Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1904-11-10
PRIEST INDICTED.
An Assistant to Father J.J.
Dillon, the Latter Late
of This CITY.


Federal grand jury and the ar
rest this afternoon of the Rev. Il.
j. Awkward, assistant pastor of st.
Patrick's Catholic church, Sixth
and Biddle streets, on charge of
having in his possession fraudulent
naturalization papers on which he
is accused of registering. The in
formation on which the indictment
is based was furnished by the Re-
publican state committee. Catho-
lies and Dem ocrats turnout the
city are indignant and it is pre-
dicted that the affair will cost the
Republican party 10000 votes
in st. Louis alone. Altho the
general registration was a month
ago and the facts on which the in
dctments of Father Award and
others are based should have been
available at that time, the indict-
ments were withheld till to-day,
when twenty warrants were issued
by United States Commissioner
Gray and deputy marshals were
sent out to serve them. Father
Awkward was one of four served
with warrants this afternoon.
United States Attorney Dryer
said that he did not know that II.
J. Awkward was a priest when the
Indictment was returned, but it
would have made no difference. He
would have indicted him just the
same. Other Republican leaders,
alarmed by the effect of the indict-
ment of the priest. Yet the regis
tration books show his vocation
and it is on the allegation that he
registered on fraudulent natural
ization papers that the indictment
is based. SO confident are
Democratic leaders tonight that
the Indictment of Father Awkward
will prove a costly blunder to Re-
publicans that they are claiming
the city by 10000 whereas the
highest estimate of Democratic
plurality in st. Louis up to this
afternoon was $1,000.
Father Awkward was released on
his own recognizance after making
an Intellectual search for his nat
uralization papers. He was so
amazed by his arrest that he could
scarcely find words to express him.
self.
L do not understand it at all, y
he said, / cannot make an extend.
ed statement at this time. l ann in
daze at having been served will
, a warrant charging such Il thing
! | want to find out if some one hai
, not improperly used my name.
q have been at st. Patrick's churcl
+ for two years. I took out papers
4 at the court of appeals three year
, ago and so far as | know they ar
legal and proper in every respect.
The Rev. Father Dempsey, pas
: tor of st. Patrick's church, ex
. pressed Indignation over the ar
rest of his assistant,
Il can hardly find words il
which to express what should b
said and still he within prOpe
bounds" he said. "Of course, NJ
one believes that Father Aylwart
, has been guilty of any crime, leas
. of all those who know him. FL
e camehere about nine years ago from
e Ireland and was educated in Ken
rick seminary. He was ordained
;. about two years ago and was thei
: appointed my assistant l can no
: say too much Of his highminded
= ness and devotion to duty. It doe
I not hurt Father Awkward, bat i
will hurt those responsible for tn
outrage.
eff politics has degenerated into
: such practices, then God help us
7 If this is the sort of intimidation
Republicans are going to practic