The Irish standard., 1914-04-18
"REv." OTIS STURGEON.

One REV." Otis L. Sturgeon, of Des
Moines, Ia, historical editor of The
Menace, last week gave a series of
vicious and obscene anti-Catholic lec-
lures in Denver, says the Catholic
Register.
The daily papers refused to ACCEPT
either news item or an advertise
ment announcing his speeches, SO he
circulated handbills, after he had
given two talks in the Trinity Metho-
dist church. The Catholics saw these
handbills after the third lecture had
been given, and protested to the Trim
ity church authorities, who refused to
let the bigoted minister talk last Fri.
day night. He then held meeting
in the Charles building, and among his
sayings were that Catholic priests
maintain concubines, that the Pope is
a white SLAYER, that Catholic marriages
are characterized by immortality on
the part of the pastors and brides, etc.
He said it was not murder to kill a
Catholic priest. The writer attended
the meeting.
On Saturday night, a meeting was
held in the Pentecostal Union temple,
and a. Protestant who is married to a
Catholic woman arose and informed
the lecturer that If one word more was
said about the morals of Catholic wom-
en-, the speaker would be killed by
him. This mans name appeared in
Sundays News.
The speaker made such inflamma-
tory remarks that he was frequently
interrupted from the audience, and the
noise became so general that a riot
call was sent in.
On this night he subtly urged revo-
luton to drive the Catholics out of
America.
Many of the audience left when the
speaker refused to allow corrections of
lies.
On Sunday night, Sturgeon was to
appear at the Twenty-third Avenue
Presbyterian church. The Rev. Percy
V. Jenness was duly informed that
Sturgeon had violated the anti-riot law
by advocating the murder of Catholic
priests, but refused to call off the
meeting. The trustees asked for po-
lice protection and Chief O'Neill prom
ised to send police by auto if they
were needed. The trustees advertised
in Monday mornings paper that the
police had refused them all protection.
On Sunday night, a number of per-
sons went to Surgeons hotel, kid
mapped him, took him twenty-six miles
out from the city, and he Is now in
st. Luke's hospital. The religion and
names of his assailants are unknown.
Because of his charges about Catholic
marriages, Professionals with Catholic
wives seem to have been as angry as
were Catholics with him. The Cath
olics of the city are sorry any violence
was visited on him, but every one who
heard him has been compelled to ad-
init that he was merely beat at his own
game, and that he got a dose of the
very medicine he advocated for the
Catholic priests and laity.
Spurgeon is not stranger to Denver.
He was brought here three years ago
as assistant pastor of the First Baptist
church and was dismissed after one
month by the trustees, on the charge
of stirring up dissension in the congre.
cation. He was given years salary
and let 60, according to information
furnished The Register by Baptist.
The Register, to set the public right
about last weeks happenings, would
like to give full report of Surgeons
lecture. But we do not wish to cor.
rupt our readers morals and we know
that our paper could not go through
the mails IL it contained this talk.
Sturgeon gave the names of two al
legged Denver priests who had been
brought up on immoral charges. The
diocesan authorities never heard Of tie
men mentioned.
49, Bs.