Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-13
Former Priest Demands $780,
600 Damages as Result Of
Attack at Dixie
PROMINENT FARMERS SUED
Trial of Case Growing Out of Assault
On An Ant-catholic Lecturer Prom.
Uses to Be Most Interesting In Many
Years-sesuin's Stormy Career -
Iowa News.
Special to mes-Republican.

liberty and free speech guaran-
teed by the constitution, P. A. Seguin
apostate priest of the Roman Catholic
church, appeared in district court to-
day as plaintiff in what promises to be
one Of the most interesting trials that
has ever taken place in Central Iowa.
The defendants are sixteen prominent
men Of Grant townships prominent
citizens of Grant township, mostly
farmers, who indignant at and
outraged by the soothing and pre-
tended revelations Of the man
whom the church had once confided in
and honored, defended their faith with
more zeal than discretion and the re-
suit Was an assault upon Seguin.
The case had it's genesis at the little
town of Dixie where Seguin had ad-
vertised to deliver lecture In which
he promised to lay bare the secrets OF
the confessional and to expose the al
legged iniquity of the Roman church
as he claimed to have found it in his
career Us priest.
The night of the lecture arrived and
Sesuin was accorded a large hearing,
the people of the village and surround
ing country being curious to learn
what the ex-priest had to reveal OF the
mysteries of the Catholic church.
What Seguin said in his lecture mas
never been correctly quoted, but II IL
was a repetition of what he has SAID IN
other places it was sufficient to make
the blood of every loyal Cathollc DOH
with Indignation. For Seguin's whole
manner on the rostrum is calculated to
arouse resentment He hurls defiance
at the Catholic church and pictures 1t
as terrible monster, catacombs OF
immortality His lecture on the con1es-
sional is an awful arraignment Of the
priesthood. 1t is almost Indecent. But
the constitution says the right of free
speech shall not be abridged and Sc
gum. whether his stories are true or
false probably had right to talk un-
til some legal method should be en-
ployel to determine if in exercising his
own rights he had not infringed upon
others.
The audience at Dixie was composed
largely of Catholics and being loyal
to their church. believing its teachings
and having faith in its integrity they
were naturally incensed at the ex-
priests language. AS the lecture pro-
ceeded the Catholics grew more excit-
ed and the result was small sized riot
in which seguin claims to have re-
ceived many injuries, consisting of
broken arm, ruptured ear drum, loss OF
three teeth and permanent nervous in
iuries The defendants deny injuring
him in any way, and claim damages In
a cross petition because the plaintiff
called them thieves and robbers. The
lines are distinctly drawn between the
plaintiff and defendants as to the in
turtles received and who perpetrated
the assault.
1t was reported around the hotel
lobby last night that the attorney for
the plaintiff is feeling around to see if
a settlement cannot be made without
a trial. but when court convened today,
Judge Plat presiding, no agreement
had been made, and the case came up
for assignment this afternoon.
The plaintiff has already subpoenaed
about fifteen witnesses but the defen-
dants have as yet not revealed their
hand at all. If all OF them should go
on the stand. and all Of the plaintiffs
fifteen witnesses should also testify,
this would occupy from a week to ten
days and 1t is anticipated that it will
take about week to try the case. So
far. no Catholic priests nor any outside
protestant ministers have taken any
apparent interest in the case, and as
was stated in these columns some time
since. this Is case that should be tried
by the jury Of disinterested and fair
minded men and should not be in
f1uenced by the ministers or priests of
any denomination.
Seauin's Career.
Seguin has had a somewhat stormy
career. His life has been sometimes
threatened. His manner does not in
spire confidence in what he says. He
has tremendous voice, but is poor.
speaker. He claims to have been a
Catholic priest for fourteen years and
this claim is well substantiated by
documents In his possession.
At the Dixie riot he says he lost some
valuable papers and testimonials
which would easily have proven that
he was not kicked out Of the Roman
Catholic church. He left the priest
hood in 1880 and asserts that he was
urged to return ana shows as his au-
thority an autograph letter written in
1898 by Cardinal Martinelli, the pope's
representative at Washington, urging
him to return.
Thru the labors Of Father Chinguy
Of Canada, in 1880, Seguin renowned
Catholicism and became a missionary
and worked for over three years in the
interests of all of the Protestant chur-
ches. He then married an ex-nun,
Travelled and lived in Europe for three
years. Coming back to America he
settled in Chicago where he served as
a Protestant missionary for ten years.
During their Chicago residence Mr.. and
Mrs. Seguin published two newspap-
ers, one in French called La Trumpette
Evangelique and the other in English
called The True Protestant.
Mr.. and Mrs. Seguin joined the
church of Christ In Chicago and later,
when they came further west, they al
led themselves with the University
Place Church Of Christ of Des Moines.
THE 70 oopc}cfc of fofhor p,0tha>