The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-03-16
KING OF THE YARDS
DEAO|N CHICAGO {.
HOSPITAL
Catholic Priest Who Ruled Turb-
bulent District
REV, MAURICE J. DoaNEY
Kept Saloon Out Of District Mile
Square for Twenty
Years

Chicago. March 16.--Rev. Maurice
J. Dorney, a Roman Catholic Priest,
whose name is familiar on both sides
of the Atlantic, died yesterday at
Mercy hospital where his sister is
one of the nuns in charge. Death
was due to paralysis, following heart
trougle which attacked him few
weeks ago. Archbishop Quigley was
present at the bedside shortly before
Rev. Mr.. Dorney became unconsci-
Gus.
The stockyards priest, or the king
OF the yards" as he was called, was
one of the strongest and most pic.
turesque characters in the West.
Counselor. protector, friend to thous-
ands, he had the power for 80 years
of the ruler of principally in one
OF the greatest industrial centers in
the world-the packing-house district
of Chicago His prestige extended
to the White House in Washington,
and on a memorable occasion he
earned the gratitude of Celts every
where as trusted envoy from Irish
leaders on this side of the Atlantic
to Charles Stewart parnell in Lon.
don.
What is said to be the most Irish
parish outside of Ireland was Rev Nj.
Dorney's Office charge-St. Gabriel's
a. Forty fifth street, the nearest Ro-
man Catholic parish to the main en-
trance of the stockyards. To people
we'll acquainted with that part of
Chicago, no more evidence is needed
to illustrate the force of his person
ality than the fact that by his efforts
a mile square of territory surround
ing his church has for 20 years been
absolutely free from the presence of
q saloon.
Irrespective of creed. the residents
Of the district revered him to an ex-
tent that has been a standing wonder
to outsiders. Here is the reason as
explained by one OF the men OF the
yards: "If you want battle, just
say something against Father Dor
ney and you'll get fight in plenty all
the way from kids TO grandfathers.
No hour was ever too long or too
dark or too cold or the roads too
rcught to stop Father Dorney from
going TO one who needed help. And,
what's more. II never made any diff.
ference whether man or woman was
Catholic or Protestant. gentle or
Jew-Father Dorney helped. When
he started out for something 1t was
nothing short of a riot till he got
what he went after. Now can YOU
see why from Forty.third to Forty.
ninth and from Halsted TO the Wa
bash tracks was surely bound TO be
dry"
Perhaps the meeting of Psrnell
and Rev. Mr.. Dorney in the House of
Commons at London will be the pub
lie incident to be longest remember
ed in the civil life of the priest. Rev
Mr.. Dorney there delivered to the
Irish parliamentary leader the docu-
ments which showed that the nfor-
mer Pigott's accusations against Par
nell we're based on forgery. The Pi-
gott charges, which formed an ella
borate attempt to link Parnell with
crime upon crime. had threatened TO
bring about the expulsion OF Parnell
from the Commons and to cause the
wrecking of home rule for ireland.
Largely as the result Of Rev. Mr.. Dor
ney's successful mission the prosecu
ton suddenly collapsed and Pigott
not long afierward committed suicide
in Spain. Rev. Mr.. Dorney had been
entrusted with the documents by his
lifelong friend. Alexander Sullivan,
president OF the Irish national league
Of America, and by Patrick Egan. fer
mer treasurer OF the Irish national
league Of ireland and later United
States minister to Chill.
Although a native OF Massachu-
sets. Rev. Mr.. Dorney was a typical
lrishman much like Daniel OConnell
both as an orator and in persona
six-foct athlete with a voice OF cor
responding power. yet capable Ct the
finest meditation and with q ready
Wit and smile that pever failed to
charm. Most often he spoke in an
easy. almost colloouial way. but il
was not a rare thing for him to move
an audience 70 tears.