would not be permitted to ATTEND Mr.. Wei
gand's funeral as a society.
Yesterday Mr.. Bshler called the Cathedral
by telephone, aud asked II the prohibition
extended to wearing the society badge. He
was tcld that 1t did.
"Then." said Mr.. Bshler, ''can wetary the
United States aag?'
mo" said Mong.. Sullivan; chat would
only be carried by thesociesy as an organiz,-
ton, AID would be a mark OF organization.
Nothing can DO allowed which would serve to
distinguish the society as srch.n
Yesterday, however, tho society appeared
at the residence OF Mr.. strif with their flag
and baton. Father McElligott told them that
he could not officiate II they persisted In a.
tending as a society, and they withdrew.
This was ell there was in II, and the attempt
to give the action OF Mongr. Sullivan or
Father McElligott the appearance OF Dis
respect for the United States fl4g, both these
gentlemen pronounced unjust and not In
keeping with the facts when properly under
Etnnd