The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-09-20
HAS THE PRIEST ELOPED?
GOSSIP'S TONGUE BUSY WITH FATHER
BUTLER and MISS BRADY.


An Assistant Rector in St. Bridget's Church
Who is Suspected of Having EIoped with
Lady Worshiper in st. Mary's Parish
Explanations Made by the Family.
Rumors connecting the name of Rev.
Father Butler of st. Bridget's Roman Catho-
lie Church in Jersey City. with that of Miss
Mary Ellen Brady, have been prevalent in
Jersey City for the last few days. Miss
Brady is twenty-five years of age. She is
the daughter of the late undertaken Brady
Her father left handsome inheritance,
and the young lady has lived with her
sister and aunt in q handsome house on
Jersey avenue. Rev. Father Butler is tall
and handsome. He was brought up in
Elizabeth, but four or five years ago came
to Jersey City to assist in st. Bridget's
parish. Miss Brady's residence is in St.
Mary's parish aud not in st. Bridget's. and
she with her family had seat in st. Mary's
church. 1t was noticed, however, that
Father Butler frequently visited Miss
Mary's house and, as it was outside of his
parish, the neighbors remarked it. Finally
the guardians of the daughters of Under
taker Brady advised the priest to call less
frequently, and then it was learned that
he and she met outside. Before Bishep
Wigger went to Europe, he transferred
Rev. Father Butler to Morristown. The
cause of the transfer is not known. Last
Saturday Father Butler left Jersey City to go,
it was supposed, to Mcrristown. 1t is said
that he has not been seen in Morristown.
But at the Delaware, Lackawanna d West
ern Railroad depot man answering his
description is known to have purchased
two tickets to Easton, Pennsylvania. The
same day Miss Brady left home she expect
ed to be absent two weeks, but she took
nothing save valise with her. She said
she was going to Brooklyn first to spend a
day or two, and from there to Ellenville,
New York. Not word has been heard from
her since she went away, and the convic-
ton is becoming strong that she has joined
the Rev. Father Butler.
Enquiry last night among the people con-
nected with the church indicated pretty
general belief in the elopement. At the
rectory of st. Budgets Church, Rev. Father
Hanley and Rev. Father Murphy were
seen.
ST am not at liberty" said Father Muir
ply, "to say anything about this Butler
affair. am not at liberty to say whether
Father Butler is at Morristown, or to say
where he is. He belonged to this parish
aud was assigned to Morristown. Tue
reason for the change Bishop Wigger can
give you. am precluded by my priestly
obligations from saying anything.
The TATTLER representative called upon
Father Hanley, at St. Bridget's Church, on
Maroar ofraaf IN ulnop anv facts he MIGHT
know. The reverend gentleman stated that
Father Butler had been assigned to church
at Morristown.
&c But has he assumed charge of the
church at Moristown?" queried the re-
porter.
81 don't know anything about it, an
swered the priest, in very guarded man
ner. IF you want any information on that
score, you must go to Seton Hall College,
Orange. You must appreciate my posi-
ton" he concluded.
Father Hanley said that the Rev. Father
Butler was native of Elizabethport. He
is fne-looking fellow, about twenty-eight
years of age.
At the residence of Miss Brady it was
said that she was gone on a trip to the
country. 1t was her turn to have a vaca-
ton, and she had gone to take it. They
refused to believe that she had eloped With
Father Butler, and had no doubt that both
had gone their own way. They had not
heard from her. They thought 1t strange
that she had not even written to say that
she had arrived safely at her destination.
But then she may be too busy with her
enjoyment to write.
10th as the family were to believe that
Miss Brady had eloped, they were still less
inclined TO believe that priest would have
been her partner. A Catholic priest is for
hidden by Church Canons to marry. He
clnnot marry except by renouncing the
Church and even then, 50 pieus a girl as
Miss Brady would insist on being married
by Catholic priest, and no Catholic priest
would perform the ceremony with priest
as one Of the contracting parties Father
Hyacinthe is said to be the only priest who
has ever violated the Church Canon con-
corning celibacy.