The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-13
THE PATRIOT PRIEST.
Father Corrigan on Trial for
Offending Bishop Wigger
BY ATTACKS ON cAheNsLYisM.
Counterpart to the McGlynn Case
McGlynn Not Repentant.

new YORK, Dec I2-Ths trial under the
ic,ms OF the Roman Catholic Church OF Rev.
rsther Patrick Corrigan. of Hoboken. N. j., Will
begin at Newark this afternoon. Father CORR.
ssn 10 charged with characterization in refus-
iug TO obey the injunction OF Bishop Wigger
and IN publishing q series OF articles IN the
Eesrsaas Journal and Catholic Register. in which
be severely criticised Bishops wigger, and in
general made an onslaught on Cahenslyisn in
ibis country He particularly attacked wigger
n an uphoder OF Cahenslyiam. The trial prom
ises TO be OF much interest to Catholics all over
the country. The proceedings this afternoon
we're secret but are understood to have been
simply preliminary.
Vicar General O'Connor, OF Bishop wigger's
eGhcial household. was made presiding officer.
The first question brought before the Judge was
q TO the secrecy of the proceedings. 1t was
Archbishop Wigser's wish that no statement be
given out for publication, and the persons pres
snt pledged themselves to silence; but
when the oath had been administered to
oil except Father Corrigan he refused to
bind himself, claiming that AZ defendant In q
trial oil this importance he had right TO ex-
press his views and make known the result OF
the trial. Dr. Burtsell, in behalf of the defend
ant objected to trial before DR.. O'Conuor, on the
ground that the latter, as q member OF the
bishop's household, was biased. After much
who is also member of wigger's household, be
appointed referee with O'Connor. to hear the
evidence OF witnesses Wednesday and report to
the regular court Thursday. When the session
was concluded Father Corrigan expressed HIM
elf es greatly satisfied with the progress
This evening Father Corrigan gave out for
publication a letter to Bishop wigger, in which
be refer 10 the latters various charges, etc. He
sass that in his letter he referred to the Newark
German congress as a body aud not as individ-
usls and he thinks that az an American priest
be had perfect right to express his views on
what seemed to him to be an important ma
tonai and religious question. aud to
resent the insult offered to the Ameri-
can preiates by the ecclesiastics who
were assembled in purely English
speaking diocese as a professediy foreign ele-
ment II was they who should have been called
upon to apologize. There was no offense in
tended for the bishop personally, and If any
soreness was manifested il was in consequence
Of the bishops official connection with that
foreign organization over which he presides
every year outside OF his own diocese, to the
humiliation OF his flock, for it 10 we'll known
that this organization has manifested an I'M
American spirit on several occasions and has
caused bad blood wherever II has held meetings.
Father Corran says he did not intend any dis
respect TO the bishop. and refrained from reply
Ing. even when the papers represented the
bishop as speaking of him as a 'crank." II in
the discharge of what he deemed his honest
duty to the country and church he has occa-
stoned annoyance by inadvertence or heat of
oppression, he regrets it. He is perfectly will
ing to let the matter drop, and hopes the bishop
may be pleased to look at IL in the same light
Father Corrigan is a brother of Archbishop
corrigan. of New York, but, unlike the latter, is
Intensely American and friend of the public
rhoole. He is exceedingly bitter against the
German Catholics efforts to establish a new
hierarchy in America. DIR. Burtssll, his coun-
H is a famous theoiogian, who is in high es-
TEEN at Rome, bu: not with Archbishop CORR.
gan Burtsell is q warm friend of DR.. McGlynn,
Who, but for his views the public school
question, would have been arch bishop instead
Of Lorrlgan.