The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-17


ly innocent. His enemies, however,
started the report that he was conduct
ing Iiaiscn with young lady of Lou
run, and that in order to overcome her
scrupes he had married her, having
performed the double office of priest
and husband. Such was the silly tale
inaugurated by this unscrupulous
cabal, and which, as they thought,
would bring their naughty enemy to
terms. But Grandier, secure In his in
nocence, treated their accusations with
contemptuous indifference. Upon GER
tain occasion, however, his anger got
the better of his pride, and he bitterly
reproached one Duthibaut, who has
persistently circulated the story of his'I
marriage with young lady. This man,
stung by and writhing beneath the
smart of Urban's matchless invective,
raised his cane and struck him. This
scene occurred in the Church of Sainte-
Croix while the priest was still dressed
in the holy robes of his office, consti-
tuting, necessarily, a sacrilege of the
gravest moment. Urban proceeded
against Duthibaut. who, by the way,
was rich and influential, with his usual
promptness He complained to the
king, Louis Kill, who at once brought
the matter before parliament.
FURTHER vILLAINY.
While Urban was in Paris prosecut-
ing Duthihaut for sacrllege, the cabal
in Loudun was buisly preparing a bomb
in the shape of an accusation that was
to hc placed in the hands of his su-
perior. the bishop of Poitiers. Two
men were found who, for money, swore
that he had debauched women and
girls, and that he had converted St.
Peters church into a maison de joe,
and that he never read his breviary.
The bishop, who was Grandier's enemy
also (the latter having granted a dis
pensation of marriage, which was a
prerogative of the former, hence his
enmty), issued a writ of arrest and
summons for Urban to appear before
him. The summons, with a copy of the
accusation was given to Duthibaut,
who hurried to Paris and placed them
| before parliament. This body then de-
| cided that the priest must stand his
| trial before his religious superior be-
| fore they could proceed further with
the case against Duthibaut. Grandier's
| high courage did not desert him; he
travelled back to Loudun with all
speed. AS soon, however, as he arrived
| there and before he could make any
efforts toward preparing his defence.
| he was seized and thrown into one of
| the noisome dungeons of the bishop
| prison. Here he remained closely con-
| fined for two months. He was then
| brought out for trial, and, notwith-
standing the fact that the charges were
mere assertions as in the case of the
young lady to whom he was reported
to be already married (no names were
given to the women and girls whom he
was accused of debauching), he was
found guilty and sentenced to live on
bread and water for three months, and
debarred the practice of his priest
ly functions in the diocese of Poitiers
for five years, and in Loudun forever.
Grandier appealed from this sentence
to the archbishop of Bordeaux: his
accusers, thinking completely to an
nihilate him, then also appealed, carry
ing their appeal to parliament. 1t was
decided, however that. owing to the
great expense incident to the trans
portation and maintenance of so many
| witnesses, the case should be tried by
the civil court of Poitiers. In this just
and impartial court the false witnesses
were soon entrapped into making con-
Trajectory statements, whereupon they
lost courage and confessed that their
evidence against Urban was false. He
was consequently, on May 25, 1881, de-
clared not guilty by the court He had
yet to stand his trial before the arch
bishops of Bordeaux, who was then at
Saint-J ouin-d de- Marines. He hurried
thither and asked for an immediate
trial, which was granted. and, in a few
days he returned to Loudun in triumph
he had been acquitted on every count
of the indictment.
RETALIATION.
We make it for granted that a man
of Grandier's temperament did not let
matters rest here-nor did he. He al
once entered proceeding against Mig
non. Trinquant. Barot, Meunier and
Menuau for conspiracy. Meanwhile
he had vigorously conducted the pros
ecuton of Duthibaut (the man who
had struck him with cane in the
Church of Sainte-Croix), and had got
ten judgment against him. Dulthi-
baut was fined, reprimanded anC
forced to pay a sum of money to the
priest whom he had insulted. The
cabal found themselves in hard case
from accusers they had become the ac.
cused, from prosecutors they had be.
come the prosecuted. 1t behooveC
them to bestir themselves and crusf
their enemy, otherwise they were lost
They met again, Duthibaut havins
been added to their number this timC
at a house belonging to Trinquant il
the village Of Pindardine; there they
; formed a new plot which, for ute
ialf iG wifi
, history of mankind.
, Some time before the events Just re
: lated had transpired the mother su
, perior of the Ursuline convent haC
asked Grandier to become the spirit
ual director of her household. He, ow
ing to his multitudnous engagements
had refused. thereby incurring the en-
nifty of the nuns, who considered them
selves soorned and despised Bette
had it been for him had he thrust hi
right hand into fire and burned 1t to
cinder than to have used 1t in pennin,
a refusal to these women! For, b,
these weak women and girls was he L
, be dragged down and utterly destroyed
> Several days after the meeting of tn
conspirators at the house of Trlnquan
in the village of Pindardine, it wa
whispered in Loudun that two nuns II
the Ursuline convent had been possess
ed by devils, and that these devils ha,
been enabled TO penetrate into the bod
les of these holy women solely throug
the magic OF Urban Grandier, a prizes
of Holy Mother Church. Horrible!
priest and trafficking with devils. Sen
for the executioner! Send for the stake
Burn him! burn him." Thus the su
| DargfitiOnS and tha ipnnrant Eoptt,