New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-16
4 PRIESTS HEROIC DEATH.
lie is DROWNED IN A VAIN EFFORT ~
SAVE A WOMAN.
CHEEL, SWEPT AWAY BY THE CURRENTS
TILE NOrTu RIVER.


OF THE NORTH RIVER.
Heroic bravery yesterday the life OF inc hc''
Charles VI. McKenna, a young priest attach'" !" NV
Roman Catholic Church Of St. Ann In Tweli'h'>'
Fourteen years ago. Father Mckcnna then noS '"
twelve AT Manhattan College. saved from oe"'n ~
fire his little brother and sister imprisoned IN p"''
ing room. Yesterday he tried 10 save from o'a'"
by drowning. Mrs. Margaret Bnrchal and win her
swept away by The food glide.
For some years Hugh McXtnna. n curner HUNT
Of the priest has lived al Onehundred and
st. and the boulevard within easy reach Of the North
River. Father McKenna rai always been fOnd oi
athletic exercise but Of late constitutional a"'c
lion OF The hcart had forbidden any indulgence III
his fnvoritc outdoor pursuits. lie siill KEPT up 9
rowing practice however, and. I'm conjunction Win
an elder brother bought a handsome two Dared boat
which mooIcd at the pier his fathers nome
Mrs. Burchall a pretty young woman, twenty-five
wears old was first cousin 10 Father Mckrnni an"
only few day, ago left her home IN h"meS"'"'
Penn, on n visit 10 her uncle Hugh. she han b''''
only two months married. Ali her eafN as'%'au""S
were in Ncw-Yoik. her sister, Mary Cnrlcy, bihs "
Of In. teachers In the Dominion Convent In tirsN''
In the DAYS which III" had spent III her nh'i'
hom. She had several time. accompanied Father
NcKenna In rowing excursions, and YESTERDAY 'h',
,-.nturd o,, once mare II WAS about half
past = O'Clock when ihc boat was showed OH ro"
tho pier, and under Father MckcInaN s"' P'"t
strolc went down the river. the neN' III" " -
seen Of Them WAS AT . O'Clock when Gcor," c'p-
land who hes charge of th" Belmont Hoi' ''up
house at One-hundrcl- -His-St.. saw Father Nc
Eenno whom he knew exceedingly well. rowing
towaId him rs II with the intention Of landing at
the house.
The boat went on until II touched the pier ana
in that moment Mrs. Burcha stood mp and crossing
over Father McKcnna. who still sat with 'h' OARS
I'm his hands put her foot on the honi Then Sh'
turned suddenly and Sc Smhlcd back into the ~a''
The heel of her boot caught "A one OF The srhS' """
with a piercing cry shc fell Into the water.
The next instant she was twrniy feet away. swept
down by the powerful uadcr-circni. her cries grow
In: fainter and fainter. she difcd along. me
figure in the boat stood Tpigh bent forward, dlV'i
head foremost into the water. and before 'Op'mhi'
stupeGed and helpless. could realize what had hap
pcncd wa, driving with all his force throngh We
water in pursuit OF the woman. The men on the
hank saw his form working nearer and nenrcr 10 her.
They saw his arm stretched 0Gt 10 grasp her anu
they saw her Wild. convus!vc grasp Of his collar,
- The two met The tide wfirlci them alons they
struggled for life IN the watcrih" man ifyIng 10 free
himself from the clutch that wa, dragging him down
the woman madv buf"tinG his face with her haniS
There was ono last dcspairine cry. There was wav"
OF hand In IN" distance, ana tnch 'hr wv" p"u'''
sunk from sight.
TN. mon on the bank aud AZ the bont-hoIsc ap
norenflv had been stricken helpless with fear. as
,hev made no effort the man and woman
untu after the bodies had SINK. Then th"y called
Edward Fnrght. policeman Of the T"cniy sixth
Precinct and went down the river In boats In search
of the man and woman.
Father McKcnna was torn IN scotland
and WAS brought up In tie seventh Ward ol
this city where hc was almost universally
Inown II was on the mornns oi January :. lSHl
that ne did the act which FOR him relu.taisvn
His father lived In old house In Ndison-" \
can Of gasoline exploded In the rooms occupied by
the McKcnna family and the hallway and rear apart
mcnts were filed with smoke and fame Father
McKcnna rushed into the BURNING room. wh"r" hi'
little brother and sister Las cronrine n corn :
parayzed With fright. ana sczlnf the giri. put h'r
through the window 10 tho fire escape. Ih'h'
aaIng the boy IN his arms he carried LIN down th'
stairs. For this act he received a goll mcdh from
the Fire Department . A.,
Father McKeunn was tweniy-sia wears oh M'i
leaving Manhaii ian College he went through course
M the Catholic seminary a. Troy, being ordii'I ~
priest ln June. last yesr. After his ordination Ne
became assistant 10 Father Crcrdcn IN ST Ans I'm"
Church ing Sing. and remained there nnlll bls'
september when he received his appointment nj n
Ann.
Through n great Jnr Of the night mon were dras
gng ihe North River hetwceN *inetich anf one
hundred nd -twcniich SIS Up 20 late hour neither
Of the two bodies had been recovered