The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-11-08

Omaha, Neb., Nov. The following
open letter to the editor OF the Bee
from Rev. Fathers Fitzgerald and Will
lam Murphy, the Nebraska Catholic
priests leading the faction which has
had so much trouble with Bishop Bona
cum. was made public today.
Our attention has been called to an
interview given through DR.. Rocker.
secretary of the apostolic legation, TO
your Washington correspondent and
published in last Sundays Bee. In this
interview DIR. Rocker makes gratuitous
and false statements relative TO the
present difficulties of the Lincoln do
cese- IT i'll becomes him 10 thrust him
self in so frivolous q manner into this
controversy. in which our priests. who
are as virtuous and learned as he. and
more highly esteemed By their fellow
citizens, regardless OF creedS, than he
may ever hope 10 aspire 70. are con-
tending against immense odds, for the
fair and impartial hearing which the
church guarantees 10 every one. In
this matter there is not now, and never
has been, any crime charged against US
by any authority, civil or ecclesiastical.
Therefore the language used by the
Rev. DR.. Rocker, calling US 'recaici-
trant' and 'obstrepeFous' priests, is
most indecent and unbecoming the dig
nifty of a secretay of A cardinal in peto'
and an apostolic delegate. This lam
guage is on a par with the shameless
accusation published recently by Bis
hop Bonacum in the st. Louis Republic,
in which, by insinuation, he asserts
we are men of licentious lives Our
fellow citizens in the west, and espec-
tally Nebraska, feel aggrieyed at this
unrighteous manner OF impeding the
beneficent action of the church and de-
priving men useful to mankind of their
inherent rights. Yet we are not sur
prised at this conduct of Rev. DR.. Rock
er, since he impeaches the integrity OF
Monsignor Satolli himself in the follow
ing:
'Monsignor Satolli himself informed
Bishop Bonacum that he would have
to proceed against these recalcitrantS
under the laws OF the council of Balti-
more, and subject them 10 trial for al
legged GiSobedience of church laws. etc.
Here We see the judge of appeal
acting as counsellor against the de-
PENDANTS, not does he stop here, but in
suits the bishop of the state OF Nebras-
ka by directing the tyrannouS bishop
of Lincoln 10 invoke the civil law and
dislodge them. just as l would do il
tenant failed TO pay rent for my house
in which he lived"
DR.. ROCKERS ANSWER.
Washington. Nov. THE above dis
patch was shown TO Dr. Rocker tonight
and he dictated the following state
ment for publication:
Il have not seen the interview IN
question but simply give the history of
the case. / never used any such lon
guage as 'recalcirtrant' or 'obtreperous'
priests. 1 said 10 the correspondent
that here nothing was known OF an ap-
peal by Bishop Bonacum To the civil
authorities and the last official informa-
ton received in the case was that the
priests had been cited TO appear for
investigation, on what charges / did not
know. They had refused to appear.
Having refused to appear. the delega-
ton was informed that the case had
been decided against them by the do
cesar investigation commission. by de-
fault; that the reported further action
OF the bishop with regard 10 invoking
the aid of the civil authorities TO dis
possess them was not known at the
legation except through the news
papers. In answer TO the question
whether the bishop should invoke the
civil authorities or not, / said that I'M
der proper circumstances he could do
so but that l did not know whether
these circumstances were verified in
the present case or not"
The delegates in the case Monsignor
Satolli. added DR.. Rocker. has never
officially had the matter brought to his
attention.