The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-20
A Surprise From Gin
ton Pulpit.
NO BLESSINGS
For Those Who Attended
Cemetery Meeting.

only time can allay the canker of GEM
etery discord that eats at the heart Of
St. Johns parish. The lot holders
meeting INDICATED John w. McNam-
ara, late this afternoon, but it made
fuel for a fierce flame, and brought
from Rev. FIR. r. j. Patterson, rector of
st. Johns. a denunciation quietly ut
tered, but stern Of meaning. This meet
ing of the lot holders was called by
publication in the newspapers yester-
day afternoon, as printed in The Spy
this morning.
The lot-holders in the old cemetery
were called to meet with the original
committee and the st. Johns Cemetery
Corporation. Fr. Patterson announced
that such meeting had been called,
to the congregation in attendance at
late mass, this morning He said that
he did not know who had called the
meeting. Then he advised those pres
ent not to attend the meeting, and con-
Guided by saying that those who should
attend would not receive his blessing,
This electrified everybody and made
a topic.
| 1t was the all-absorbing theme among
the Catholic people. Many a guess was
hazarded as to what the purpose of the
meeting was. Some said that the St,
Johns Cemetery Corporation, or the
men composing It, would be fiercely de-
| Voured. Some thought that the meet
ing was called to help Martin Murphy
get the contract for the removal of the
5000 bodies from the old cemetery, while
Others thought that it was to get the
| olshop to take the cemetery into his
own hands
| by o'clock this afternoon, there was
no !ack OF persons waiting to enter Mu-
SIC Hail, and by little after that hour.
| lSO persons were seated. Not all OF
these persons were lot holders but all
or them were members OF st. Johns
parish, and all seemed possessed with
an intense and a common interest in
| what was about to happen
1hey were not kept long waiting,
me meeting was called to order by
John W. Mcnamara, who said that he
qeSireo 10 make a statement to the lot
| holders relative to his real position on
the cemetery matter.
| Mr. Mcnamara was observed with
! attention. and his statement, when he
| read II, found attentive listeners
1t had been rumored since the settle
tlement that he had a statement to
make and everybody wanted to hear
it.
But first Joseph e. Whalen was elect
Gd permanent chairman and Michael
j. Coyne permanent secretary.
Mr., Whalen is a Lancaster man, but
regular attendant of st. Johns.
| Mr.. Mcnamara then read his state
ment. 1t was a carefully prepared
! document and reviewed the part in the
cemetery affair from the time he
sought the bishop 10 get the bishop to
sign over his title in the cemetery
| property, until the present.
The document was considered a very
moderate affair. Once it created a sen
sation, when it charged that the cor,
poration was guilty OF eXtrava ganCe
and again when Mr.. Mcnamara said
that most of the members had no minds
of their own, but We're unduly swayed
in their action by one or two members
| The member referred to was taken tc
be Hon. John w. Corcoran.
Mr.. Mcnamara said also that the
newspapers, and especially a Worces-
| ter newspaper, had been unfair in theh
| treatment of him. He had thought OF
calling a meeting of the lot holders ear
lier than this had been called. but
deemed it on the whole not advisable
There We're several, speakers, wher
Mr.. Mcnamara had concluded his
statement. One was Patrick Burns
superintendent of the waterworks. Mr.
Burns objected to anything that
seemed like criticism Of the corpora
ton. He knew that there We're differ
enCes of opinion as to who should have
the cemetery contract. He felt that
the parish might well depend upon the
judgment of the men who compose the
corporation.
The bones of his dead We're as deal
to him as the bones of the dead of 9th.
ers could be to them. He had confid-
ence in the corporation.
Speakers who had preceded Mr.
Burns, said they had not intended any
criticism Of the corporation
j. c. Leahy, who is a prominent shoe
merchant, moved that a vote of con.
fidence be given to Mr.. Mcnamara
DR.. J. J. Goodwin moved that a vote
Of thanks be given as well as a vote OF
confidence.
The amended motion was carried anC
a vote of confidence and thanks extend
ed to Mr.. Mcnamara.
The meeting Immediately took up tht
matter Of the contract. Town Solicitor
Thomas T. Larkin got the floor. He sale
he had been requested by several lo
holders to make a statement, which ht
should now make. He proceeded to give
reasons why the contract for removing
the dead should be given to Martin
| Murphy, even II he was not the loves
bidder. Mr.. Murphy was a clever man
The people of the parish knew him ant
had confidence in him. He had buried
many of the dead in the cemetery. He
would command the services of Martin
Sweeney who knew the location o
every grave in the cemetery. The peopl,
= of the parish would feel much safel
and better to have the work done by
man whom they could depend upon Il
move their dead as carefully and as ten
derby as they would do it themselves
Moreover Mr.. Murphy would employ
Clinton men to do the work.
Still speaking for those persons des
cribed as certain lot holders Mr.. Lar
kin said that these advantages SHOULD
, outweigh the extra cost of $4,000 or $1,000
! represented by the difference between
Mr.. Murphy's bid and that of the low.
est bidder.
After some other talk it was votet
that the chair appoint a committee L
draft resolutions, expressing the sense
of the meeting that Mr.. Murphy should
: have the contract for removing chs
bodies and that the resolution be tranE.
mitted to the trustees of the corpora.
ton.
After the meeting Mr.. McNanlars
said that he was satisfied with the re,
suit. His course throughout the matter
!, had been INDICATED by the vote of con.
/, idence and thanks.
He is willing to rest where he is. At.
ter the meeting certain persons talked
UP q project to hold a parish meeting
in the town ball. The idea, as it de.
veloped was to have this meeting off.
c;ally called, and sgitate the matter, Sc
as 70 get the entire parish present il
possible.
At this meeting the matter OF this
contract S1-fiI1d &c l..