The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-01-04
DUTTON, LEPER
The Friend and Helper Of Father
Damien and the Lepers Of MoIokai
"A Soldier and convert-seIf-
ExiIed Through charity-Dled
Victim Of Leprosy-A Friends
Memoir.

Memoir.
The current issue of the London
Tablet is authority for the statement
that death has ended the career of
Brother Ira Barnes Dutton, who was
associated with Father Damien in his
labors among the lepers of Molokai,
and who, after the death of Father
Damien, took upon himself the care of
these helpless ones.
| Brother Dutton was born of a New
England Methodist family sixty-nine
years ago. He served with distinc-
tion in the Civil War and was pro-
NOTED to a first lieutenancy and rec
ommended for a captaincy For a
long time after the war he remained
in the service of the Quartermaster's
Department. In 1883 he was received
into the Catholic Church by the Dom
inican Fathers of Memphis, Tennes-
see While lay brother at a Re
demptorist Monastery in New Orleans
he heard Of Father Damien's apostle
late among the lepers of Molokai and
decided to join him in his heroic work
He arrived at Kalawayo in 1886, where
he remained ever since ministering to
the needs of those afflicted with lep-
rosy. He assisted Father Damien un-
til the latter's death in 1889, and
since then he has co-operated with
those in charge of the leper settle
ment in the work of relieving as far
as possible those helpless sufferers
About four years ago he was stricken
with the disease, but continued his
labors until the end.
interesting Memoir.
/ Last year very interesting memoir
on Damien and Dutton' was written
by Edwin e. Woodman, d life-long
friend of Dutton. from which we take
the following extract:
buttons scholarship, his business
training and aptitude, fitted him for
isv9lVt5 zssa essYers ae
Z :tti1
fdischarge OF these important functions
that it early led to his promotion to
a lieutenancy in one of the companies,
with more strictly soldierly duties.
Going on from success to success, be-
fore the war was over he had been
promoted to first lieutenant and rec
commended for captaincy; and, for a
long time after the peace, remained
in the service of the Quartermaster's
Department, collecting the bodies of
i our scattered dead and relaying them
in national cemeteries. This strictly
historical chapter of buttons life may
be read in the records at Washington,
and might be extensively filed out IL
this we're biography.
Dutton's Conversion.
4 "And now come to a surprising
mental change in him, a state to be
approached only with delicacy of feel
ing, il at all, and I take of my shoes
from off my feet to mark it as holy
ground For there lis no sanctity
higher than mans religion, his re-
lation to his Maker. Here was New
England boy of protestant parentage
and education, of austere puritanic
training, whom we find upon the
career of a soldier, novice In a
monastery; and year or two later,
after humanitarian service in New
Orleans, and learning of Damien's
work, self-exiled to Kalawao, going
secretly and in poverty to uphold the
falling hands of Damien, name now
resounding in every land where heroic
sacrifice by man for men is appre-
ciated.
Such rapid and profound changes
are so much matters Of temperament
as to be difficult of comprehension by
persons of less spirituality than is a
subject of them. am thus hampered
myself. The rich pageantry and sym
bolism of the Catholic Church do not
deeply affect me, and perhaps never
would have done so; though more
probably this Is because was reared
in a colder school of sinners and did
not feel It's cultural power at an emo
tional period. But buttons mind
must have been naturally pathetic to
it, otherwise he could not have been
swept away, in burst of sympathy,
into the same martyrdom with Da-
mien; in spirit, confess, immeas-
urably beyond my own strength of
sacrifice. And though lack share
Of brotherhood in the august Roman
Church, am not a paynim to question
the authetic truth of religion that
produces such heroes.
Among the Lepers.
When the former Lieutenant Ira
B. Dutton, re-christened Joseph by the
Church, arrived at the leper settle
Iment, Damien was already stricken
and with but short reprieve from
death. The volunteer for the Union,
and now for the work Of Damien, at
Ionce closed with his opportunity for
human service, Immediately taking
charge of two churches and num-
ber Of lepers. He cared for Father
Damien to the end Of his sacrifcial
life, rounded his grave On the spot
where he first preached to the lepers
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