Mexico weekly ledger., 1907-09-19
REV. FATHER COLLINS FORCES
81. MARYs' SALOONS 10
CLOSE suNDAY-UEDAUKT-
I'D BY THREATS OF
TAR AED FEATH-
ERs STOPS DANCE
MUSIC.
BULLET HTS Hls EAR.
Praised by G0vsrnOr-Ensmies Of
Pastor Spread Report Folk
Would Net BE 3. Picnic.

81. Lsuis Post Dispatch.
At the risk Of his life, Rev. Fathe
Michael d. Collins has compelled thI
five saloons and Eve dance halls Of st
Marys, Mo-, "A miles south OF ST. Louis
10 close their doors at midnight Satur
day and keep them closed until mid
night Sunday.
The courageous priest has been sho
at from ambush, has been Threatened
with tar and feathers, and has beef
boycotted by members OF his congre
cation until his salary is to-day 500 il
arrears.
When Gov. Folk came, at his invita-
tiors 70 speak at his church picnic las
Saturday, enemies Of the priest KEEP
many away by spreading the repori
that the Governor would not come.
But there were 5000 at the picnic
and there was liberal applause for thu
Governor when he praised Father
Collins for his hard-won victory fol
law enforcement.
He did not do this by moral suasion
alone, Father Collins comes OF a fight
ing race.
CHALLENGED SALOON KEEPER.
Once when be went into a saloon to
talk with the owner about closing his
place on Sunday, the saloon keeper
said:
'1f you were not a priest I'd beat
your head off,"
The priest flung his coat intoa cor
ner, rolled up bis sleeves,squsred him
self for a fight and challenged the man
behind the bar:
Gust forget for a minute than I'm
q priest" be cried, land ccme out
here. A good thrsShing will do you
good"
The saloon keeper did not 20.
st. Marys is a town OF GOO inhabi-
tants on the bank Of the Mississippi,
nine miles south Of Ste. Genevive.
It's people and those of the adjacent
farms are mostly oh -fashioned Ger
mans and French.
To these people Sunday was q day Of
recreation and enjoyment. The five
saloons did their greatest business
upon Sunday.
Above each saloon was a dance hail,
where young men and women spent
the day dancing and where those who
wished TO could drink.
The people were Catholics, but Of a
most independent kind. They had no
patience with a priest who attempted
TO oppose their Sunday diversions, and
no priest stayed there very long.
Into this town Of st. Marys, Father
Collins went to teach that the Sabbath
wasa holy day.
He is q man Of about IS years, six
feet tall, thin as q fence rail, bis coarse
black hair standing straight up from
bis forehead like the stiff bristles on
Q scrubbing brush. He was once presi-
dent OF the Order OF Railway Telegra-
pliers Of America, and conducted their
part Of the great strike of 1894.
When Father Collins celebrated bis
first mass In st. Marys in the brick
church on the hill, there were only
about fifty persons In the congrega-
tlon, and the sounds Of the fiddles
from the dance halls told where the
Others were.
HIS OYER TO SALOONS.
he went into each Of the five saloons
and made this proposition to their
owners:
Sir, i am the priest OF this parish.
/ come to ask you to keep your saloons
closed each Sunday until after the last
mass. II you will do that | win not
bother you.
Each Of the i've saloon keepers made
him exactly the same answer. It
vas.
"Y0u go to He'll"
The next Sunday the saloons and
dance halls were open again, and there
more persons drunk on the
than were at mass. The dance
e going.
The priest marched down again,
wearing his sacred vestments, but this
time he carried a cane, and be went
drst 10 the dance halls.
He held his cane aloft and declared
that II the dance halls were open the
following Sunday be would drive out
The young men of his congregation
his cane. He went to each OF the
saloons again and warned them:
"This time ! have come TO you. The
next time I have business with you,
you will come to me-"
The fighting priest then filed out
bis own complaints against the five
'aloon keepers and served them him
elf.
On the day the cases we're to be-
iried. Father Collins was sick in bed,
iowlY recovering from an attack Of
but be arose, vent to the
curt and appeared there as the pros
cutor OF the saloon keepers.
When his authority vas questioned,
e drew from bis pocket 3 certihcate
I admission to the bar.
The saloon men soon saw that even
ne determined mar could force them
. obey the Law. They held . meeting
nd agreed TO close the saloons and
ance balls all day Sunday. and they
ave kept the agreement For several
lonths not q drop Of liquor has been
I'D in st. Marys on Sunday.
Ill., Ga fL.M--. n - l