New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-25
T'M STILL ALIVE
SAYS MGR. DUNN
Catholic Prelate Sends
Message to Cardinal
Farley.
DIR. HIGGINS DENIES
WRITING PAMPHLETS
Says Mayors Charges Against
Mgr. Mcmahon and institutions
We're Shown To Be False.

Monsignor John J. Dunn announced
At II D. m. at his home. 35l East
Fifty-nfth Street, that he would not
vet issue statement on the tele-
phone conversation disclosures made
before the Thompson Committee.
Earlier in tho evening one of his as
| sistants had said that the monsignor
was comforting with other officials IN
the Catholic Church on the release OF
lengthy reply to Mayor Mltchefs
accusations.
81 believe tho record Of the alleged
conversations should he made public,
Monsignor Dunn said In the afternoon
Of the office Of the Society for the
Propagation Of the Faith, 462 Madison
Avenue. "The sooner the Mayor reads
them the better. The public has right
IN know what they are said to contain.
| see no reason for Senator Thompson
TO insist on secrecy"
"Have the charges made by the Mayor
been called TO the attention OF Csrdi-
nal Farley" the Monsignor was asked.
"Not Badly Battered
"Not that know Of" he replied.
"When the Cardinals secretary asked
me this morning II had a message to
send TO his eminence at the Dunwoodie
Seminary, / said: Tell his emlnence
that | am still alive; yes, tell HIM
that | am not badly battered.
Al the residence Of Bishop Patrick
J. HAYES. 142 East Twenty-ninth street,
last night. 1t was said that both the
Bishop and his secretary, Father Dih-
cen. were out Of town. They were eX-
pected 10 return this morning.
From persons we'll informed on
Catholic affairs il was learned that the
conspiracv charge made by Mayor
Mitchell came as a surpriseto most Of
the Catholic clergy in the city. They
had been so busy with their own PARISH
affairs that most of them had not tol-
lowed the details Of the charities IN
vestigation, it was said.
Monsienor Dunn's telephone rang IN
cessantly all day, employees in his ONCE
said Most Of the inquiries came from
the clergy, who desired to get further
information about the controversy.
The Rev. DR.. James J. Higgins, rec
tor Of St. Rita's Church at Astoria and
supervisor Of the Catholic charities or
the Long Island diocese, is one OF the
men who, IL is alleged, will be arrested
charged with conspirlng to get WIT
ness out Of the jurisdiction OF the sta'e.
Dr. Higgins said he didn't under
stand how they could implicate him IN
the overlapping conspiracy, but That
If he was arrested he would welcome
IT, in order that the public, after It
. had digested the sensation OF the
arrest. would be properly informed as
TO the real nature Of the entire pro
ceedings.
when his attention was called 10 one
Of the alleged telephone conversations,
made public Yesterday by Mayor Nit
cbel. i'm which Father Farrell was
alleged TO have offered $50 70 DR.. Potter
10 get DR.. Potter out of town and In
which Father Farrell made II plain he
would get the consent of DR.. Higgins,
DR. Higgins burst out laughing, and
then said:
"That is 80 ridiculous that | cannot
really dignity it by answer
ing"
conversation he (Dr. Higgins had with
DIR. Potter, during which Higgins is al
legged TO have told him that he would
send the next day material for another
pamphlet attacking the Strong inyes-
tigation. lie dictated this reply:
Not Concerned in Pamphlets.
"That conversation never took place.
| never had anything to do with any
of the Farrell pamphlets. | never talked
TO DR.. Potter regarding the pamphlets.
never offered DR.. Potter any informa-
tion that might be used By the author
/ in compiling another pamphlet"
At this point DR.. Higgins referred
to Mayor MitchePs attack on Tuesday,
| i'm which the Mayor alleged that Mon
/ signor Mcmahon, now dead, who SIX
wears ago was head of the Catholic
/ charities for the New York Archdio-
| cese, had admitted TO Mayor Mitchell
/ that the Catholic charity institutions
/ lad raised a purse of $4,000 to be pre-
sented to DR.. Potter.
This may appear very fine and high
/ sounding, but when analysed and calm
| ly considered il is nothing less than
ridiculous. When has the Church or
| the Church authorities attempted to
seize the government? Be specific. Mr..
/ Mayor. Give dates. names and facts,
/ not mere empty phrases. These mean
/ nothing 10 thoughtful men. The rabble
may be caught by them, but they are
not fit food for the minds Of sensible
men.
THE Mayors charge that a fund OF
$4,000 had been subscribed by private
/ Catholic charitable institutions as a
present for DR.. Potter has been explod-
/ ed time and time again. His other
/ charges about bribery, the bad treat
ment of children, twenty children bath
/ ing in six inches OF water. children 3
| heads infested with vermin. their
/ bodies covered with filthy clothes, their
/ bodies underfed and undernourls
and kindred conditions have all been
answered completely. The truth came
out at the recent charities investiga
tions. Evidently the truth makes no
more impression upon the Mayor than
would a dose of castor oil make on a
craven image.
This is what Dr. Higgins said: an
June, 1910 Monsignor Mcmahon, at
| Carlsbad Austria. made an affidavit 10
b refute the nasty stories then being cir
I culated regarding a fund collected by
/ Catholic institutions TO be used as a
present 20 Or. Potter.
"Monsignor Mcmahon showed no such
fund was ever collected and whom