The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1918-05-03
Jackson Priest, Charged
With Making Disloyal
on Remarks, Freed
$4,000 Bond.
SAID u. S. SOLDIERS
WERE TO BE DROWNED
Also Accused of Saying Govern
ment Would Repudiate
Loans.

NdLiioIlC SAuiCh III JdChSOn, WHO was
indicted by the Federal Grand Jury
in session in this city last week, sur
rendered to the Government authori-
ties in St. Louis yesterday and was
released on bond.
He had learned of his Indictment
through the newspapers, while in
Chicago, he said, and went to St
Louis to give himself up. He had
Just entered the Federal Building at
Eighth and Olive streets, St. Louis,
yesterday afternoon, when John Ken
nedy, Deputy United States Marshal,
saw him and served him with a copy
of the indictment. The priest told the
official that he had learned o. the in
dictment and was there to surrender.
The indictment makes d number of
sensational charges against the cler-
gyman. One count recites that he
said "The United States was sending
men across the ocean to drown them
ike rats in a trap
Another count charges the priest
with saying: THE Liberty Bonds are
not worth the paper they are written
on. If | had any money in the banks
] would rather draw it out than in
vest in these bonds, because the gov
eminent will repudiate the loans be-
fore the war is over"
Another charge is that he said
"The United States should not align
itself with England, against whom
or forefathers fought"
The fourth charges the priest with
saying: q would not contribute a
cent to the Red Cross, because the
mo7ey is not being collected for the
benefit of the soldiers"
The indictment was drawn by AS
sistant L. s. District Attorney
White. The priest had arranged for a
bondsman before going to the Fc'
eral Building. Joseph Lumaghi, a
coal dealer, signed the bond and the
priest and his bondman left tie gov
eminent offices together. Dispatches
from St Louis last night Stated, that
the pastor refused to discuss the in
dictment. His bond was fixed at $4,000.
Charges were made against Rev.
Collins by number Of prominent
people in Jackson, and some of the
witnesses against him. it is said, were
members Of his parish. It is reported
that one member e his church left
during the course of a sermon on the
war. As the member started to walk
down the aisle, the priest said: "Wait
and hear the truth" Just what he said
during the sermon has not been pub
licly revealed.
The Tribune communicated with e,
number of Jackson people last night,
but they declined to be interviewed.
Mrs. Lille Armstrong, one of Father
Collins Pensioners, said she had
been before the Grand Jury and was
not permitted to discuss the case. GUY
MiItenhurger, the well-known Jack
son merchant. also said he could not
reveal any testimony given to the
Grand Jury.
Mr.. Miltenberger, however. public
ly charged the priest with making dis
courteous remarks about the Liberty
Bonds last summer. It is believed he
repeated these statements to the
Grand Jury, although it is not public
" known that he did. Mr.. Miltenb-
crger was not feeling we'll last night,
and the Tribune transmitted its cues
tioins to him through his wife, who
stated that her husband would not
make any comment.
Mrs. Armstrong is said to have left
the Catholic church one time with sew
eral others While the pastor was dis
cussing the Liberty Bonds sales and
Fed Cross contributions. She re-
fused to confirm this report last night
The Jackson-Cash Book. in discuss
ing the probability of an indictment
having been returned against the
priest, said:
at is expected that when arrests
are made of those against whom in
dictmentS have been returned, Rev.
NJ. d. Collins of this city will be
found to be among the number. 1t is
divulging no secret to say that his
conduct and certain statements that
he has made since the beginning of
the war have been such that they
aroused some feeling against him, and