Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-22
ARRESTED AT MASS.
Father Murphy, Of St. hlchaeFS, Ne
Hark, n. J., Taken from the Altar.
DETECTIVES REMOVED HIM.
The Deposed Priest Insisted on Stating His
Grievances 10 the Congregation
Denounced the Bishop.
New York ucrald.)

(New York Herald)
There was Il sensational scene in ST.
MIchaers Roman Catholic church. in
Beleville avenue. Newark. during the
celebration Of the iO:sO-o'clock high mass
on Sunday morning. and when Father
Hugh Murphy. who. for ten months. mas
been a curate of ST. Michael's. was led
from the altar-rail apparently against
his earnest protes,at.ons by two we'll
| built men, and thence along the centre
aisle to the street and into the parish
house adjoining, there was surprise on
every face in the large congregation.
This happened at the point in the SER
vices Just before the sermon and just
after Father Murphy, who was not con-
Quoting the mass. had begun 10 talk from
a position in front OF the altar-rail. HIS
remarks. their interruption by the TWO
men, and their subsequent actions caused
no little excitement. but the service went
on smoothly after the TITO had dsap-
pearcl into the street But whcn the
mass was over and the congregation
slowly fled from the church the unusual
occurrence was on every tongue.
Some Of those in the church hah r.
cognizod the strangers who lcd fat"eI
Mummy out as Detectives Fallen and
Murphy, Of Newark's second precinct
and when this became nOised about the
establishment was even greater. During
| the afternoon and evening the matter
| was discussed throughout st. MichaeIs
large parlsh. and IN other portions OF
| the city. vet those who knew about the
affair were 10th 10 tell of IL. except to their
personal friends.
Rumors that the priest was under inc
| Influence OF liquor were vigorously de-
| MED. and it was said that the real cause
| of the trouble was Father Murphy's be-
| lief that he Is being prosecuted by Bshop
Wigger. This belit was strength n'i
| by the fact that ten days ago ra'hef
Nurphv received notice from the Bishop
| that from Monday. May nth. his ser
vices would no longer be required IN 'he
work of ST. Michaers parish.
no OTHER CHARGE ASSIGNED.
The notice assigned him to no other
charge. and left him without a church or
home and was. therefore, practicaiy
an order to cease work In the diocese,
and this IN the face Of the fact that
Father Murphy. who Is about 81 years
old was ordained a priest In the Diocese OF
Newark thirty years ago and has beeii AZ
nliated with II nearly ever since. ne DIo"
was a hard one to him. but pending inc
making OF arrangements Tor the lut"'c
the Rev. Father McCartie. pastor OF
81. MichaeTs church, and formerly iflsf'p
Wiggcr's chancellor of tn diocese. aIio"-
cd him 10 retain his quarters in the parsh
house. This. of course. prevented fdther
Nurphy from officiating at yesterdays
Alexander
order Of St Benedict. attached to 81.
Mary's church. was engaged to oiilciate
at the last two masses
Some one in authority must have ey-
pected trouble and whoever II was must
have notified the police for the two de-
tectives were I'm front seats In the church
when the services began. However this
may have been, the trouble came when
Father Murphy suddenly raised his frame
10 Its full height Of moro than six feet
during an instants pause In the service.
clad in the garb Of a layman. and began
"A bitter denunciation Of Bishop Wigg@r
and Father McCartie
The congregation then realized that q
mistake had been made In believing that
Father Alexander was officiating because
Of Father Murphys illness The latter
seemed very well. but excited, and as he
spoke the sensation over his first appear
ance became greater
'T have been notified 10 quit the parish"
he said although I was ordained here
and have been a priest thirty years. The
Bishop and Father McCartie have perse-
cuted me for years. Others have been
pushed ahead while I have been kept in
the background. and now am actually
thrown adrift It's because I'm irish ana
am one of those fifteen priests whom the
Bishop resolved long ago TO remove from
the diocese. Some OF them have died,
but the others. it seems. are TO be cast
out at will.
But ! will not submit quietly. am
one OF the victims. but / Will expose the
whole thing. and
STOPPED BY THE DETECTIVES.
Just at this point the detectives stopped
the Priest at the direction OF some one
evidently clothed with authority, and he
was taken away.
Just how much more Father Murphy
would have said cannot be cOnjectured.
yet from remarks he il said To have made
three weeks ago while he was celebrating
mass, there Is little doubt that II would
have been extremely bitter. At that time
he roundly denounced the Bishop and
Father McCartie and In order TO drown
the sound Of his voice the church bell
was tolled until he stopped or what he
said about Father McCartie little was
heard, except the remark: 81 introduced
that puppy in the diocese years ago"
In his talk Of Bishop Wigger he said.
among other things Father Corrigan
is dead. but his spirit still lives. and IL
no one else takes up the matter, / will
be the Corrigan of the diocese"
Whether there is any significance in the
fact that his notice 10 leave st. Michael's
came so quickly after this is a matter
OF conjecture.
Father McCartie was not In the church
at the time of yesterdays occurrence
and when ! saw him last night ne courte-
ously but firmly declined to discuss the
matter. Detectives FaIlon and Murphy
and Captain McManus also refused TO say
anything. Members OF the congregation
would not talk, and Father Murphy was
not at home
Father Murphy first came prominently
before the public in 1881, prior TO which
time he had several minor charges
Bishop Wigger at that time lived In
Broomheld avenue. Newark Father
Murphy went there, and was so violent
In his manner and denunciation OF his
superior that the police were sent for.
and he was forcibly removed 20 the Sc
cond Preclnct-Station. The matter was
smoothed over, and Father Murphy went
away for several years. and was next
heard Of in the Newark diocese. while
an inmate OF n Paterson hospital On
leaving there. he went away again. About
1881 he was given a charge at Shadyside. |
\. j., In the Newark diocese. but n year
or so later was removed bv the Bishop
Tor alleged misbehavor. and went 10
Montreal where he was for time nm
inmate OF an institution for afflicted |
priests. He took the gold cure while
there Nearly year ago he was made
assistant pastor at ST. Michaers church
In Newark. 1t Is said that he has seye-
raj times been in private asylums He t.
regarded as particularly bright and de- |
termined fighter
A RELIC OF TWO WARS.