St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-21
TAR AND FEATHERS.
Outrage on Rev. Father Bapst by
Know-Nothings.
His Terrible Experiences Subsequently Rec
tor of st. Johns College, FOrdham-
Blaine's Paper Defends the Mob
Statement of Gentleman Who
Was on the Spot.
from the New York Mercury !

element, which was briefly alluded to Thurs
day night by Congressman Collins, in his
speech at the Academy of Music meeting,
was an outrage that started the entire country
at the time. Father Bapst is remembered as
one Of the most devoted and popular priests
of the day, and thousands Of New Workers
recall him subsequently as president of St.
Johns College, Fordham.
THE HON. THOMAS d. JONES.
one of the largest lumber merchants in the
eastern district of Brooklyn, was at the time
of the outrage resident of Ellsworth. He
had been born and reared there, and knew
everybody in the place and all that was going
on of public nature. Besides he was then
personally acquainted with Father Bapst, and
saw him after the assault upon him, when
persons were endeavoring to clean the tar
and feathers from his body. He also, with
other liberal Protestants of the place, tried
to have the perpetrators Of the act punished;
but Blaine's paper, the Kenrebec Journal,
Lad reused such religious feeling in the
bosoms of the great mass of the population
that no grand jury could be found to indict
the ruffians. Mr.. Jones, who is now gen
larry refined and strikingiy intellectual ap-
pearance, related the whole incidents of tn
affair 10 a Mercury reporter in his Office one
afternoon during the past week.
Now" said Mr.. Jones, 81 am Protest
ant, of Protestant stock I drew my religion
from my mothers breast, but l do not be-
lieve, and never did believe, that any one
religion holds a monopoly of all the virtues
and good qualities of humanity l recollect
when Blaine came to Maine It was, l am
pretty positive, in the spring of 1854. He
went there to edit the KenaeJec Journal, pub
lshed in Augusta, the capital of the state
1t was the leading Republican organ of the
state, and was read everywhere in the state
BLAISE's NAME WAS UP AS EDITOR
of the paper. Gov. Merrill was the Republi-
can candidate for governor that year, and
the leading issue of the campaign was the
proposed exclusion of all foreigners from the
franchise. Blaine at once commenced a
fierce advocacy of the tenets of Know Moth
ingism and kept it up all through 1854, '55
and 80 / might with justice say that Know
Nothngism owed its existence in Maine to
him.
He was the heart soul Of the crusade, and
he had much influence with the people. The
Catholic population of Ellsworth was not
very large in those days. They had little
church where Father Bapst attended every
Sunday, said mass and preached, baptised
and married, and did all the other offices of
his religion. He was stationed at Bangor.
and performed the duties of his religion and
calling for a large section of the country
around, as priests were scarce up in Maine in
those days. He was Frenchman and the
MOST PERFECT GENTLEMAN
have ever met. lie had very fine, i'm
posing presence, was thoroughly educated
and refined, and true Christian in every
serse. He was liberal in his views a1d large
In bis tOlerations. He was the last man you
could think of who would provoke the out
rage inflicted upon him. Were he narrow
minded, bigoted, iIl-bred and of Il quarrel
some disposition, the excuse might be pre-
scented that he drew it on himself But he
was directly the opposite, and possessed the
esteem ana respect Of all the liberal minded
andarespcetable Protestants of the whole
district in Which he served.
THE TROUBLE FIRST AROSE
In this way: The know-nothing spirit was
burning at red heat under the surface. fed
and inhamed week after week by Blaine's
paper, and was only waiting for the slightest
occurrence to burst forth with devourng
effect. II may have been done to provoke
the Catholics, but however that was Il strin-
gent rule was enforced in the public school
that the Catholic children should read the
Protestant Bible. The Catholics protested
against this. think it was some time in
July that the Catholics turned their church
into school house for themselves and
began to build new church. This action
brought out all the spirit of know-nothing-
ism. The old church, now the school house.
was burned down one night, and that por-
ton OF the Hew church which had been
erected was burned and destroyed. There
was naturally great excitement in the town
next morning, and many Of the
law and order Professionals feared that
the Catholics would take revenge
by burning down their church and
schools. Some of them came to our house
and consulted my eldest brother, William,
who tried to calm their fears by telling them
the Catholics would not take such reprisals
However, it was thought well to call meet
ing for the purpose of
DENoUSCISG THE OUTRAGE
and assuring our Catholic fellow towuspeople
hat the burning of their church and school
was the act Of ignorant bigots. and that all
respectable Protestants held such conduct in
utter adherence. Half dozen OF us went
TO see Mr.. Whitaker, who was then chair
man Of the town seectmen, 10 have the
meeting called. Mr.. Whitaker, although a
Republican, was with us. The meeting was
called for the Sth of July. When we went
10 the place we found that the Know Nothing
element had gathered in large force and
taken possession. It was our intention to
have Mr.. Whitaker preside bat we saw W.
were outnnmbered four 10 one, and know
ing we could effect nothing we left.
Besides If we had remained It might be
claimed that We, by our pres
ence, countenanced whatever action
might be taken. The meeting was organ
tied by the election Of George W. Brown as
chairman. Speeches, prompted and dictated
by spirit of persecution, were made and
cheered TO the echo. The meeting then
passed the following resolutions, of which l
have Just received certified copy, taken
from the town records by Mr.. ". II. Chany,
the town clerk. They
READ As FOLLOWS:
Moved by George w. MADDOX, that IL John
Bapst, 5. j., be found again upon Ellsworth
soil we win provide for him and try on an
entire suit of new clothes, such as cannot be
found at the shop of any taylor (sicl, and
that when thus apparelled he be presented
with free ticket to leave Ellsworth upon
the first railroad operation that may 20 into
effect.
Voted, that the resolutions adopted at this
meeting be published in the Ellsworth Herald
aud Eastern Freeman.
Voted, that we now adjourn sine die.
THE READING or THE RESOLUTIONS
wss received with shouts of applause, aud
they were adopted without dissenting voice