The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-07
A FEARLESS DIVINE.
A TEXAS PRIEST WHO SHOWED THE
TOUGHS THAT HE WAS game"

Some Bad Men Thought to Drive the
Man of God Axay-He Came Back,
However, apd Put Up His Church.
Orange, Tex, in 1879 was one of the
toughest places in the state, though it Is
today, due to the refining influences OF
railroads, well behaved town 1t is stu
ated on the extreme eastern border OF the
Lone Star Etate, On the one side, and on
the western border Of Louisiana on the
other, with the Sabine river as dividing
line. 1t was then, as it is pretty much
now, essentially a lumber center. The
timber obtained from the great and SEEM
ingly inexhaustible fields to the north was
foated down to Orange, where the several
mills in the vicinity converted 1t into 1uIn-
Der. These mills gave employment to
scores of men, reckless and daring set,
whose sanguinary deeds obtained for the
town anything but enviable notoriety.
Mr. Charles A. Burton, self made man
in the truest sense of the word, was super
intendent of the railroad system which
traversed Orange He was determined to
put down this lawlessness, and, strange as
it may seem, he turned to minister of the
Gospel TO do it. Mr. Burton was a Yer
monter and deveut Catholic, and he
called to his assistance q 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-
spected, If not esteemed, by the tough ele-
ment, not only because he was sincere in
everything that he undertook, but because
he was known to positively brook no foolish
ness. He was daring and fearless, was
dead shot and would, when the exigency
required it, have no hesitancy in handling
either a revolver or a Winchester He
was known everywhere in the north OF
Texas as ''the fighting priest"
THE PRIEST HELD UP.
Mr.. Burton explained to the Denison
priest that there was not a religious edi
fee in Orange, and that the town was prac.
tically under the control of a class who
had no regard for either God or man. He
informed the priest that there was a nu-
cleus of good people there, however, who
could, under proper guidance and with
time, bring the refractory element under
subsection, and frankly told the plucky ia
ther that he wanted him to go there and
undertake the good work. The task was a
hard one, but the French priest consented
to give it trial. He proceeded to Orange,
canvassed the town and publicly announced
that he had come to Orange to solicit sub
scriptions to build Catholic church. The
tough element thought the man was crazy
but as he did not melest them they allowed
him TO give play to his whim.
1t did not take very long to go through
the town, where he received considerable
encouragement, and having completed his
labors he got ready to return to Houston
to make his report to Superintendent Bur
ton. His path lay across a wide field
which interviewed between 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 a couple OF
armed men, who inquired of him whether
he was the priest who had been canyassins
subscriptions to Catholic church. The
priest answered that he was. The men re
piled that they had grave doubts of his be
ing what he professed to be, and to that
end ordered him to arise in the stirrups
and recite the Lords Prayer"
This is not suitable place nor proper
time to pray rejoined the priest.
Pray" commanded the men with up
lifted revolyers.
Nothing daunted the Catholic priest
arose and with the same calmness and
solemnity that he would have exercised
within the sacred precincts OF his Own
church he recited the Lords Prayer.
Nov get out, and don't let us see youi
face again." shouted one of the men when
the prayer was completed.
THE PRIEST COMES BACK.
The priest put spurs to his horse and rodt
rapidly away to the depot. On arriving
there he borrowed Winchester rife from
the station agent, who was puzzled to know
what he wanted the weapon for, and in a
moment the fighting priest, smarting I'M
der the indigpity which he had been sub
jected to, was off for the town in gallop.
| He found crowd of the mill hands con
gregated in the Casino a grogshop and
gambling saloon patronized by this class.
| The two heroes Of the episode already re
lated were there reciting funny features OF
the incidents. which was apparently thor
oughly enjoyable to their hearers.
The priest walked boldly into the saloon
and in a twinkling raised his rife 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 re-
cover from their surprise the priest ordered
the man upon whom he had drawn bead
! to step to the center OF the saloon. He did
so meekly The priest then sought out tn.
second rowdy and babe him do likewise
| He went to the front
Now get down on your knees, both OF
| you, and repeat the prayer which you
| heard me say down in yonder field" com
manded the priest. The men got down on
their knees, but were silent.
Repeat it," reiterated the priest, cor
will send you before your Maker" and
that deadly Winchester was pointed di
rectiy at them. The touehs now candidly
owned up that they could not do so.
Then follow me as l recite it, rejoined
the Catholic father, and he began to repeat
the prayer. The toughs repeated his words
with the timidity of children, and their
voices trembled as they noted the intense
earnestness of the man OF God.
Now that you have finished, get up. "
said the priest, land let me tell you / have
come here TO erect o church, with your as
sistance If can get it, and unmindful OF
| your objections If You don't desire it. We
| will be friends if you wish it, but ii you
| modest me or my people / will show you
! that. although priest, / can yet meet you
| on YOUR own ground To such Of you who
think you can shoot better than myself
the street is big and wide and the invita-
| ton is extended TO any of you for trial.
No one answered, and the fighting priest
departed. He had shown himself TO be "a
dead game man by invading them in their
| very lair with ali the odds against him
and they wanted no more evidence OF hi:
| pluck. He built the church. and, singular
| as il may read. this very element contrib
/ - To- IN Re SfrTf