Evening journal., 1890-03-17
a PUGiLISTIC MlNISTER.
a One Sided Encounter in a
Poughkeepsie Church.
BITTER WARFARE ABOUT APEW,

BITTER WARFARE ABOUT A PEW.
George Hughes Severely Pounded by
Father Early and Three Assistants.
Hughes Wanted a Certain sitting, and
Persisted in Occupying "a.
PovcHKEEPsIE, n. Y, March i7-st
Iarys Catholic church in this city was the
D which George Hughes, prominent mer-
9hans, was set upon by Rev. Father Terence
Early, pastor Of the church, and severely
punished. Father Early is a stockily built
man OF middle age. while Hughes is dys.
peptic looking, under sized man osFho Drawn
worth mentioning. The trouble that led "a
4he row in the church is thus told by Mr..
Hughes:
The Cause of the Row.
According to his own statement he hired
. pew in St Mary's church other than the
one which Father Early had selected for
him, Hughes own selection having been
pew No IL On Feb ], the day before the
church was dedicated, Hughes called on
Father Early for the purpose Of paying the
rent OF the pew. The pastor told him that
be hadn't time TO attend 10 the matter then,
but he invited him into the parochial resi-
dence, where, so Hughes nvers Father
EARLY asked him to indorse note for 81 800.
Hughes declined TO do this, and then
Father Early asked him IL he would indorse
one for 5000 Hughes again declined say
frr fa flan nd Ia
alleges that his refusal so angercd Father
Early that the latter called him liar and
ordered him ont Of the house
: a Chain Across the Pew.
On Feb. II Hughes sent Father Early his
check for $50 for pew rent The check was
returned. On Sunday, March 2, Hughes
son went to the church to attend services
and found chain across the entrance to the
pew. He cleaned against it, and it gave
way, when he entered the pew aud sat there
during the services. On Saturday night,
March s. the son went again to the church
and found that the seat in the pew had been
torn out, the cushion removed and a chain
again placed across the entrance.
Went TO Church with screw Driver.
Sunday morning, March ., Mr. Hughes
went to the church TO attend service, and
carried with him two camp stools and a
screw driver With the screw driver he re-
moved the chain, and he and his son then
entered tn pew, seated themselves on the
camp stools and remained during service
Yesterday morning Mr.. Hughes aud his son
went 70 the church again, little before the
time for the regular morning service to be-
gin, and found that the seat Of the pew and
the cushion had been returned. They had
hardly taken their seats Mr.. Hughes says,
when Father Early came to them and told
lhem they had no business there; that the
pew belonged to "a Mrs MeCabe, Of Man
chester, and showed them a card on the end
OF the pow with her name upon il
-Four Against One.
Hughes says he reached ever to pull the
card OF, when Father Early struck him a
stiuging blow in the face, cutting open the
flesh to the cheek bone. He rose 70 his feet
and held out his hands TO Father Early
when Philip Sullivan and John Cullen
nephews Of the pastor, and another man
whose name Hughes does not know, ran
from the vestry to the pew. One Of them
threw an arm around Hughes neck and
dragged him TO the other end on the pew
Rhere he held Hughes head down by his
Bhiskers, while John Cullen got up on the
seat Of the pew and hammered Hughes face
.hll be tired Then, Hughes says, Father
Early and the three men left.
A Warrant FOR Father Early.
Hughes, with his face covered with blood,
resumed his seat in the pew with his son.
Before the service commenced Father Early
said 70 Hughes that mass would not be cele.
brated till he had left the church. Hughes
told the pastor that he had come to this
church for the purpose of attending mass
and that he was going to stay as long as il
took to conduct the services and perform
his individual part Of it The service ther
occurred without any further trouble Aftel
it was over Hughes went to his home anc
called Drs. Parker and Marill to attend Il
his hurts. Last night he swore out warrant
for the arrest of Father Early, Sullivan
Cullen and the other man.
The Priests side OF the story.
Father Early denies most Of Hughes state
ments. He says Hughes son struck hir
first and that Cullen, Sullivan and the othe
man came to his assistance Hughes say
that when he had the conversation wit
Father Early in the latter's house he tol
the pastor that he had appealed to the tru
tees, who told him he was entitled TO til
pew. Hughes will now appeal to the bisho
TO have Father Early removed The Who'll
affair is being aired before Recorder Smit
today. Mr. Hughes face and head are COY
cred with bandages. The whole town
talking about the row. Some of the men
bers Of st Mary's church last night al
piled for admission to ST. Peters, bl
Father Nolan told them to 60 back and n
main in their own church.
BiNhnu Foetar Made a CaneatlCr