The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-03-31
THE CHURCH CASE.

ment of the temporal affairs of the Gath
Ole Church Of Ascension has not lbated
and knowing that onr readers will expec
the information at onr hands, we Civ
the latest developments and present sit
uaton Of the controversy as far as wi
are informed on the subject.
AS reported in the last number Of thu
CHIEF, the newly organized Board o
Wardens, represented by their President
| Mr. Jean Fevrier, obtained on Saturday
an injunction prohibiting the Bishop ant
Father Ceuppens and their agents Of
employees from selling the church pew'
on Easter Sunday, or i'll any manner in
terfering With the Wardens in the admin
| istration and control of the churcl
| property and sale of the pews. District
| Judge Clieevers recusod himself and de-
clined to grant any order in the premises
on the ground that he Lad signed the
memorial Of 1874 in pursuance of which
the Wardens then managing the prop
erty of tbs church ceded the usufruct oil
its revenues to the Bishop of the Diocese
of Now Orleans for the space Of ten years
and, further, that he had also signed the
protest against the formation of the new
corporation entitled "The Congregation
of the Roman Catholic Church of Ascen-
sion" In view of the Judges recusation,
it became the duty of the Clerk and Re-
corder to grant the Injunction, which he
did, upon bond being furnished in the
sum Of $4,000 signed by Messrs. Jean
Fevrier, R. N. Sims, E. N. Pugh and Ben
Gibson.
Service Of the injunction having been
made upon Father Cenrpens Saturday
evening, he was prevented from carrying
out his announced intention of selling
the pnwa as usual on the following day.
Tho new WardeDs, however, offered the
news at auction outside the church.
Deputy Sheriff Israel acting as auction
eer-ana realized 1903 so from the sa1l,
being more than the amount required to
reimburse Mr.. Leon Babin the money lie
advanced to release tho church lots seized
by the Sheriff for non-payment Of State
and parish taxes.
On Monday application was made to
the Clerk and Recorder to dissolve the
injunction, and on Tuesday formal
motion for dissolution aud bond was filed.
After q careful examination of the law,
tho Clerk became satisfied that he was
without power to grant such an order,
and so decided. Defendants have since
applied to Judge Cheevers to appoint an
attorney at law or designate the Judge
Of an adjoining district as Judge od hoe,
in accordance with the act of 1880 relat-
ing to recusations, but up to this morning
10 papers have been filed to show what
further action has been taken in the
premises.
AS we stated last week, the petition
for Injunction recites the history of the
pending controversy at length and brings
the matter in all its phases before the
courts for settlement. The new corpor-
alton, the party plaintiff, is represented
by Messrs. r. N. Sims and L. n Pugh as
counsel. Archbishop Perche and Father
Cenppens sro-.rePresented by :Messrs.
Thos. J. Scmmes Of New Orleans and Jno.
Fl. Ilsley of Ascension. This array Of
legal talent portends stubborn and bril-
liant contest in the judicial arena, unless
the causes of difference can be removed
by mutual concession. We still hope
such an adjustment may be reached, but
there are points involved of q nature
that render such an outcome doubtful.
Easter services were conducted in the
church, but the sanctuary has since been
closed aud yesterday tho Blessed Sacr:l-
ment was removed to the ST. Vincent's
Institute, where it will be zealously
guarded by the Sisters of Charity. 1t is
presumed that these steps have been
taken Ivy the direction Of the Archbishop.
Bishop Leray, coadjutor of his Grace,
Archbishop Perche, has been expected in
and it was thought by
many that he would be enabled to pave
The way for an amicabie adjustment of
the existing difficulty, but the onerous
{ uties Of his exalted station have made
his mooted visit i,npracticable at this
time. Father Celppens will go to tie
city to seek further advice from his
ecclesiastical superiors.
AT the request Of number Of onr
readers we publish to-day French
translation OF the communication appear
ing in the Ascension Democrat Of the 10th
inst, signed ga Catholic" which re-
counts the history of the church property,
defends the action of the organizers of
the new corporation and sharply criti-
,izcs the course Of Father Ceuppens us
custodian Of the church lands and repre-
sentative of the Bishop.
Next week we shall have something
more of interest on the subject Of this
An effort is beng made by the special
attorneys employed in the prosecution of
he star route cases to have Senator t
Kellogg and Thos. J. Brady indicted
separately and jointly for alleged parti-
:ipation i'll the conspiracy to rob the
government. The charges are based on
he testimony of the notorious John A.
Walsh and one "Col."J. 3. Price, form