The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-12-02
TR UTlI SOCIE ~ GIVES
LIE TO Mr.. IJMLJLTY
Shows Clearly That Presidents
1 Secret ary is Trying to Fool
the Public.

2
tary to the President Tumulty and
the Washington Truth Society as to
whether priests and nuns have been
ill-treated in Mexico and whether or
not there is evidence of it on file at.
the state department. Mr.. Tumulty.
says there is not, and the Truth So.
ciety says there is, and comes forth
with proof.
What adds to the interest in this
controversy is the fact that both
sides to it are identified with the
same religious denomination. The
Truth Society is composed Of the
leading Catholic clergymen OF the
National capital, having among It's
executive officers such churchmen Of
high repute as the Rt. Rev. Bishop T
J. Shahan, rector of Catholic Univer-
|sity;; Rt. Rev. Mgr. William T. Rus
sell, D. d., rector Of st. Patrick's;
the Rev. Francis p. Donnelly, s.. j..
president Of Gonzaza College; the Rt.
Rev Mgr. James F. Mackin, rector
of st. Pau1's, and prelates Of equally
high standing degree.
The question Of truthful fact was
raised by the formal statement, issued
from the White House by Secretary
Tumulty himself, denying that there
was any evidence at the state depart
ment to substantiate the reports Of
outrages committed in Mexico against
nuns and priests, and was evidently
made necessary by the criticism in
Catholic circles Of the recognition Of
Carranza by the administration.
The Truth Society, through its pres:
ident, the Rev. Augustus j. Duarte,
contradicts the Tumulty statement
fatly. Itsdeclares that in the archives,
of the state department there is a
sworn affidavit. addressed to former
Secretary Bryan, Of which the follow
ing is an abstract:
@Sfr: OneJuly 90 had the honor
of addressing your excellency on the
subject Of the persecution Of Catholics
in Mexico as practiced by the revo-
lutionary parties now in power in that
country.
81 have lived in Mexico twenty
three years, by religion am Lutheran,
and am 60 years of age.
II know Of Catholic clergymen, who
under pain Of death, were forced to
sweep the streets Of a city and do mem
ial work for common, illiterate SOL
diers; Of a bishop, 20 years old, de-
ported to the penal colony on the Pa
cific coast; Of several priests in the
Monterey penitentiary as late as Au-
gust 80 last; of parish priest, 80
years old, so tortured that he lost his
reason; Of many deported to Texas,
both Mexicans and foreigners; Of
priests and sisters tortured by hang
ing and strangling; Of a priest in hid
ing who was enticed out to confess a
person and instead was thrown into a
dungeon.
II know Of forty Sisters of Charity,
who have been violated, of which num-
Der four are known to me, and one
of whom has become demented; Of
all OF the Confessionals Of the Mon
terey district churches being piled in
a public square and burned; of valu-
able paintings stolen from churches
and supposedly brought to the United
States by filibnsters; Of decress pub
lished by those now governors Of
states, prohibiting the practice Of re-
liigon, and closing the churches, con-
vents and schools. : 4
(signed) MARTIN sTECKER."
The statement OF the Truth Society
in reply to that of Secretary Tumulty
concludes with the declaration that
the sworn statements Of bishops,
priests, nuns and reputable Catholic
laymen who were prosecuted by Car
ranza's forces in Mexico outweigh
the excerpts from the letter OF the
lone clergymen Of Mexico City quoted
by Mr.. Tumu1ty.''