Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-10-17
Nearly Two Hundred Suffer In
suit and Privitation Fleeing
to United States.
Find Shelter at Institutions I'm
Various Parts of the
Country.
Are PENNILESS and DESTITUTE

Nine priests of the Passionist or
der and twenty-five nuns of the Or
der of the Sacred Heart have reached
Chicago, having escaped from Mex
leo, after undergoing hardships and
being in danger of losing their lives
on several occasions.
| The priests, all of whom are
ISpaniards, are. housed at the head
quarters of the Passionists at North
Harlem and Talcott avenues, Nor
wood Park. The nuns have taken
refuge at the Academy of the Sacred
Heart in Lake Forest
| Through interpreters, members of
the refugee band of priests described
their difficulties in getting out of
Mexico. All had been imprisoned at
Toluca, capital of the Province of
Mexico, and we're granted their free
dom only upon the guaranty of the
fSpanish Consul that they would
leave the country within fifteen days.
| Their property seized by Consti-
Itutionalist soldiers, their money and
Ivaluables confiscated, the members
of the little band were forced to
make the trip to Laredo herded to-
gether in cattle cars.
| At Laredo they were aided by the
Passionist Bishop, Paul Nussbaum,
who saw them across the Texas
] border, en- route to Chicago.
Those in the band included Rev.
Fathers Domingues, Benandius, Al
exander, Fabian, John Peter, Henry
Nicistro, Claud and Inncencio. Their
stories were interpreted for a Jour
nal reporter by Rev. Patrick Walsh,
c. p, native of the Argentine Re-
public. and Rev. Isidore Dwyer, C.
p, who lived in Mexico twelve years.
Father Domingues was the leader of
the band.
| 81 have in my possession copy of
an order issued by Gen. Murgia put
lting a ban on practically all our
religious liberties" said Father
Dominigues. 'Only one priest, the
eldest amongst us, was permitted to
remain in the district. Priests who
sought to escape were thrown into
prison. l fled to friends, and they
hid me for month in a cornfield,
but finally l was discovered and ar
rested. Our house, owned by an
American, Rev. Stanislaus Grennon,
of New York, was seized and all our
property and money taken.
"The one priest allowed his free
dom was permitted to hold services
on Sunday under a guard of soldiers.
Fast days and the administering of
the sacraments were prohibited.
| Brother Basil, a young student
at our home, was shot after a per-
functory courtrmartial, wherein he
was charged with trespassing on
Government property. Brother Basil
lhad left our home and gone only
short distance when he thought of
something he left behind. Brother
Basil returned to our home, which
the soldiers had seized, and he was
Immediately arrested, court-mar-
tailed and shot.
Worse than this, his dead body
was hurled into courtyard, where
We imprisoned priests could see.
We were treated without considera-
ton of any kind. Finally, when
things looked dark, the Spanish
Consul interceded and obtained our
release on his guaranty that we
would all leave the country within
fifteen days.
1--WE we're turned out on the world
August 1, without money or with
Iout means of communication with
those who might aid us financially.
By the aid of those who dared to
help us we obtained passage on
cattle trains and made our way to
Laredo, Texas.
"There were fourteen priests in
the original party; five of them have
lgone to other houses of the Pas
lsionist fathers. Bishop Paul Nuss-
baum, of Corpus Christi, Texas, d
member of our order, aided us after
we reached Laredo and ordered us
sent TO various homes OF the Pas
sionist fathers in this country"
The refugee nuns were stationed
at the Sacred Heart Convent in
} Guadalajara, Mexico, previous to
} their exile. Their story was told re-
Iluctantly, on Monday.
II Among their number were several
members OF prominent families, in
: cluding Nine. Sands, niece of the
late Rear Admiral Sands of the
United States navy, and Nine
Callaghan, relative OF Admiral Sii
George A. Callaghan. OF the British
navy.
Mime. de Marie, a French member
of the order. led the group from
San Francisco TO Chicago.
II The nuns fled from their convent
at the advance of Gen. Manuel
, Dieguez, whose soldiers pillaged
; their properties. Nine. de Bolivar
: lSuperior of the convent In Quad
alajara. had forty-eight nuns asso
ciated with her. and she brought
: them all safely to this country.
On the trip from Guadalajara ts
. Manzanillo the nuns were hidden n
seventeen different homes o
, friendly persons. Oftentimes the.
: were all huddled into one littl'
; room to avoid discovery by the Con
q stitutionalists. They sailed iron
'Manzanillo early last month and ar