The record-union., 1896-12-02
On Every Point Contained in the
Latter's Appeal
The Bishop Judged to Have Been
Actuated by Sinister and VindiC-
tive Motives, to Have Published
FalsehOOdS and Deceived Cardinal
SatOlli, and All of the Bishops
Sentences Against Defendant
Priests Declared Null and Void.

ment of the Metropolitan Ecclesiastical
Court of the Roman Catholic Church in
the famous case of Bishop Bonacum of
Lincoln, Neb., against Fathers Fitzger-
aid and Murphy of his diocese was de-
llvered to-day.
The court finds for the priests against
the Bishop on every point in the appeal,
which was ordered by the propaganda at
Rome, after Delegate Satolli had re-
fused to grant one. The Bishop is
judged to have been actuated by sinister
and vindictive motives, to have pub
ilshed falsehoodS and deceived Cardinal
Satoli.
The court declares null and void all
the sentences of the Bishop Withdraw
ing the faculties of the defendant
priests, sentencing them to do penance
in Canada for contumacy and condemn
ing them generally.
The Bishop is condemned to pay the
expenses of the exonerated priests and
the costs of the trial, to pay Father
Fitzgerald $3.50 and Father Murphy
$50 as damages, and to withdraw the
priests he sent to Tecumseh, Neb, where
Father Murphy is rector of Saint Am
where Father Fitzgerald is rector of ST.
JoSeph'S Church. The payments are
ordered to be made to the court within
thirty days. There is no appeal from
the sentence pronounced.
The troubles in the diocese of Lincoln
began soon after the conservation of
Bishop Bonacum in November, 1891.
The Bishop ignored the priests of the
diocese when it was decided to create
new see, and many of them regarded the
appointment of the Bishop as void. The
next clash was between the Bishop and
Father Kennedy of the Cathedral in
Lincoln over erecting q new edifice.
Then came bitter resentment on the
partAf Hon. Patrick Egan President
John Fitzgerald and other prominent lay
league leaders against the Bishops at
tempt to stop collection of league funds
at church doors, in conformity with an
edict from Rome. Another clash was
caused by the Bishops removal of
Father Walsh from the Cathedral at
Lincoln. Then a battle began between
Bishop and priests, the former bending
every power to drive all the priests who
opposed him from his diocese. and the
latter defending their civil and ecclesi-
astical rights vigorously.
In 1891 Father Corbett of PALMYRA,
who subsequently sued the Bishop for
libel, was brought before a diocesan
court to answer charges made by the
head. Father William Murphy of Te-
cumseh intervened, and the charges
were dismissed. This made the Bishop
nd ha
The apostolic delegate came to Omaha
and decided that the case should go to
the Metropolitan of the province, and
induced the fighting Bishop to sign
truce with the priests. which the Bishop
was accused of breaking.
This led to more trouble and the Cor
bett-Bonacum fight in the civil courts.
Father Murphy signed the charges, and
Father Fitzgerald became involved by
signing the protest which was sent to
Mgr. Satolli by the priests against the
Bishops alleged violation of the truce,
and threatening to prove the charges on
trial of the injunction cases in the civil
courts.
The result of the protest was that i'm
perative orders were sent to Archbishop
f1eNneSSy Dy lHe pIOpdSdUOd anu MSI.
Satolli to hear the charges at once.
Fathers Murphy and Fitzgerald main
tanned that the Bishop undertook to de-
stroy them, so that the charges against
himself could not be revived. He sent
them letters of expulsion from the do
cese for failure to pay the diocesan tax.
The Bishop went to the civil courts
TO get possession of Father Murphy's
church, but was beaten six times, and
threatened excommunion of all persons
who attended their pastors services.
The Metropolitan Court trial began
October 18th in st. Joseph College here.
Archbishop Hennessy indicated as
Judge Peter Barr of Marshall, Mich, an
authority on canonical law. Bishop
Bonacum was present only the first day.
The prosecution was conducted by Rev.
Father Slattery of New Hampton. Ia,
and the defense by Father Fitzpatrick
of Dubuque.
LINCOLN CNeb). Dec. bishop
Bonacum could not be seen tonight on
account of his absence from the city. It
is learned from an authoritative source,
however, that he expected an adverse
decision He objected to the judge dele
gate, and when the judge did not step
aside the Bishop dropped his defense
and came home. He will appeal to the
Papal Delegate at Washington.