The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-09
BISHOP BoNACUM'S TRIAL.
gHE BzTTLs OF THE CJEBGT VIII
BEGIN IN OMAHA TO-DdE.
A Huadred Priests and Meas VIII Testify
Against Hini-Rsmsrka able Array OF Ace
aarnhIann a pa

| DEGIN IN OAAHA TO-DAI
! A Hu.sr.a Prissts and Mas WIN Testify
| Against Hini-Rsmsrk able Array OF Ae-
! euertious rror> Gsr~bnnG 10 Pe,iury.
! oMAHi. April s-To.morrow the trial Of
/ Bishop Bonacum Of Nebraska will open in
| Omaha II promises to be a remarkable event
! One hundred priests and nuns are present to
| testify concerning the charges. which include
/ NATURALIZATION. tyranny oppression. In
subordination. melting strife. SANDER. and
| libel. arbitrary exercise and abuse OF power.
violation OF diocesan statutes, missppropria-
| ton. falsehood. speculation, undue influence.
unjust favoritism. scandal. gambling and In
citation to perjury. These are supplemented
with lis specifications. Heretofore Bishops
accused OF grave offences have been called to
Rome and quietly suppressed by removal to
some distant diocese or placed on the retired
list.
The sending OF Pspal Deeg ate to the United
States reversed this policy to some extent By
creating a local court for the determination OF
questions OF Church management arising 10
this country. Proceedings in the case OF
Bishop Bonacum will be had before Arch
bishop Hennessy instead Of the Pspal Dele
gate. The Arohbis bop will preside and pro-
csedings will be ffmllsr to trjsls In court.
Appeal from the findings may then be had to
the Papal I aegafe and finally to Rome.
To priests the tffAl 10 especially important,
not on account 81 the gravity Of the charges
preferred against the Bishop OF Lincoln. but
because 1t involves the question whether
Bishops are bound to respect and obey the
laws Of the Church IN their relations with SUBJ
ordlnates. Tremsndous pressure has been
exertsd from various quarters to prevent q
trial. Not only have the complaining priests
been importuned to cease agitation. but the
hearing has been delayed. and the attorneys
employed By the priests have been harassed.
and one has withdrawn from the case.
No defence has been attempted by the
Bishop. His answer to the charges at the
time OF their receipt from Mgr. satolli
IS in the nature Of a. general, denial
last Mgr. satoili visited Omaha In response
70 the demands Of the omplalqants A hear;
liz shcp saS s5 T s nS
s s' III sSo S issa Pssssts 70 SIos::i
s. v: I'D :sp,,:slss e: Y:
Pspai Delegate. because tue other, course
aSn 8 SieS isK Syp e S. .s
ss sy Eli SSSd
fu %H Pp pTooesGisss ~ The tssa.ss q Tie
S9mplsining priests. the delegate bound ne
t foTSa tai and eonapne. and that he would DO
Tho treatment oi the priests on this oecs-
sion was very tPd and sy nj sals Mgr
only. solution Of the Lincoln case and trouble
EHRd pc ths a the
Hishep Bsn.su% a. and nov II dc po.s::sISn !!
upon TO prove the charge Of untruthfuln sss.
the ' truce s sna i The
was followed By the dismissal Of Father
dismissal Of Father Quinn. and the various
sdas.s ia II as shf IF 81 sals
ssos s,b ;9a; sisv Z H: is:Sss.sS
Is@n III ~ 'na'S;
NAN Gave n offence to se oead tutor
81 IS Ss.s c 81
out OF the Lincoln trouble stirred the smonld-
a qs : 4, II II ssoa would 5siS @
Rsnaing q NsFss sd. oity served a: wedge
less the authorities gave them the hear
OF their charges at the hearing Of the inlunc-
ton suit In the civil court This, 1t is said. |
brought positive orders to Archbishop Hem |
messy. both from the pspal pslegate and from
issrinG and liberalization Of the Charges.
The complaining priests and others have or: |
Il 10 confined to the diocese OF Lincoln but Its |
prom ters hone IL will take root In every |
diocese For the present. however. the Union |
become inn ocent victims Of episcopal wrath. !
For the prosecution OF the charges against !
Bishop Bonacum. the necessary means for the /
employment OF lawyers and defEayinR other
expenses have been collected by the Union.
DR.. Phelap Of b. Louis will conduct the case
for the priests. DR.. Smith. New Jersey
canonist had been retained and helped to pre-
case few weeks ago. DR.. smith is priest In
the diocese OF Bishop Wigger. aud this fact is
given as sufficient explanation for his with
drawal. His place will be taken by DR. Burt
sell OF Rondout. n; the noted defender OF
Dr.. McGlynn. should he return from Rome In
time.
The Right Rev. Thomas Bonacum. D. D.. 10
an freshman Of German extraction born in
lS47 near ThuTlss. county Tipperary, ireland.
He was scarcely a year old when tlIs famuy |
migrated TO America and settled in st. Louis
His training for the priesthood began BY
studying the classics pear Milwaukee. fol-
lowed BY a theological course e the do.
ordained In st; Louis in 1870 Subsequently
he went abroad and attended course of lee
lures In 1881 he assumed charge of the
Church OF the Holy Name. st. Louis. Upon
the division Of the diocese OF Nebraska, In
1879 and the erection O. the diocese OF LIN
Platte River. Father Bonacum was chosen
RishoD and WAa consacrAteu in St Louis In