The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-09-14
SCENES IN The SOUTH
A Hush Fell Upon the City When
the Bishop Died.
DARK TALES OF PRIVATE LIFE.
The Church Customs of Bolivia-A Magnifi.
cent Funeral-Mourning in Outward
Appearance

LA PAz, Bolivia, Aug. 14.-[Special cor
respondence of The HERALD. IA hush has
fallen opon the city, for the bishop is dead
This is a more startling announcement
than the stranger at first appreciates, for
Bishop Juan de Dios Bosque was the fore
most man in Bolivia, functionary of more
importance than the president of the Re
public and with far greater power.
NEITHER RESOLUTIONS NOR CHANGING GOV
EMINENT
could affect his state and position; he d.
rected rulers and shaped public events and
his word was law from which there was
no appeal His influence was more potent
because not observable on the surface, but
IL penetrates to every home in all the walls
of life, swaying the strongest through their
superstitions and maintaining its firmest
hold though the women and the children.
He was only 81 years old when he sue
cumbed TO what surgeons name viSical cal
culus, a terrible disease for whose treat
ment he went to Europe eight years ago
and returned apparently cured. He was
appointed to the diocese by the pope in
1915 and from that time to the present has
enjoyed an income much greater than that
OF the president, ranging between $50, 600
and 100000 per annum. He was extremely
charitable and not only founded, but sup
ported the great orphan asylum of La Paz
out of his private means, besides dis
ing large sums of money in daily charities.
OF COURSE DARK TALES ARE TOLD
concerning his private life and alleged
methods of adding to his income. circulated.
now that he is dead, by those who few
days ago dared not speak his name except
in the most respectful manner SANDER,
like death, loves shining mark; and
doubtless most of these falsehoods are at
tributable TO the petty jealousy that always
follows those who are elevated in purpose
or position above the common herd The
best that can be said of him, or of any
human beng in the final summing-up of
the earthly record, is that he was not want
ing in charity, the greatest of the Christian
virtues.
Some time ago Bishop Bosque GOT himself
SO deeply under a cloud at Rome that the
Pope suspended him for year or two. The
trouble began with the discovery that he
had bestowed two or three livings apiece on
certain poor curates. Of course the gossip
ers insist that the latter divided the spoils
with their patron, but as the cures receive
the merest pittance from the government.
the salary of each being about 800 per an
mum, there could not have been very much
TO divide. The suspension of the too SYM
pathetic bishop was precipitated by his
marrying cabinet minister to a widow,
three of whose children by former hus-
band having been god-fathered by the min
lister aforesaid. No remotest tie of blood
existed among them, but the church eX-
pressly forbids such marriages. on the
ground that a spiritual relationship, sacred
though unexplainable, exists between com
padres, as parents and god-parents are
cd fha ~ifa1 Of l.,
salary from the government, SC, 600 year,
was stopped; but the grateful minister
presented him with 81 $50 and his parish
toner's made up purse of $50, 900 more, sc
that he managed to worry along.
NOW THAT he is DEAD,
the aspect of the whole city is suddenly
changed. Martial music no longer fills the
air, flags are at half mast and tied with
Grape, black banners are dropping from the
windows of all the houses Immediately sur
rounding the episcopal palace, while the
latter the huge prison-like structure occu-
pied during Melgarejo's time as q barrack,
is literally covered with symbols of woe In
the second story apartment which that IL.
lustrious general used for dining room
the bishop breathed his last, and from that
very window through which the former
marched his men to a fall of fifteen feet
and broken bones, merely to show off theiI
obedience to friend, a sable pail is hang
ing.
According to church custom in Bolivia
the bishop must lie in state four days and
meanwhile people of every class are in
deepest mourning. All day. long, from IL
am. till midnight, throng of people is
seen vending its way in one direction, to
pay the last token of respect to the holy
father. There are monks, gray cowled,
bareheaded and barefooted; priests in black
robes and shovel hats; friars all in white
from head TO foot; professions of boys who
are being educated for the priesthood: sis
tiers of charity and nuns of all orders; va
rious societies going in body; delegations
of citizens; troops of employees from every
branch OF the government; Inpians, Cholos
and ladies of high degree.
BY the way, the women of South Amer.
lea can
MOURN MORE, IN OUTWARD APPEARANCE,
than any other class of people on earth
All wear straight, scant gowns of black
wool, entirely untrimmed and slightly trail
ing: and mdfltds, or shawls, of the same
material, draped in straight lines over The