The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-15
ORDERED OUT OF CUBA
ALLEGED ANTI-AMERICAN MOVE BY
ARCHBISHOP CHAPPELLE.
Father Craft and His Indian Nuns
Must Quit the IsIand-Old Hatred
Against the Sisters Renewed.

BALTIMORE, Nd, March 4-Five
sisters of the American order of the Sacred
Heart have, according to a dispatch from
Pinar del Rio, been ordered away from
Cuba by Archbishop Chapelle, the papal
representative. recently appointed to inves-
tigate the affairs of the Catholic Church in
that island. The news was received by
cable in this city by Gen. James F.. Osborne.
of New York, who is registered at the Hotel
Rennert. The message came from Rev. j.
NJ. Craft, an Indian missionary priest. who
founded the American order of the sisters,
and who went to Cuba last November with
the five nuns, who are all the daughters of
Indian chiefs. The cablegram, which came
III Latin, was thus translated by General
o Bierne: Archbishop Chapelle orders us
to go away from here on account of the old
hatred against the Qndian) sisters. i have
written you about it."
Father Crafts reference to the old
hatred against the Indian sisters means
just this" said the general, 1.-The order is
purely American and was established near
Fort Pierre, on the Dakota border about
six years ago. The Cahensley element in
the church. or those who are in favor of the
European idea in the management of orders
and church affairs, antagonized Father
Crafts work in establishing this new order,
and he met with much opposition. He went
bravely on with his undertaking, however,
and when the war with Spain broke out,
offered the services of a number OF young
Indian sisters to the government As an
old friend of the missionary priest, went
TO the secretary OF war and succeeded In
getting the sisters sent 10 nurse in the hos
pitfalls at Tampa and Huntsville. Later on,
owing TO the excellent work they did, and
the fact that they were considered immune
from yellow fever; five of the sisters were
sent to Cuba and were located with the
First Division hospital of the Seventh Army
yellow fever epidemcs in the Cuban camps
the sisters worked admirably and, 10 my
own knowledge, were complmented by the
department for the excellent work. They
We're all the time under the direction of
Father Craft, who accompanied them. He
had met with considerable hostility from
the un-American element in the church, and
the opposition 10 this new American order
of sisters became very marked Nothing
like the present move was, however. eX-
pected.
a great disappointment to Father Craft.
who has just about commenced his work in
Cuba. The expulsion of his order of sisters
looks like a victory for the opponents OF
Americanism and, coming at this particular
time it will be painful news to those who
believed that the Vatican was in full SYM
pathy with real Americanism. | hope that
an explanation will be furnished which will
quiet the fears of those who dread the con-
ditions that might result II the anti-Ameri-
canism element should get the upper hand"
Speaking of Father Craft, General
OBierne said: Il have known him for
Sioux scholar known in the Northwest,
where he has labored among the Indians
for many years. He comes from an old
Pennsylvania Dutch family and is president
of the order of the Sons of the American
Revolution He is one of the most devoted
and jealous priests of the church..