The San Francisco call., 1896-02-25
Quotations Read From Ecclesi
aStical Laws and Catholic
Authorities.
DEDUCTIONS OF THE SPEAKER.
Claims He Has Shown That the
Church Holds Itself Superior
to the State.

After three months of preparation The
great controversy known as the Yorke-
Ross dispute formally opened in Metro
politan Temple last night, and If the pro-
gramme announced is carried out will
continue tonight and the two succeeding
evenings.
There are four propositions involved,
which Donald NJ. Ross, representing the
A. P. A, affirms, and which Peter c.
Yorke, representing the Catholic church,
denies. They are as follows:
1.-The Roman church has the right to ex-
ercise its authority without any limit set TO 1t
by the civil powers"
1.-THE Pope and the priests ought TO have
dominion over temporal affairs
II-"The Roman church and her ecclesias-
tics have right TO immunity from civil law"
IV-"In case of conflict between ecclesiasti-
cal and civil powers, the ecclesiastical ought
TO prevail"
These are alleged to have been included
in lecture delivered by the Rev. Mr.. Ross
which led to the issuing of the following
challenge by Rev. Peter C. Yorke:
SAN Francisco. November 27, 1895.
viii pay 500 in gold coin of the United
States 10 any charity named by Rev. Donald
NJ. Ross, If he can prove to the satisfaction of
three non-Cathoic lawyers that the above
statements, or the substance of them, occur in
any Roman Catholic publication as statements
of Catholic teaching.
On condition that if the Rev. Donald NJ.
Ross fails to prove these words. or the sub
stance OF them, occur in any Roman Catholic
publication statements ofCatholIc doctrine,
he shall pay the sum of 500 in United States
gold coin TO a charity named by me. The arbi-
traitors shall be lawyers, non-Catholics, one TO
be chosen by me, one by the Rev. Mr.. Ross,
and the two TO choose third. The money TO
be deposited with this third lawyer and to be
by him paid as the conditions require.
This challenge was accepted by G. A.
Hubbell, manager and secretary of the
Patriot Publishing Company, Rev. Mr..
Ross having refused TO make himself a
party to the bet.
Metropolitan Hall was fairly we'll filled
last night when G. a. Hubbell appeared
before the audience and spoke as follows !:
Ladies and Gentlemen-On the oath OF No.
vember, 1898. Donald VI. Ross ma de a speech in
his great temple that received much place the
next morning IN the great daily newspapers OF
san Francisco, and through that means that
speech has been read by many people of this
country.
Peter c. Yorke saw fit to take exception to
four propositions in that speech and chal-
lenged Donald NJ. Ross 10 produce proofs and
show. that his four propositions are sub
stantiated.
Donald NJ. Ross accepted the challenge, set
the day and place where he would produce his
proofs. He is here, he has kept faith with the
public and will soon be on this platform. The
judge, too, will in few minutes be sitting on
this platform.
The speaker then announced vocal solo
by Jessie Brock Morgan. When the singer
had concluded, Mr.. Hubben again ad-
dressed the assemblage, saying:
The first lawyer appointed upon this board
10 decide upon the question in dispute w
W. Foote. As chairman OF this meeting, l now
call on him TO come forward This is Peter C.
Yorke's appointment. W. W. Foote, please
come forward. (Aiter pause There being nc
response, the chairman takes it upon himself
to appoint a bailiff 10 call for W. W. Foote
Peter c. Iorke's appointee.
MIR. Budd was appointed bailiff, but
soon returned and announced that no one
had replied TO his call for Mr.. Foote. Mr.
Hubbell then continued:
The second lawyer TO be appointed according
10 the agreement was named by Mr.. Ross anC
is Major E. A sherman. The chairman calls
for Major Sherman.
Major Sherman appeared and was greeted
with loud cheers and applause, and on the
invitation OF Chairman Hubbell, addressed
the audience. He spoke as follows:
Mr.. Chairman and Fellow-American Citizens
When was first selected as one of the judges
by Mr.. Ross, he was comparative stranger tC
me, and the appointment was announced prob
ably before my consent had been obtained: bur
feeling II 10 be a matter OF duty which owed
10 my country, accepted and l am here.
The speaker then gave a personal his
tory of Mr.. Foote, the appointee of Father
Yorke, and claim ed that Mr.. Foote should
have made an appointment with him in
order to select third judge, but that be
had failed to do so. He then discaimed
being member OF the American
Protective Association and he added
that that organization was not at all
responsible for anything that he might dc
or say. He referred to the ban under
which the Masons had been placed by the
Catholic church authorities, and called
attention to the fact that Father Yorke
had GpnnnnppA n n 70 4 ba CT oosa
less liar on the Pacific Coast. He added
that he would not endeavor to return the
compliment.
Major Sherman next recited facts oi
which he claimed to have personal knowl-
edge tending to show, he said. that the
Catholics were in measure responsible
for the murder of President Lincoln and
that the Catholic authorities were acces
sories to the murder after the fact.
He also related some of his personal ex-
perience in the Mexican war. He alleged
that the Catholic United States soldiers ot
the regular army were induced by the
priests TO desert and to Join the MeXicans
and he related an instance in which
seventy OF these deserters were captured
in a skirmish and thirty-two were hanged
When Ma ior Sherman concluded his
address an effort was made to select two
impartial judges from the audience, but
the plan proved impracticable. Major
lngs court commissioner sometimes per
formed the duties of a court and suggested
that he be allowed TO act as a commission
er in this affair. His offer was accepted
and he was duly sworn to act in that ca
pacity, justly and impartially.
The following is copy of letter tha
was sent by Mr.. Foote to Rev. Donald NJ
Ross and which was referred to by tn,
latter in the course of his remarks:
SAN FRAHCIsCo Feb d 1896
Donald II. Ross, Esq.-DEAR SIR: Your note
mandate, subpoena or summons, whatever i
may be, (for l at a loss to know how {,
designate it,, has this moment reached me c
O'Clock P. NJ, Monday.
When was named by Father Yorke to act a.
one of the judges to decide the controyers,
pending between yourselves as TO the authen
tIcity of certain statements made by you, anC
not as an arbitrator between Fathe
YorKe and yourself, you seem to as
sumo in your note, etc., it was with tn,
distinct understanding that there was to be ne
public controversy, but merely a presentation
of proofs, at such time, place and under such
restrictions as the judges should determine
You can well understand that having &C
tions, I firmly but respectfully decline
10 attend the eentertainmentwh which you propos
to give on the oath, 25th, Goth and 9th o
this month and that l will not act upon tn