The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-09-10
THE MURDERED PRIEST
BIRMINGHAM SHOWING REAL A..
p. A. SPiRlT-CATHOLI ARE
TiMID-PLOT TO kiDNAP FA-
THEIR cOYLE MURDER WITNESS
CHARGED - PERSECUTION OF
THE GUSSMANS BY BIRMING-
HAM BIGoTs NOW ON.
(By N. C. w. C. News Service

lBy N. &. W.. G. News Service.)
The rabid anti Catholic community
of Birmingham, Ala, has begun to
show its bias for the Rev: E.. R. Ste
phenson, Methodist preacher charged
with having murdered Very Rev. J. E..
Coyle, pastor of st. Paui's Church, by
prosecuting the minister's daughter
whose conversion to the Catholic faith
and her marriage to Pedro Gussman,
a Catholic, was the. occasion of the
tragedy.
Gussman Released.
Young Gussman, who has been re-
leased following his arrest on charge
that he had murdered a former wife
in Peoria, ILL.,, is now being refused
|; employment, Notwithstanding that;the
allegation against him has been proved
wholly groundless Mrs. Gussman has
sought an injunction to restrain par
tisans of her father from kidnapping
her and combining her in an asylum on
the ground that she is demented. Mrs.
Gussman accuses the chief of police
of Birmingham, J. T. Shirley, as one
of those favoring this plan. Chief
Shirley denies any connection with
the scheme
Horace G.. Afford, Protestant, who
is attorney for Mrs. Gussman in the
proceedings to obtain an injunction to
prevent the chief of police and Sher-
III Hartsfield and his deputies from
taking her into custody and commit.
ting her to an asylum, alleges in the
petition which he has filed in the chan
Gerry division of the Circuit Court, that
there is a plot to kidnap the young
woman to separate her from her hus-
band. -
The petition alleges that when Chief
OF Police Shirley was, asked to give
Mrs. Gussman protection he answered
pounding a table as he spoke: "
Il would not give Ruth Stephenson
protection If l knew she would be
killed within the next ten minutes
Attorney Afford is among those who
openly declare that the arrest of young
Gussman on a charge of murder was
"frame-up' designed to discredit him
and help the defense of Preacher Ste
phenson. The police who came here
from Peoria with photographs and fin
ger prints of the man Guzman who il
accused of killing his wife there last
November, found that Pedro Gussmar
in no wise resembled the fugitive they
sought.
l Younu Couple PersectIfed
In addition to the general refusa
to give young Gussman any work, boil
he and his wife are also unable Il
find any place to live. No one will
rent them rooms or give them shell
ter. Catholics in Birmingham, in tn,
| fear of increasing the difficulties ant
| dangers in which the young coupl,
find themselves, are holding aloof
Catholic sympathy and support wouIt
/ only increase the distress of the youni
/ people.
Apparently as part, of the campaign
to foment hostility to the Catholics
and create public psychology ia
vorable to defense of Stephenson, has,
ISLANDERS of Father Coyle are being in
vented and circulated on every side
Catholics are becoming objects 0
greater suspicion and contempt thai
ever befofe. 81
Meantime Right Rev. Edward P. AL
len, Bishop of Mobile, has decided {,
leave to the state the prosecution o
Stephenson.
=. ~ s3 , = 4