The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-01-12
EARNED FORTUNE TO
BLOT OUT DISGRACE
Back of Wonderful Success Of
Father Kroeger of Epiphany
IS Tragedy.
LEFT DEBTS AT ELkHART
Fleeing Indiana Town at Night, Priest
Heater Built Up Business at
Epiphany to Repay Last
Dollar Of Obligations.
Esioux City,Tribune.l

fSioux City.Tribune.l
Back of the life and remarkable
financial success of Father William
Kroeger, of Epiphany, S. D.. who died
December s, lies a story Of disgrace
bravely borne and conscientious resti-
tuition to the last iota.
just thirteen years before his death
Father Kroeger disappeared from Elk
hart, Ind, where he made a most re-
marlsable record as priest of one. parish
there. To carry out his plans for the
material enrichment of the parish, he
had engaged in numerous financial in
VeStmentS. Ee became involved and
left one night. Next morning Elkhart
was amazed to find they had been de-
ceiVed in the man they had loved and
trusted.
But Father Kroeger did not forget.
Six years later they first heard of him
That was through checks sent back
to Elkhart in payment Of debts he had
left there. While he built the towns
of Epiphany and kroeger, s.. D., cstab-
lished Il medical practice that extended
almost from ocean to ocean and died
possessed of a quarter of a million dol
lars worth of property, his was but
incidental. He embarked IN these en-
terprises because he was an honorable
man and determined to live up to his
agreement to IA the debts left at Elk
hart and estimated variously at from
$4,000 to 500, 600.
Case Taken to Rome.
1t was because he felt it incumbent
uIon .him to do this that he later be-
came involved in trouble with his own
church. The bishop had become dis
pleased because he thought Father
kroeger was not attending strictly
enough to his parish duties at Epip-
hany. Father Kroeger was holding
services in his hospital, and politely
but firmly declared that he must con-
tinue to do so. He asked for an as
~sistant priest but the bishop thought
one man should be able to care for
so small a parish and refused. The
case eventually was carried to Rome
and Father Kroeger made a trip to the
vatican, and, it is supposed from the
ensuing silence that he made q salts
factory explanation.
The following account of Father
Kroeger's disappearance from Elkhart
was written by a correspondent of that
town:
Elkhart, Ind. Dec. 29.-The death of Rev.
Father William A. krocger at his home
in EPIPHANY; $. D.: on Thursday, Decem-
sensation and distress Which was caused
among his parishioners and friends when.
one morning in December, 1891, it was dis
covered that the trusted prelate had de-
eamped, leaving creditors whose claims
aggregated many thousand dollars to ex-
plain their surprise as best they could.
These creditors included business men,
professional money lenders, members Of
his parish. including widows whose scant
savings were implicitly and unreservedly
intrusted to the holy father, and even
brother clerEymen, who We're at the head
of parishes in neighboring| towns. Rev. Mr..
hroeger's most intimate friends and chief
business Sponsors We're d~umbfOunded and
their chagrin and disappointment were in
tense atld most depressing. for he had held
his friends with a magnetism OF unusual
power. and their belief in him was phe-
nomenal. The mans ability to favorably
impress his intimates was augu = ,nted by
his general reputation for executive ca
coming to Elkhar in 1880 to be priest OF
the only Catholic church here, that of st.
VinGeiIt' de Paul. a struggling parish, he
had set about to erect a suitable and at
t%ractive edifice. so much more pretentioUs
than any other church building in ELK;
hart up to that time. and for several
years after. that it was dignifed with the
descriptive term cathedral. Through in
defatlgihle energy and the application OF
head Of the parish was able to see his am.
billions realized so far as the church prope,
was concerned. though the d~enonment il
built the rectory that he had planned.
Crisis Was Unexpected.
The crisis in Rev: Mr.. kroegcr's affairs ii
Elkhart came quite unexpectedly to, al
save himself, and even yet the impulse
. A'.S $500 AA'h' ~ iASSAiS Isl
and obligation to seek escape from en-.
barrasstnent in ignominious flight is sub
ject Of conjecture. This stress Of tinan.
cial difficulty came as the result of too
much speculation in matters secular, al
overwhelming ambition to shine in bus
mess affairs Of the community as well a.
the head OF a prosperous and constants
growing parish in Il little city that wa.
fast forging to the front as ones of Thu
was chief promoter Of the Dr. Rroese,
Cough Cure Co. which spent larg,
amounts in advertising a remedy of Rev
Mr.. Ikroeger's compounding; he becam.
ownersof a dray lineaof considerable pro
portions; he embarked in the grocery bus
mess, and in fact was Interested either a!
the head or as a silent partner in a mum
Der OF other business enterprises. Wlle,
they failed to prove profitable or even self
sustaining he fell back pom the loans 0
friends. or the funds that had beer, ii
trusted to him by coniiding parishioners
some of whom, as above indicated. wer,
humble though thrifty.
The fact that the investments were bat
!, was not revealed until after his fight, fol
! none who. We're aware of Father Kroeger,:
apparent business acumen and unim.
peachable integrity would lave doubted
him for an instant. Many harsh thing
were said after his flight
and he was held in memory more bittel
well as the unscathed SCORERS: could no
persuade themselves that ali had beef
lost in business failures. though they wer,
humbly-hardly a family in his paris
Jared more scantily than he aid hi;
housekeper in the rectory, or wore S,
cheap apparel.
Kept His Secret Well.
After his departure the intinates VIII,
knew kept his secret well, and it was no
until be had been gone half adozen year
that 1t became known here that ne hat
settled at Epiphany. The first report
We're Of the wonderful cures he was effect
ing there and We're repetitions of the as
s%ertions that some achievements bordere,
On the irAculous If, indeed, they did no
attain that dignity. Elkhartans were in
~credulous when they heard of the i'm
meEse influence that was being welded b,
the fugitive clergyman and Of the prestig
he was acquiring. Later, little by little
1T became know. that tire abscondinj
priest was rcimbrrsing his EIkhart credi
tors, with interest, and a Catholic prizes
in a nciglboring town of whom Rev. NJ
kroeger had borrowed several hundre1
dollars Of church funds (made good at tn
time to the lender) publicly acknowledge
that the principal, with interest. had bee,
i paid, and thatgFather Kroeger had toll
= 4 ~, klnt t..Fy ~ N.HE rr .ZG.--- 4 s.f LEE--