The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-05-26
OUR LETTER FROM BROADBRlM.

An Extraordinary Suit-Democratic Fac
ton Fights-The Big bridge Safe -War
on the Opium Dives-Conl<ling's Speech
| Sale Of the World, etc.
New YORK, May T., 1888.
EDITOR CAIEF:
| The most extraordinary suit at law which
has ever been tried on the American conti-
nent, is now going on in the city of Brook
| lyn.ss- Some time since | related the story Of
recover monies which he had paid him for a
registered claim, which the first named
party was supposed to have on some real
estate in Paradise. The present suit is of a
very different character. One Father Ma
guire was Rector of ST. Paul's Catholic
Church, i'll the city of Brooklyn, and his
| lines had evidently fallen in pleasant places,
must pay, Father Maguires assets footed up
the nice little sum of $4,000. St. Paul's
| congregation is not a rich one, and the ex-
tent Of the good pastors savings we're never
| suspected till his will was handed in for
| probate at the Sui1ogate's court. Father
Mcguire was a most excellent priest, greatly
beloved by his congregation, but when death
came tapping at the door it evidently oc-
cured to him that he might have been
guilty Of some offenses which would neces-
state brief tarry il purgatcry; and as
purgatory is not by any means a comforta-
bic place to lodge in. Father Mcguire en-
gagged his curate, Father Kenny, to say
mass for his souls repose. "What shall it
pro fit man if he gains the whole world
and lose his soul?" Father Mcguire had
evidently rondered on this text and he re-
solved to invest part of his temporal
earnings to his future spiritual comfort.
Father Maguire died, and Father Kenny
said a thousand masses for the repose of
his soul, this at sixteen dollars mass, which
is very cheap under the circumstances,
makes up the nice little sum of $4,000, and
for this sum Father Kenny puts in his claim:
the executors reiectedit, and Father Kenny
sued them for the amount, and that is the
case which is now disturbing the peace Of
our sister city. On what grounds the execu-
tors refused to pay Father Kenny am at a
loss to conceive; there appears to be no
question but that he did the work, and did
it faithfully and in a christianlike manner.
There is also no question that Father Ma
guire, before his death, desired it to be done
for nothing. If he had ordered out of his
estate ten thousand dollars for a monument
that would have done him no good, who
would have questioned his right to dispose
of his property i'll that way? The doctor
was paid who failed to cure him of the
complaint that killed him. the undertaken
got good round sum, but Father Kenny,
who personally did the dead man more
good than the whole of them put together,
is left out in the cold. hope Father Kenny
will get his money. For the miserable skin
fints who would let their poor relatives lay
in purgatory forty Or fifty years, when
reasonable outlay of his superfuous cash
would relieve him of its discomforts, have
nothing but loathing and contempt. But
the suit is new one, and I await the decis-
ion with anxiety.
War has broken out between the rural
Democratic factions which threatens to
shake this city to pieces once more. As 1
outlined in my letter some weeks ago, there
was the possibility of an eruption, which has
come. Governor Cleveland is lawyer and
a gentleman. Hs was placed in his seat by
a voice which has no parallel in American
politics, save in the case of Washington
alone. He came to his Office with high
estimate of its necessities and possibilities.
resolved, l firmly believe, to ignore strict
party lines and give us a government ''of
the people and for the people and by the
people, From the first moment Of his