Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-06

The force Of an unexpected blow, for al
though Father Walter has not been enjoy
! ing his usual health for some months past.
yet 1t was not generally known that he
was In any respect In critical condition.
The cause OF his death was paralysis of the
heart, and as in all similar cases, the call
was sudden one. and before even those
most intimately associated with him knew
of the approaching fate he had been touch
ed by the cold hand of the grim destroyer
and IN short time after the first pre-
monittons he sank peacefully and quietly
into his final Sleep
Yesterday he had as his guest Bishop
| Chapelle OF Santa Fe. who was formerly
the priest in charge of the parish of st.
Matthews. They dined together, and
father Walter was, as he usually was in
social hours-in a tovial. happy Woodland
drew largely upon his fund of anecdotes
and stories. After dinner he received some
visitors and heard some confessions. Later
IN the afternoon the housekeeper entered
MS once TO deliver package that had just
been banded in at the door, when she found
rather Walter sitting in a chair with his
head thrown back and his eyes closed. AS
ststance was at once summoned Father
| MCGEE, who happened to be in the house at
| the time. came TO the side of his superior
| and sister from the asylum across the
street, who was there. came in the office.
The Last Rites.
The dying man attempted to speak, but
1t was in vain. Father MCGEE administered
1 w
was evidently conscious of his surround
| inss and condition, but was unable to
| frame his thoughts in words In a few
moments all was over. The dying priest
| gave gentle sigh and the heart ceased it's
| action, and Father Walter had closed his
| eyes forever on the scenes of this world
! The remains were dressed in the robes of
his office and laid In state in the parlor
where they were viewed by large num-
beers OF the members of the parish,
hn oEn.1
as they heard the sad intelligence
All through today there vas a constant
stream of visitors of all conditions. The
! funeral services will be held in St Patrick s
| Church Monday morning at 10 o'clock,
when solemn high requiem mass will be
! celebrated. Bishop Keane will deliver the
sermon, and it is expected that the cardinal
will be present. The interment will be at
| Mt Olivet cemetery.
| Sketch of His Life.
Father Walter was one of the best known
| of the Catholic clergymen in this city He
came here in the year 1860, and as the head
| of one of the largest Catholic parishes in
| the city he occupied a prominent position.
In addition his energy and business meth
DDS, as well as his fearless. outspoken dis
! position. made him known beyond the con-
| fines of his parish. At the time of his
death he was sixty-seven years old. having
| been born in Baltimore in 1927. His an
cestors were Americans for several genera
| tons back, those on his fathers side hav-
| ing fought in the revolution, and his
mother being a descendant of the Aca-
dams He educated for the priesthood
at st. Marys Seminary, Baltimore and
was ordained by Archbishop Kendrick:
| DR.. Walters first mission in Hartford
| and Baltimore counties, Md
His first charge was at Hickory, Hartford
county, and while there he built St Mary s
Church at Deer Creek. He also built st.
Johns Church at Long Green, Baltimore
county, where he was sent later on, and a
priests residence.
| In the year 1860, thirty-four years ago,
he was appointed pastor of st. Patrick S
Church. to succeed Father OToole. st.
Patrick's is one of the permanent rector
ships provided for by the third plenary
council in 1883. 1t is the only one in the
District. When he took charge of the
parish 1t was poor and feeble. and strug-
Cling much, as the city was in which 1t
was located The church building was then
fronting on F street west of Masonic Tenn
pie. and the pastoral residence at the cor
ner of 10th and F streets. Nearly the en-
tire square then, as it is now. the prop
erty of the church.
| Under Father Walters wise and prudent
management the affairs of the parish pros
pered, although there were periods of hard
ship. He built the structure on g street
between 9th and 10th streets, now known
as Carroll Hall. and then subsequently
erected the present church edifce Father
Walters principle was to pay as YOU go
ana as result the parish IS free from debt.
His Good Works.
In addition to looking after parish mat
tiers, Father Walters energy extended into
a wider field. In 1864 he established the
Church of the Immaculate Conception and
was the first pastor He brought the Lit
tie Sisters of the Poor into the city and
also the Christian Brothers. He was in
strumental in the establishment of the
,,or ich of+ he IIoIr
He devoted a great deal of time and at
tenton to the st. Joseph's and St. Vincent $
Orphan Asylums. He was president of
these Institutions and the treasurer. The
foundation Of an industrial school for bows
was near to his heart and he labOred earn
estly to bring 1t about. 1t was one Of the
last matters that was in his mind He
was kindly and charitable in his dfspOsi-
ton, and gave freely of his means to re-
lieve the destitute,
The Surrntt Episode.
AS the pastor of Mrs. Surratt who was
arrested for completely in the murder OF
President Lincoln, he interested himself
in her case and used every effort to save
her life. He believed in her innocence
and a few years ago ne published in a
Catholic magazine his account of Mrs
Surratts connection with the conspiracy
He attended her on the scaffold, and when
in that period of excited public feeling he
was warned of danger to himself on aC-
count of his outspoken interest in the cas-
he replied: Il fear neither man nor the
devil. l fear God alone. and 1 will defend
the character of the least person in my
parish with my life"
During his long pastorate at st. Pat.
| rick's Father Walter has had as assist.
ants some of the most prominent men in
the archdiocese, among them Bishop J. j
Keane of the university, Father Morgan
Father Kervick, Chancellor G. +. Thomas
and Rev. J. 7. Whelan of the cathedral.
| The deceased had a brother and two sis.
tiers living in Baltimore and nephew
| Joseph Walter, a priest in charge of St
Louis Church, GAINESVILLE, Md.
, Mr.. lie CHAT Gone Home