The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1883-02-08
GOthslsa Gossip.
From Our Correspondent
EEH YoRK, FEB. 3, 'S3.

HE re-lnter!nenC o. tAe siea1
Archbishop Hughes in the crypt OF
the new Cathedral this week, was
one of the most solemn and impress
sive funeral pageants ever witnessed
in this city. When at the conclu-
sion of the services, the chancel choir
of nearly three hundred voices than-
dereG out Beethoyen's grand Ni5trere
the effect was absolutely thrilling
One poor servant girl was 50 over
come by it that her mind became IN
balanced. She laughed and cried
Historically and had to be conveyed
out of the church and sent home in 4
cab. The next day size lost her rca'
son entirely and was sent to an In
sane Asylum.
The solemnity recalls to mind the
celebrated religious controversy the
Archbishop had with Mr.. Erastas
Brooks somc twenty-five years ago.
Erastus and James W. Brooks at
that time owned and conducted the
Ecpress which in these days had
both a morning and an evening edi-
ton. James was the active man Of
the concern, the fighter, the writer
of vigorous, pungent short editorials,
while Erastus was more the scholar
and the student. He was well versed
10 religious matters, and for a layman
had remarkable knowledge of theolo-
gy. The public school system was
at that time in its infancy and the
discussion arese whether the Bible
should be read to the children. Mr..
Erastus Brooks wrote some articles
on the subject not favorable to Cath
olicism, which attracted SO much at
taation and aroused SO much COM
ment that the Archbishop replied in
a "letter to the editor" This brought
out further remarks, and in few
DAVIS all of New York was Interested
in the controversial duel between
these two brilliant men. Bishop
Hughes then proposed that the dis
cussion, which now had assumed
large proportions and wandered from
It's original limited field to an argu-
ment as 20 the truth OF the Catholic
religion-should be conducted in anOth
er paper. He thought it would b.
fairer than if Mr. Brooks would have
his say in the Express and the Arch
bishop his reply in bis own organ,
the Frcemqa's Journal.
About that time the only paper
which was really making money was
the Ecpress and some Of the great
dailies of the present day had in
deed hard time of it. The Brookses
advanced them all the money, and
thus were quite power in the fra
terniUy itself. Among. their heaviest
debtors was Webb's Courier Enquirer,
paper long since extinct. Despite
all assistance and all coddling the pa
per continued to rctrograde, and for
a while it looked as if the Messrs.
Brooks would never be able to get
back their money. Then when the
| Archbishop proposed to have tie
discussion in some Independent pa
per, the Br1okses suggested the
/ G6Hrjer- Enquirer, Bishop Hughes vas
satisfied, and then the circulation Of
the paper went up with bound, adj
vertisements began to pour in, and
in less taan no time the paper was
able to pay its debts. The discus
sion lasted for quite while. IA an
old New Yorker expressed it, lit
was beautiful race, neck and neck. "
Towards tae end Bishop Hughes
seemed t. be winning, bat in an I'M
fortunate moment he LOST his ternpor
and made use Of an ugly expression
against his antagonist. As one Of
the conditions Of the controversy was
that it was to be conducted in a pure
" objective manner, Brooks stopped
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