The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-04-23
"PAUPER PASTOR, /"
Death of Rev. Samuel Davies at
Providence, r. l., the Methodist
Minister Who Bravely
RESCUED A YOUNG PRIEST
From the Grasp of Brutal and
Unnatural Sea Captain-His-
tory of an Encounter.

The Rev. Samuel Davies, y Methodist
clergyman known as 'the pauper PASTOR y
died in Province, r. T., recently. His
honorable sobriquet was given him be-
cause he had devoted his life to the serv-
ice of the poor and lowly, himself being
as poor as any. His father. an American
missionary in Asiatic Turkey, and his
mother, an Armenian lady, were MUIR
dered by the Turkish authorities. Their
son, a mere child, was adopted by Ger
man family, and educated for the minis
try. When twenty years old he came to
America, being passenger on the same
ship, the Columbia OF the Black Ball
Lime, with the late Bishop Hendricken,
who was then young priest During
the voyage the Knownothing captain and
crew assaulted the priest for having
dared administer the last rites of the
Church to a poor dying Catholic woman.
Here is the story, as told after the
death OF Bishop Hendricken by M.
Davies himself:
The captain of the vessel and all his
officers and crew were members of the
Knownothing party, the captain being a
notorious leader and president OF lodge
of Knownothings in Maine. There we're
700 steerage passengers, OF whom 500,
Irish and German, were Catholics. The
Rev Mr.. Davies took spiritual charge of
the Protestants. Fathers Hendricken
and Walsh, newly ordained priests, were
cabin passengers. When thirteen days
at sea Catholic woman in the steerage
was taken mortally i'll, and Mr.. Davies
notified Father Hendricken. The young
man." says ME-. Davies, '.hurried into his
cabin, donned his vestments, and was
passing out with the Eucharist in his
hand when he was confronted by the cap
tain, who damned him for Paplst and
seized him by the throat, declaring that
aboard his ship people would have to die
without id Catholic mummery. Draw
ing pistol, he threatened to shoot if a
step wes taken towards the spot where
the poor woman lay dying. Clasping his
cruci6x, young Hendricken replied that
he must go to the relief ofthat departing
soul, even though his life be sacrificed.
Livid with rage, the captain would have
felled him to the earth but for the other
priest and myself. We got the young
priest away and persuaded him to refrain
from open defiance of the captain until
supper time, when he COULD slip down,
while we would endeavor to engage the
captain in conversation at table. The
ruse succeeded, and while the captair,
with coarse gibes and ribald jokes, was
declaring that no Catholic rite should
ever be administered aboard his boat,
Father Hendrcken was at the dying
woman's side, hearing her confession and
administering the Sacrament. She died
while he was repeating the final prayer.
"Just before supper was over, sailor
burst into the room and informed the
captain that id priest had got down
and was fixing that Irish woman.
Snatching up pistol, thu captain sprang
from the table, followed by the mate and
purser, bent on destroying Father Hen
dricken. We ran out after them, and
were in time to see the captain strike
the priest a fearful blow as he came up
the hatchway, hurting him down, where
he lay stunned and bleeding. Drag the
cuss up here commanded the captain,
and his sailors, selzing the PROSTATE
priest by the feet. dragged him up and
flung him moaning on the deck, We
tried to interpose, but were driven back
by the crew, all Of whom were ripe for
any order from the captain. the id
baptist shall never see New York alive
exclaimed he, and he led off by planting
fearful kick on Father Hendricken's
head. The blood gushed from CHASTITY
wound, dying the white vestments Grim
son. The crew followed suit, each one
stepping forward and delivering his
heavy booted foot on the face or body of
the now inssnsible clergyman.
II rushed down below, and acquainted
the German Catholics of the tragedy be-
ing enacted on deck. Fifty veteran SOL
diers followed me, and we reached the
scene in time to hear the captain tell the
crew to threw the d--d carcass over
board. The men were in the act of push
ing the inanimate body over the side
when the Germans fell upon them, fell
ling them right and left, and wrestling
the body from them. .Mutiny, BY
Cd T exclaimed the captain; but I