Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-12-10
!. j FATHER "a. 4 !. kRoEaER DEAD.

FATHER kRoEaER DEAD. #: !. !.
Well Known Healer Dead OF Dropsy
5f at Epiphany, South Dakota. 4
A dispatch from Epiphany, s. D.,
states the death Of Father William
Kroeger5 at that place OF dropsy. M. Y
The death OF Father Kroeger will be
news of interest through this state,
where he numbered many patients.
From Bismarck a number of persons
have gone to Epiphany to consult
Father Kroeger regarding ailments
and many OF them have remained for
some time under his treatment, claim.
ing to have received distinct benefit
For the past several years Father
Kroeger has been coming to the front
as a healer, and railroad and hotel &C
contradictions at Epiphany had to be
increased to accommodate the num-
bers Of people who came from different
parts of the northwest to consult him.
A dispatch from Epiphany says:
It was about fifteen years ago that he
located at the little inland village of
Epiphany az the priest Of the Catholic
church. He had received a fine educa-
ton as. physician In the old country,
and, as he went ab0ut his parish du-
ties he frequently prescribed for his
parishioners, and always with remark
able success, although 1t was not his
intention to, establish any reputation
for himself in this way, but out Of the
charity OF his heart and his desire to
heal suffering humanity he treated the
cases he encountered. p: 4 ~ 49,. ;,....
; 1t was not long. before, instead of
his making his pastoral visits his time
was employed by attending the people
who came to see him for their physical
wants, The cases were very rare that
did not succumb to his skill, and they
began coming in such great numbers
that, it was nearly impossible for him
to attend to his church duties. Then
It was that the bishop informed him
that he must give up one or the other
Of his, duties-that. Of the priest or
physician. The priest believed that
he was doing as much for humanity by
treating their physical wants and
needs, and accordingly resigned from
the work of the church, although to
this day he maintained a little chapel
in one corner Of his great sanitarium,
where he has said mass every day, at
which many of his patients were pres
emit.
After his withdraw from the Catho-
lie church, DR.. Kroeger then threw
his energies into his work, and for the
past six years he has built quite an
institution. The town Of Epiphany
was but small hamlet, but with the
development of DR.. Kroeger's institu-
tion 1t expected to grow and become a
place Of Importance. He fully ex-
pected to secure the construction of a
branch of the Chicago & Northwestern
railroad to Epiphany as an aid to
building UP the place, but up to his
death he was never able to interest
the company sufficiently to have it
built, although a year or two ago there
was considerable talk along that line.
Even though the railroad failed to
build, the people were not deferred
from going to Epiphany for treatment,
and for years afstage line has been in
operation from Canova and Farmer,
the two points nearest the place, and
thousands of people have been trans
ported to man who was regarded as
a great healer with medicines.
= About seven years ago DR.. Kroeger
commenced = the construction of a
building that today covers large
area of ground and he has sanitarium
that is not surpassed in the northwest
1t is 100 feet long with an L projection
fully half as long. Not to mention all
the appliances he has four X-ray ma
chimes. The building Is heated with
steam and is equipped with sewer con-
nection, the doctor constructing a
sewer half mile in length to carry
the offal to a running stream of water.
It, was necessary in some way to care
for the people who, came in such
crowds, and hotel accommodations be-
ing scarce at the small town, DR..
Kroeger built two large hotels, both
equipped with steam heat and other
comforts. He has also constructed an
ioe-making plant, has a large water
tower to distribute water throughout