Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-06
A DEAD GAME PRIEST.
How He Won the Unqualified Respect OF q
Tough Texas Community.

How He Won the Unqualified Respect OF a
Tough Texas Community.
From the New Orleans Times Democrat
Orange, Tex, in 1879 was one Of the toughest
places in the state, though it is today, due TO
the refining influences Of railroads. a well be-
haved town. 1t is situated on the extreme east
ern border Of the lone star state on the one
eide and on the western border Of Louisiana on
the other, with the Sabine river as a dividing
line. 1t was then, as it is pretty much now.
essentially numbering center. The timber
obtained from the great and seemingly mex
haustible fields to the north fioated down
to Orange, where the several mills in the vicin-
ity converted it into lumber. These mills gave
employment to scores Of men, a reckless and
daring set whose sanguinary deeds obtained
for the town anything but enviable notoriety.
In 1879 the Louisiana Western railroad, now
one Of the divisions of the Atlantic system of
the Southern Pacific railroad, was built through
Orange. Tie mill hands looked with disfayor
upon the advent of the iron horse. and the sec
ton hands and railroad employees were greatly
harassed, nay, their lives imperiled. by the
dlsaffected denizens Of Orange. These I'M
couth frontiersmen. 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 a lighted lantern i'm hand
was target for dozen expert rihemen, and
the thing got 10 be common that trainmen.
to protect their lives. would ''douse the glIm'
when approaching and passing through Orange.
The respectable element deprecated these
outrages, but they were at that time in the
minority it was as much as their lives were
worth TO openly express their condemnation.
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 OF the saloons that the
place was a Jay" town. A dozen or more of
the reckless Orangeites induced the advance
agent to accompany them of a little piece and,
at the muzzle of reyolyers comp,led him 10
disroDe They then plastered him with flaming
bills of his 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 lie did attempt
to cheek the lawless element he was riddled
with buckshot for his temerity
Mr.. Charles A. Burton, a self-made man in
the truest sense of the word, was superintend-
ent of the railro ad system which trayersed
Orange He was determined TO put down this
lawlessness and, strange as it NAV seem. he
turned to a minister of the Gospel to do it, MIR.
Burton was a Vermonter and deyout Catholic.
ana he Calico TO MS assistance French
Catholic priest who was stationed at Denison.
Tex. This French priest in the border town
of Denison in the north of Texas. was respected
if not esteemed by the tough element. moi
only because he was sincere in everything thar
he undertook but because he was knovp 10
positively brook no foolishness. He was OAR.
ing and fearless was a dead shot md yonId
when the exipencv reouirea ~ have No -
tancy whatever in handling either a revolver
or Winchester He was known eyerywhere
in the north of Texas as ..tbe figbtinc nr;as, -
MIR. Burton explained 70 the Denison nriest
that there was not a Religions editice in Or
ange and that the town was practically under
the control of a class who bad no ragara Co.
either God OF 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 90 there and
undertake the good work. The task was a
hard one but the French priest consented 10
give it a trial He proceeded to Orange. can
vassed the town and publicly announced that
he had come to Orange to solicit authorizations
to build a Catholic church. The tough ele-
ment thought the man was crazy but as he did
not modest them they allowed him 10 give inlay
to his whim
1t did not take very long To On tbroucb the
town, where he received Considerable e6conr
agement and, having completed his labors. he
got ready to return To- Honston 10 make ms We
mort to Superintendent Burton His natb l.y
across a wide field. which INTERVIEWED between
the town and the depot. which was ON the elpe
of Orange. The priest wa about midway over
his route. when he was stopped by a connie of
armed men, who inquired OF him whether he
WAS the priest who bae been canvassinc sub-
scriptions to a Catholic church, ;be 1ries,
answered that he was. The men repled mar
thew had grave doubts of his being what he
professed to be, and to that end oriered him
to arise in the stirrups and recite the Lords
PRAYER.
This is not a suitable Mace NOR the nroner
time to pray." reioined the nr;est
PRAY" commanded the men with revol-
yers.
Notbino dapnted tho Co,bol;. ,,r;os. ,,oso
and witR the same calmness and soiamn;tv
that he vopld have eyercis.d within en-.
sacred nrecincts Of his own cbnrcb he rao;,ad
the Lords PRAYER.
.Now GOT ont and don,t Ia, ma On. rorr
face again sbonteJ one Of he men xsb Hea
the nrayer was conclnded'
The priest mt spurs 10 his borse ana rode
ranidly away 10 the denot ON arriving tbere
he borrowed a Winchester rifle from The Sta
tion agent who was nnzzIed to know what he
wanted the Weanon Tor and in a moment tie
lighting priest. smarting under the indienity
which he had been subjected TO. was on for the
town in a GALLON. He found crowd of the
mill hands eonrregated in the Casino a prog
shop and Gambling saloon patronized by tins
class. The two heroes of the episode already
related were tbere recitinp the funnv features