Omaha daily bee., 1897-08-06
VICAR GENERAL IS FINED
Oontrov rsy Among the Catholics at
Teoumsel Breaks Out Anew.
HA9TlG ARRESTED FOR HOUSEKEEPING
Members of the Church Draw Up an
Agreement which They Ask
Bonncum to Sign. Recognize
ing Their Orgnnization.


TECUMSBd, Neb., Aug. 5.-(Special Tele-
gram)- indications were that the con-
trovorsy between the two factions of st.
Andrews Roman Catholic church here was
ended but such does not seem to be the
case. Bishop Bonacum of Lincoln and Vicar
General Emanuel Hartig of Nebraska City
were here last evening to install Father
Corcoran, the newly appointed priest, in the
priest house, but they did not accom-
plish their desired end.
The old members of the church. by mutual
consent have instructed the trustees Of the
church to compel Bishop Bonacum to en-
dorse an agreement between himself and the
church before either the bishop or the new
priest can assume charge. of the parish here
or in any wise be connected with the
churchs affair. This step is apparently
taken to guard against any possibility of the
bishop getting absolute possession of the
property as some seem to fear The arti-
cles are as follows:
Whereas, St Andrews Catholic church of
Tecumseh, Neb., has been duly and regu-
larly organized and Incorporated according
| TO law; and
pursuance thereof Michael Shaughnessy, NJ
u. Murphy and the priest in charge of said
| CnuTGn are ndIlCu anu tuHSllultu dS lllG
! local trustees thereof; and
| Whereas, BY reason of certain threatened
disagreementS portion Of the membership
organize said church, and in doing so
elected, or attempted to elect, certain other
members as local trustees, the said portion
| of the membership of said church attempt
| ing said reorganization was in fact only a
small minority of said membership, and said
reorganization was unauthorized. unneces-
| sary and invalid; and
| Whereas, Said church as first organized
I %
Shaughnessy Murphy and the local priest
in charge as the trustees thereof has
| trines and policy of the Catholic church
| and hereby renews and declares its ,oyalty
obedience to the lawfully constituted author
| itY in said church and agrees to be gov
erred by, the lawfully constituted authority
| of said church and the lawful exercise there
! of by the bishop of Lincoln and those law
fully authorized by him for that purpose.
bishop of L4inco, n, accepting the above state
ments and declarations, of loyalty from said
H aSd @ poM Of said
| church as first above stated with Michael
Shaughnessy NJ d; Murphy and the priest
/ in charge of said church as the local truS-
tees thereof, to be the only lawful and
recognized organization of said church. and
ernment thereof so far as the same may be
directed and controlled by the .unde rsgned
! bishop of Lincoln, said organization first
above mentioned and said trustees above
named vii. be recognized and treated as the
| only lawful organization and the only lawful
| turstees of said church.
Now the bishop did not come to Tecumseh
! for the purpose Of signing any such articles;
rather he called meeting of a number of
the Catholics that have stood by him through
thick and thin and proceeded to name Conk-
| lin AcAuliff and William Carr to succeed
| the present church trustees. According to
the laws of the church these men could not
serve for they have been disconnected from
! the church for two years. The next move
of the bishop was to proceed to take charge
| of the church property. Father Hartig,
| Father Corcoran and his hOusekeeper went
up to the parsonage. Finding it locked and
| not possessing the keys, Father Hartig, ac-
! cording to testimony of witnesses in the
| trial that followed, removed the window en-
| tered the house and removed a bolt on the
inside of the door and let his companions in
! They had gained possession at last, but did
| not long retain it. Trustee Shaughnessy
with an officer who was armed with a com
! plant against Father Hartig for illegally
| forcing an entrance to a residence, soon
! appeared Hartig was arrested and taken
| to the county court and later Corcoran went
! down town and the hous ekeeper left the
| building for moment. Right here is where
| Trustee Shaughnessy scored a point Find
| ing the house again vacant he removed the
| ntruders' yalises etc. securely locked the
| building from cellar to garret and was again
| in victorious possession. drayman drove
up with some of the new priests household
| effects, but was not allowed to unload them.
| In county court this morning, after giving
the case rigid examination, Judge Brandon
found the vicar general guilty of the offensc
as charged and fined him in the sum of $25
and costs. Father Hartig appeared much
! humiliated but paid the fine. Father Cor
! coran through consent Of thd trustees. held
mass in the church last Sunday, but these
same trustees and the general membership
say he will enjoy no more such privileges
until the bishop agreet to the terms named
by The church