Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-04-13
REV SAMUEL DAVIES, DEATH.
How He Saved Bishop Hendricken's Life
From Murderous KnoWnothInEs.


How He Saved Bishop Hendricken's Life
From MurderOus KnOwnOthings.
The death, recently announced, of Rev
Samuel Davies, a well known and popu-
lar Methodist clergyman of Providence,
for him the sobriquet of the "Pauper
Pastor" recalls the thrilling story of
how he saved the life of Bishop Hen.
dricken, then young priest on his way
to America, on board the Columbia of
the Black Ball line. During the voyage
the knownothing captain and crew as
saulted the priest for having dared ad-
minister the last rights of the church
to poor, dying Catholic woman. Here
Is the story as told after the death of
Bishop Hendricken by MIR Davies him
self.
"There were 700 steerage passengers
on the ship, of whom 500, Irish and Ger
mans, 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 MORALLY ill, and Mr. Davies
notified Father Hendricken. E'The
young man" says Mr. Davies, ''hurried
into his cabin, dOnned his vestments and
was passing out with the Eucharist in
his hand when he was confronted bv
the captain, who damned him for a
papist and seized him by the throat, de-
claring that aboard his ship people
would have to die without Id Cath
Ole mummery. Drawing a pistol he
threatened to shoot if a step was taken
towards the spot where the poor woman
lay dying. Clasping his crucifix, young
Hendricken replied that he must go to
the relief of that departing soul, even
though his life be sacrificed. Livid
with rage the captain would have feIled
him to the earth, but for the other
priest and myself. We got the young
priest away and persuaded him to re-
frain from open defiance of the captain
until supper time, when he could slip
down, while we would endeavor to en-
gage the captain. in conversation at
table. The ruse succeeded and while
the captain with coarse jibes and ribald
jokes, was declaring that no Catholic
rite should ever be administered aboard
his boat, Father Hendricken was at tn
dying woman's side, hearing her con-
fession and administering the sacra-
ments. She died while he was repeat
ing the final prayer.
Just before supper was over, sailor
burst into the room and informed the
captain that that id priest had got
down and was fixing that Irish woman
up a pistol, the captain
sprang from the table, followed by the
mate and purser, bent on DESTROYING
Father Hendricken. We ran out after
them, and were in time to see the cap
tain strike the priest fearful blow as
he came up the hatchway, hurting him
down, where he lay stunned and bleed
ing. Drag the cuss up here, COM
manded the captain and his sailors
Selling 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 papist shall never.
see New York alive exclaimed he, and
he led off by planting fearful kick on
Father Hendricken's head. The blood
pushed from ghastly wound, dyeing
the white vestments CRIMSON. The
crew followed suit, each one stepping
forward and delivering his heavy.
booted foot on the face or body of the
now insensible clergyman.
81 rushed down below, and acouaint-
ed the German Catholics of the tragedy
being enacted on deck. Fifty veteran
soldiers followed me, and we reached
the scene in time to hear the captain
tell the crew to throw the id carcass
overheard. The men were in the act of
pushing the inanimate body over the
side when the Germans fell upon the m,
telling them right and left, and wrest-
ing the body from them. 'Mutiny, by
I'd: exclaimed the captain; but I
babe him beware; that these Germans
were but preventing the murder of a
priest, and that if goaded to desperation
BY his wickedness, summary vengeance
might be resorted to and none be left to
tell the tale. At this moment a great
was heard in the quarter
where the Irish emigrants were penned
up. The captains deed had been made
known to them, and they were furious
and frantic to getsout to save or avenge
him. Father Walsh went down and
mplOred them in the name of God and
all the saints to be calm and restrain
their fury, and but for his influence
hey would have forced the matches,
and the decks of the good ship Columbia
would have been deluged in blood.
"Taking in the situation, the captain
iullenly ordered Father II endricken to
be ironed and locked up, but this the
Germans would not allow. They
carried him to their own quarters and
1ursed him back to life. When he was
removed to his own cabin they fed him
rom their own scant provisions, fear
ng poison, and night and day, until the
hip reached New York, three emiprants
food sentinels at his cabin door to pro-
eCt him from secret viOlonco