The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-13
A DEAD GAME PRIEST.
How He Won the Unqualified Respect
of a Tough Texas Community.

toughest places In the state, though it is to-
day. due to the refining influences of rail-
roads, a well-behaved town. It is situated
on the extreme eastern border Of the Lone
Star state on the one side and on the vest
ern border OF Louisiana on the other, with
the Sabine river on divided line It was
then. as it is pretty much now, esentially a
lumber center. The timber obtained from
the great and seemingly inexhaustis le fields
TO the north was fioated down to Orange
where the several mills in the vicinity con-
verified 1t into lumber. These mills gave en-
ployment TO scores of men, a reckless and
daring set. whose sanguinary deeds obtained
for the town anything but enviable motor
iety.
In 1879 the Louisiana Western railroad.
now one OF the. divisions of the Atlantic
system OF the Southern Pacific railroad,
was built through Orange. The mill hands
looked with disfavor upon the advent Of the
iron horse. and the section hands and rail-
read employees were greatly harassed, nav,
their lives imperiled. by the disaffected
denizens OF Orange. These uncouth from
uersmen, under cover Of night, would
amuse themselves shooting at the head
lights OF locomotives, and when nothing
less exciting presented itself would wager
among themselves as TO who would be most
successful in extinguishing the hand
lanterns borne by the train crews. A
freight brakeman perched upon a box car
with lighted lantern Ia hand was a target
for dozen expert rlfiemen, and the thing
got to be so common that trainmen, to pro-
tect their lives, would "douse the glim''
when approaching and passing through
Orange.
The respectable element deprecated these
outrages, but. as they were at that time in
che minority, it was as much as their lives
were worth to openly express their con-
domination. A theatrical troupe stopped
off for one night at Orange to entertain
the rough mill hands. when for some reason
or other the advance agent incurred their
displeasure. 1t is said that he remarked in
one or the saloons that the place was a
Jay" town. A dozen or more of the reck-
less Orangeites induced the advance agent
to accompany them off little piece, ana,
at the muzzle Of revolvers, compelled him
to disrobe. They then plastered him with
naming bills OF bis own show, and forced
him to take the railroad track out of town.
The sheriff Of the town was a courageous
and energetic man, but was powerless to
prevent these outrages, and when finally he
did attempt to check the lawless element
he was riddled with buckshot for his
temerity.
Charles A. Burton, self-made man in
the truest sense Of the word, was superin-
tendent Of the railroad system which trav-
ersed Orange. He was determined to put
down this lawlesSness, and, strange as it
may seem, he turned to a minister of the
gospel to do it. Mr.. Burton was a Yer
monter and a devout Catholic, and he
called to his assistance a French Catholic
priest, who was stationed at Denison, Tex.
This French priest. in the border town of
Denison, In the north of Texas, was re-
cDpHtR6 NV bn al
ment, not only because he was sincere in
everything that he undertook, but because
he was known to positively brook no fool
ishness. He was daring and fearless, was a
dead shot, and would, when the exigency
required it, have no hesitanoy whatever In
handling either revolver or a Winchester.
lie was known everywhere in the north Of
Texas as "the fighting priest"
Mr.. Burton explained to the Denison
priest that there was not a religious edIfce
in Orange, and that the town was practical
ly under the control of q class who had no
regard for either God or man. He informed
the priest that there was a nucleus of good
people there, however, who could, under
proper guidance and with time, bring the
refractory element under subsection, and
frankly told the plucky father that he
wanted him to go there and undertake the
good work. The task was a hard one, but
III II
trial. He proceeded 60 Orange, canvassed
the town and publicly announced that he
bad come to Orange to solicit subscriptions
to build n Catholic church. The tough ele-
ment thought the man was crazy, but as he
did not modest them they allowed him to
give play to his whim.
1t did not take very long to 60 through the
town, where he received considerable en-
and, having completed his
hos
make his report to Supt. Burton. His path
lay across wide field. which interviewed be-
tween the town and the depot which was on
the edge Of Orange. The priest was about
midway over his route when he was stopped
by couple of armed men, who inquired of
him whether he was the priest who had been
subscriptions to a Catholic
church. The priest answered that he was.
The men replied that they had grave doubts
Of his being what he professed to be, ard to
that end ordered him to arise in the stirrups
and recite the Lords prayer.
This is not suitable place nor the proper
time to pray" rejoined the priest.
Pray" commanded the men with re-
volvers.
Nothing daunted, the Catholic priest
arose, and, with the same calmness and
that he would have exercised
within the sacred precincts of his own
church, be recited the Lords Prayer.
Now get out and don't let us see your
face again." shouted one of the men when
the prayer was concluded.
The priest put spurs to his horse aud rode
rapidly away to the depot. On arriving
there he borrowed Winchester rifle from
the station agent, who was puzzled to know
what he wanted the weapon for, and in a
the fighting priest, smarting under
the indignity which he had been subjected
TO, was off for the town in gallop. He
found crowd of the mill hands congre-
gated in the Casino, a grog shop and
gambling saloon patronized by this class
The two heroes of the episode already re-
lated were there reciting the funny features
Of the incident, which was apparently thor
oughly enjoyable to their hearers.
The priest walked boldly to the saloon
and in a twinkling raised his rifle and
brought it to bear upon one Of his insulters.
At the same moment he notified all hands
that he would shoot the first man who
moved MUSCLE Before they could recover
from their surprise the priest ordered the
man upon whom he had drawn bead to
step to the center of the saloon. lie did SO
The priest then sought out the
second rowdy and bade him do likewise.
He went to the front.
"Now, get down on your knees, both OF
you, and repeat the prayer you heard me
say in wonder field" commanded the priest.
The men got down on their knees, but were
silent.
"Repeat it" reiterated the priest, cor l
will send you before your maker" and that
deadly Winchester was pointed directly az
them The toughs now candidly owned up
that they could not do so.
''Then follow me as recite it," rejoined
r h.. kafru 70