The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-20
FIGHTING PRIESTS
SISTER RELENTS
Miss Magrath Forgives Boy In
suffer on Plea Of His
Mother.
HE PROMISES TO AMEND
Greenwich Village Glad Youth
Lives Outside That
District.

Father Philip J. Magrath. the fighting
priest Of Greenwich VILLAGE. the sailors
and stevedores Of hts waterfront mission
and tho police have ended their search for
the young man who insulted Father
Mayra,h's sister In Charles street on tho
evening Of Sunday. March .. He has
been found. but through the inercession
OF his mother he IL spared from tho shame
Of arrest and tho priest himself will help
tho boy to keep his promise Of decency
hereafter.
The story OF Miss Charlotte Magrath-
how she and girl friend were waylaid BY
tipsy youths and were saved by q big
driver who ploushed into tho gang and
was terribly beaten. and how the priest
and his sister and the men Of the Catholic
Seamens Mission and police detectives
have been hunting the ganssters day and
night-has been told In THE Sun
Father Maerath heard the telephone
bell in his study ring at . o'clock las.
night. John J. Barclay OF ~ Charlton
street said over the wire that he had I'M
por,an. news and asked Father Magrath
TO walk for HIN.
In a few minutes Barclay entered the
study with q gray haired woman dressed
and yelled In black and a girl OF II. her
daughter.
Father" began Mr.. Barclay. I've Just
learned who II was that insuited your
sister know him and his family.
They're respectable. He Is go years old
and has a good Job. This lady Is his
mother She has come to talk to you"
BOY IL Penitent.
The woman lifted her veil. She seemed
about SIS years old. The priest silently
listened to her story. She was widow
with four children. she said. When she
mentioned her name Father Masrath rec
ognized 1t as that OF a boy who in an
other quarter had been named as Miss
Magrath's assaiiant This boy Is the
family's main support. On Monday. the
day after the attempted assault. he read
THE SUN story and disappeared. He re-
turned home yesterday. He vas deeply
penitent and near . breakdown from
worry.
He confessed to his mother that he was
the boy Father Maerath WAS looking for
that he had got drunk for the first time
in his life and while roaming Greenwich
Village with companions had seen Miss
Magrath and been guilty Of conduct
which ne regretted bitterly. Al the end
Of his confession he said to his mother
Now what am ! going to do
go right to Mr.. Barclay and tell him
everything" she answered.
Mr. Barclay has been for years q
friend OF the widow and her children.
The young man repeated his confession
to Mr. Barclay and the visit 90 the priest
was the next step.
Mise MasratA YIELDS.
After hearing all this and observing
the mothers demeanor Father MaErath
said he was satisfied TO let the matter
drop. but was not sure about his sister.
He called Miss Magrath into the con-
ference from her home at le Van Ness
place. At first she was disposed TO con-
tnue the search on her own account, but
the mothers story won her as II had her
brother.
Father Magrath did some teiephonins
and presently the party IN his study was
enlarged by the arrival Of Police Inspec-
tor Wakefield and men OF the priest's
mission flock. Father Masrath told them
OF his decision and what caused It and
asked the inspector TO take the two war
rants back TO the Magistrate who signed
them. Miss Magrath clapped her hands.
tho stevedores roared You're always
right. father" and the mother Of the
boy put away her handkerchief
The mother promised that in few
days her son would call on Father Ma
grath, who In turn said he would look
after him and help him keep his promise
to live straight
The boy lives south OF West Houston
street and therefore Is not a Greenwich
Vilager
Il knew nobody In Greenwich Village
would try to harm my sister," said the
lighting priest