Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-02-28
THE CONVENT SUICIDE.
The Aarienfeld Correspondent Explains 1t.
Father Peters Much Abused Ey the
Fresi and Others
MAa1nNFE1D. TEX, Feb. %, 1890.

hAHAESFELDt rep. ~ AoSVs
To the Gazette.
The district court OF Martin county was
presided over by his honor Judge Ken
nedy, who is known among the people as
the ''honest judge The grand jury
was composed of men selected from the
various counties, among which we're
some of our best men. We have no
doubt but that these men were selected
for purpose, and that was to investi-
gate the case called by some ''the con-
vent mystery, and by others the
"horror in convent, - and some pa
pers using such headlines as would aid in
arousing public bigotry against the per-
sons as murderers and our justice OF the
peace as an accessory to the murder.
This has gone the rounds not of this
ccnntry only, but Europe has lopDed and
published the fabricated lie, and the
abuse heaped upon these Dung men can
never be repaired. And the question
now Is, who are the sufferers and who
shall repair the injustice done to them?
The grand jury which made the investi-
CATION and had marched to the court
house every student, among whom we're
several boys, and did not allow them
to counsel each other, kept them separate
and did not allow them TO even return to
their home TO take their dinner, but
took them under escort to the hotel from
which they were marched back to the
courthouse. After the most rigid inves-
tigation the accused nurderers were re-
leased from their bonds.
Father Andrews, who was accused of
the murder, is one of the most beloved
men in the convent; man of whom not
one could say one word against. The
Catholic portion Of this community think
they have been subject TO a grevious
wrong and uujustly treated at the hands
OF their enemies. They consider it
case of persecution, as no evidence was
ever shown that murder had been COM
mitted. The German Catholics are glad
that rigid investigation was made, aud
put nothing in the way to stop it, as they
said il Father Andrews was murderer
they did not want him as a priest, but
wanted him hung. Now, it is over, and
men who are known to be their avowed
enemies, have rendered the verdict, not
guilty. He, like one of the Hebrew
children, comes forth without one spot
of guilt against him The blow this has
given Father Andrews has rendered it
necessary for his health that he should
change the climate
TO WHOM SHOULD REST THE BLAME7
The facts in the ease is that at Marieu-
teld there is a German colony of Catho-
lies. They were settled by Rev. p. a.
Peters and his brother BonltiCe, and
they have received several additions
from Germany. They have a convent
where students are trained for the priest
hood and they have about thirty uine at
present. They are all kept constantly
either at their books or at work. One of
the students who did not wish to leave
the convent, neither was he able to be q
priest, sought TO rid himself out of
the world by hanging, while ell the
others were at mass, including Father
Andrews. (Andrews was the priest in
charge, as Father Peters and Bonifce
Peters were in Louisiana on business
The young priest called in the justice Of
the peace who called in several of the
older students, VINO was citizens OF this
county and voters, and held an inquest,
making note on piece OF paper, but
failed to put it on his docket at the time,
for which he was made an accessOr to the
murder and was so notified, and also
for which Father Peters, who was not
there, has received so much abuse
through the press. The Germans of Ma
rienfeld are law abiding and peaceable
people. They live on what they make
by industrious labor, and all they ask in
return is protection which the state OF
Texas has promised to them. Now let
the public press that gave so much abuse
10 those parties be as hasty in their vim
dication. A. RAWLINS.