The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-12-09
LOSS TO. OUR CAUSE
EDITOR or THE DAILY AMERICAN
TRIBUNE KILLED IN AUTO
ACCIDENT.

Mr.. Mic. Goniier and his daughter,
Anna w. GonneN and Mr.. J. P. Shroe-
der, of Dubuque, lost their lives in an
auto accident near South Wayne, Wis,
last Saturday morning. The other
occupants of the car, Mic. Conner, Jr.,
Miss E. Hirschboeck OF Milwaukee and
Fred Stemm, of Dubuque, all students
at Marquette university, escaped with
their lives.
Mr.. Conner and the others had
started for Milwaukee where he was
scheduled to speak on Catholic Press
Development Sunday. The accident
happened As miles from Dubuque on
the way to GAINESVILLE.
Mr.. Nicholas e. Conner, the fear
less leader in Catholic press develop
ment in the United States, knighted
by the late Pope Plus X some ten
years ago for his untiring efforts in
behalf of the Catholic cause, was born
at Cape Girardeau, Mo-, July s, 1870.
The family moved to Dubuque some
fifty years ago. AS a boy, Mr.. N. e.
Conner attended the St. Mary's pa
rochial school and then went to Lux
embourg, Europe, where he attended
college for seven years. Shortly after
his return from Europe, Mr. Conner,
Sr, died and the son took over the
editorship OF the LliXemburger Gazette
and the Katholischer Western and
in 1899 established the Catholic
Tribune weekly. Meantime, Mr.. Con
ner had become prominent figure
in Catholic societies of this country.
He was one OF the prime movers in
the Federation of Catholic Societies
and Of the National Catholic Central
Society, and for number of years
president of the latter organization.
He also served several terms as presi-
dent of the st, Boniface League of
Iowa and was director of the Roman
Catholic Mutual Protective Society of
Iowa. Several years ago he joined the
Knights Of Columbus, and since then
has been an ardent advocate of that
society. Lately he became interested
in the cause of the Holy Name Society,
in the membership of which he found
the needed help tD further the Catho-
lie Gaily press movement This latter
cause was Mr. Gonner's goal, his life
work. Not satisfied with a, flourish
ing weekly he began propaganda for
semi-weekly, which he established in
1915, followed UP by the tri-weekly in
1919 and finally the Daily American
Tribune in 1920 Shortly before his
sudden death, which he never feared,
being daily communicant, he had
laid plans for better and bigger
Tribune.
Mr.. Conner married Clara M. Ritter
of Burlington, Iowa, July 2, 1901. Six
children were born to them in happy
| wedlock Mrs. Conner died Aug. 21.
1919, and more than ever Mr.. Conner
| devoted himself to his beloved press
work to forget his terrible blow. He
is survived by four sons, Nicholas,
Lawrence, Henry and Aloysius, and
one daughter, Clarissa, all of Dubuque;
as also by his brother. j. p. Conner,
| the able business manager of the Cath
| olic Printing Co.
Mr.. Conner was true friend and
comrade to his co-workers and EN-
| ployes, who, with the many, many
friends in Dubuque and all over the
United States are united in sorrow and
sympathy over their great loss.
Among numerous messages Of con-
doience from all parts of the country,
that of His Grace, Archbishop Dowi-
ing reads Deeply grieved to read
of Mr.. Gonner's death, an irreparable
loss to Catholic Journalism Please
accept heartfelt condolences