Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-11-09

Z 1900 'AN NOCll lSllCNS mG.
After the service Livingstone told
the priest MS story and related the
cream. AT ms insiStent urging Father
Sanlii went to his home with him.
ahd there he learned sufficient to YER
ny tle strange tales that had been
told. He sprinkled the house with holy
"a'er, and though the manifestations
were moalhed, the clippings continued
a iew Gays later Father Cahill said
mass ior the repoSe OF the soul of the
stranger, and the uncanny annoyances
ceased forever. Livingstone soon af.
terward went back to Pennsylvania to
1--we, out before he died he decided "a
acres OF ms farm to trustees to hold
Tor the benefit of the Catholic Church
TOT all time. 1t is said that he and
his family became devout Catholics.
This strange story has found its way
into most histories that treat of our
local affairs. Fifty or sixty years ago
there were persons living who had got
ten the story from those who had ac-
tually witnessed the manifestations.
Kew. Demetrius Galitzin, the prince.
priest who became famous as a mis-
sionary and explorer, was interested
in the affair, and came here to in
vestieate it. He spent three months in
| Middleway and vicinity, investigating
the story and securing proofs. Though
he did not believe it at first, in his
memoirs written in 1897 he declares
that, after having examined and cross
| examined witnesses in a way that no
court could surpass and after having
investigated every word of his wit
nesses' testimony, he was forced to
the conclusion that such things had
happened. In the same year letters
written by Mrs. Anastasia McSherrv
gave similar testimony.
The village where these events oc-
CURED was originally called Smith
field, after William Smith, who in
1929 had been granted considerable
tract of land by Governor Gooch of
| Virginia. After the spook had made
IT famous 1t was called Wizard Clip,
and to this day it is better known as
Clip than it is by its later-day official
name, Middleway.
The house in which the Supernatur-
al visitor did his weird work disap
peared many years ago, though its
site is still pointed out. The grave
of the stranger who caused so much
trouble is unknown.
n The deed conveying the "a acres
known as Priests Field to trustees
for the Catholic Church was executed
by Livingstone February 81, 1902.
| The trustees died in the course of
time, and the land was taken charge
of finally by the Minghini family. II
was never a source of much revenue,
but they held on to it, though it was
admitted they had no clear title to the
land and were unable to sell it. A
year or two ago some of the Catholics
OF this section began an investigation
OF the question of ownership, William
Butler, of this place, being active in
the matter. With the sanction of the
church authorities, Mr.. Butler enlist
ed the services of Col. Forrest w.
Brown as counsel and suit was brought
to secure unquestioned ownership by
the church. DR.. w. E. Minghini, of
Martinsburg, defended the suit, but
after litigation in the Circuit Court
Judge ]. M. Woods decided in favor
of the church. He declared that a
trust could not be vitiated simply be-
cause trustees had died. He appoint
ed as new trustees Bishop O'Connell,
Rev. ]. A. Curran, of Harper's Ferry,
and William Butler, of Shepherdstown
and the church is now in undisputed
possession of the property.
Last Thursday, more than 120 years
after the property had been bequeathed
by Adam Livingstone, the head of the
church for this diocese held service
on the recovered "Priest's Field"
Bishop O'Conne!l had made the plans
for the celebration some time ago, and
they were faithfully carried out by
Father Curran, Mr.. Butler and other
interested Catholics. A large tent had
been erected, but it was not large
enough to hold the considerable crowd
that had gathered there from Shep-
herdstown, Martinsburg, Harper's Fer
ry, Charles Town, Winchester, Bruins .
wick, Washington and other places.
The church dignitaries present were
Bishop O'Connell, of Richmond; Rev.
]. A. Curran, of Harper's Ferry; Rev.
Albert E. Smith, editor of the Balti-
more Catholic Review; Rev. Edward P.
4 McAdams, Westernport, Md; Rev.
Thomas A. Rankin. of Winchester !;
and Rev. Emmett p Gallagher.
Before saying mass a very interest
ing address was delivered by Bishop
O'Connell. He told of the stranger
and the events that followed his death,
and said that the story of "Wizard
Clip" is the best authenticated mani
festation of spiritual life in the history
of America. II is witnessed by the
church records and by court proceed
ings. The prophecy made by Living
stone that great things would one day
be wrought on the ground bequeathed
to the church is now being fulfilled.
In his address the Bishop said that
hearty thanks were due to Mr.. Butler
for his untiring and successful ef-
forts to have the property restored to