The Irish standard., 1916-06-10
Continued from page ~

bowl with pigs" This awful sugges
ton had not even the slightest grount
Of truth and it was shown to be un
true absolutely. Not even condi
ton existed that might give a bash
for the statement, and yet this wa
repeated over and over again witt
variations, and the Moree anonymou.
pamphlet carried it prominently or
the first page. Mr.. Moree on cross
examination was forced to admit that
he knew this statement was false and
yet he placed it as the leading fea.
ture Of his scurrilous pamphlet. He
was forced to admit under examina-
ton that he was unfair, but added that
he had the right to be unfair"
On Monday, Feb. 2s, the Moree
pamphlet was in circulation and a
copy of it reached the Chancery Office
Of the Archdiocese Of New York. This
was the most savage blow in series
of violent attacks OH the institutions
and the Chancellor, Monsignor Dunn,
determined to place before the Catho-
lies of that City the true conditions.
Father William B. Farrell, re-
spected priest of the Brooklyn do
cese, had addressed few weeks pre-
vious an open letter to the Governor,
protesting against the unfair, mali
ciously arranged Investigation. and to
him Monsignor Dunn appealed for per-
mission to use this letter. The per
mission was granted, and so COM
menced the series of the now well
known Farrell pamphlets. In all 7OO,-
600 copies were distributed at the
doors Of the Catholic churches of New
York and Brooklyn.
Immediately attention was taken
from the charity inquiry by the Strong
Commission and centered on the
pamphlets to prove that they were not
written by Father Farrell but by a
DIR. Potter, Il recognized authority on
charitable institutional work. Strange
ly enough, DR.. Potter is Baptist min
ister but he was supposed to be in
a conspiracy with the Catholic priests
to oppose the plans of the admins
tration.
Then the overlapping commenced,
ordered by Mayor Mitchell, to discover
and uncover the so-callcd conspiracy.
Conversations were taken down, some
of them correctly reported when it
served the purpose, and others made
out OF whole cloth to make a cOnvinc-
ing story. These phonograms were
used by Mayor Mitchell to tear things
wide open,' as he said, but he shot
beside the mark. The community was
aroused at this piece of lawlessness,
in tapping the wires of private citi-
zens, and despite his efforts to stop
an investigation of his act, the Thomp-
son Committee, which was Investigate
ing public utilities, insisted on an in
quiry.
Mr. Mitchell first tried to side track
Il
the inquiry on the plea that it would
interfere with the Federal Govern
ment, which was supposed to be on
| the trail of someone who was break
ing the neutrality laws. When this
| was shown to be untrue, Mr.. Mitchell
desperately attempted to save the sit
uatiOn by turning attention to a So
called conspiracy of the Catholic
Church, which never existed except
in his own overwrought fancy. This
| also failed. He stated that he would
not tolerate religious Interference. as
he added that Government shall not
lay it's hand upon the altar Of the
Church, so the Church shall not lay it's
hand upon the altar of Government.
And let me say that while am Mayor