Omaha daily bee., 1897-06-22
Of Catholics in the diocese reprobated the
charges against the bishop
IN THE civil. COTRTS


From this time on the troubles in the do
cese assumed new aspect. The position
Of the warring factions was reversed
Bishop Bonacum became the aggressor and
the priests were forced froi position OF
plaintiffs 20 that of defcndf : Without an
ecclesiastical court op,n aud deter
mine the charges against - Top and ap-
peals being treated with : nsideration,
the priests were obigq bandon the
contest on that line OF at I assume the
defensive. Bishop Bona 1t no time in
improving his advantaf I" roceedlngs to
oust Father Corbett frf > Palmyra mis-
sion were had before Chapman Of
the district court at - "a City, which
resulted In victory - : bishop, Sim
liar proceedings werf igainst Fathers
Fitzgerald and Murphy the courts OF
Nenaha and Johnson counties, In these
cases the priests contended that as they
had taken appeals to the higher courts OF
the church the bishop was estopped from
proceeding until the appeals were deter
mined This view YVES sustained in both
cases II was this action on the part OF the
civil courts that enabled the priests to per
severe Possession OF their missions gave
them nine points of the law, and forced
the higher authorities OF the church to hear
their grievances,
In August, 1895, Bishop BonaCum formally
eXpslled both priests from the diocese for
defiance and dsobedience TO his (my) au-
v.
Delegate Satolli They were again tried by
a diocesan commission on September 20
of that year. Failing to appear they were
adjudged guilty Of contumacy. Another
condemnation followed on October 2, and an
order of recommendation brought the year
to close From ell these proceedings ap-
peals were taken TO the apostolic delegate.
Satoli refused to grant the appeal, stating
in letter dated December 3, 1895, Since
Rows. Murphy and Fitzgerald have been con-
demned in contumacy the right of appeal
has been forfeited by them, and they are
obliged to obey implicitly the sentence pro
nounced against them"
APPEAL TO ROME.
The priests then sought redress at Rome.
An appeal was forwarded to the Congrega-
tion of the Propaganda. On January 20, 1896,
the apostolic delegate was notified that the
appeal had been granted and that the case
should be heard by the metropolitan cuiia.
Rev. Peter A. Baart of the diocese of De-
troit was appointed judge-dslegate. The
court was held at Dubuque, October rs, 20
and 80, 1896. Judgment was rendered on
December l, finding the priests not guilty of
the charges PREFER ed by the bishop, ordering
the removal of the rival priests at South
Auburn and Tecumseh and condemning the
bishop to pay to the priests damages amount
ing to 81 200. The decision of the mctropol-
itan Cura severely aTrmgncd Bishop Bona
cum for presenting INITIATED records to the
court, practicing deceit en- Delegate Satoili
and for "inficting punishment on the de-
PENDANTS without due process of law" I'm
dsrying all these proceedings" declared the
court, was some other motive than sense
of Justice"
As soon as the decision Of the metropolitan
curia was made known, Bishop Bonacum, in
a public letter, denounced the decision and
attacked tho character of the judge-delegate.
An appeal was taken by the bishop and
granted by Delegate Martinelli