The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-17
One Claim $ '3Intole1-
ance, +" the Other "sIn-
suit and Outrage. I"
VATICAN TAKES
HAND IN TROUBLE
James F. Stuart, of St. Louis, and
Fellow Missionaries Have Mar
row Escape With Lives in
Brutal Attack by Mob in
Earthquake Region-Es-
corted Out by Soldiers.

Rome. June 1s tBy telegraph to
clifden, Ireland thence by wireless).-
After the various incidents between
the Vatican and the American Meth
odists, emphasized before the public
because connected with such men as
ex-Vice. President Fairbanks and cx-
President Roosevelt. there is now an
other incident between the Roman
Catholic Church and the American
Baptist missions established in AveI-
limo Province. which was SO tried by
the latest earthquake.
On both sides, as with the Meth
odists, there are accusations of in
tolerance. On the other hand. Mgr.
Giuseppe Paduia. Bishop of Avellino.
and the whole of his clergy, following
instructions received from the Vatican.
declare that the mere presence of the
| Baptist missionaries In a region en-
tirely Catholic is an insult and an In
tolerable outrage, while on the other
hand. James F. Stuart. of St. Louis.
Mo. who was sent TO italy by the
Board of American Missions, and all his
assistants In the Avellino district
maintain that II Is a violation of the
! most elementary liberty and is an sS-
hibition of medieval intolerance to
preven. them from ministering their
| religion wherever they have adherents.
! BY both sides the Italian authorities
are accused of showing insufficient
energy in stamping out intolerance.
| Mr.. Stuart. who now speaks Italian
| nuently, already has had some proof
of how Christianity is interpreted by
an ignorant, fanatfcal population, and
1 eSA 1T
escape from the hands Of a mob was
| so narrow that a report was circulated
that he might be lynched at any mo-
| ment
Brutal Attack Made.
Mr.. Stuart has JUST reported to Pre-
mier Luzzatti that or the night of the
earthquake he and some companions
4 engaged in the mission work were at
4 tackled in a most bruta, manner, the
| people apparently blaming them for
| the earthquake A crowd. numbering
thousands of persons. attacked the
| Americans and declared that they
meant to hang them. Mr. Stuart says
the police wanted himself and the
others 10 leave Avellino. but this they
refused to do, owing to the interpre.
tation that would be placed upon theil
departure. However, they left later
guarded by zoo soldiers.
There is no doubt that the situation
was very serious. 1t appeared 81
critical that Ambassador Leishman
who allows no American interest OF
citizen 10 go unprotected, wrote i'm
mediately to the Italian Foreign OF
fee: LAS l am informed that there i!
a Baptist mission at Calitri, which !.
one of the towns reported to have suf
fered considerably from the earth
/ quake shock last night, l would b
4 pleased to have you send any new!
which may have reached you. AS ia
as can learn no Americans are in
jured, and l can only hope that th
reports that have reached me ma,
prove to have been false. although i
appears that the shocks in the Avellin
district were quite severe, and that
number of persons were killed.
1T is not to be wondered at tina
the population is so terribly excited
as the Messina disaster is still fres
in the minds of every one. and enoug
to strike terror into all hearts. l wi
, greatly appreciate any information 70
! are able to send upon this subject"