The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-29

&kO AAAtA ~ A8 SeSSsAaeB priest made news as a man o
 Father Coughlln had parked his car outside the county building in Detroit, and as he catno out he saw Q man uFlstrap small trunk on the rear of it and start off.
 "Where arc you going with that trunks" demanded Cough. lln.
 "Whags it Co you2" snarled thO thief, and with that he dropped thO trunk and threw . right Co Che priests chlns
 Father Coughlln ducked and struck back. A crowd gathered as the two men fought it out. The priest finally found an opening and landed Q smashing right on hia opponents jaw The man went down and out. At this point Q policeman appeared on the scene and carted tho thief off to jail.
 The headline over tho story in an afternoon paper read: PRIEST FIGHTS FOR RIGHT WITH A MIGHTY RIGHT"
 Father Coughlin has put on considerable weight since this inc cident and he no longer uses his fists. But he is still fighting and still hitting the front pages.
 Not Canadian
 Contrary to general belief the radio priest is not c Canadian.
 He was born in Canada, it iS true--in Hamilton, ontario, in 1891, the same year that popo Leo XIII issued his famous en- cyclical "ReTum Novarum," which Father Couehlin considers the magma charta of labor and which he uses as the spearhead of his 'soclaI justice" crusade. But Father Ooughllns father, Thomas, was on American, the son of an Irish immigrant who welded c pick and shovel during the con. struction of the Erie Canal in New York state and later settled on . farm near Lagro, Ind.
 Parents Americans
 Tom Coughlin was born on this farm. He left home whi!o still in his teens to sail the Great Lakes as Q stoker. Later he settled in Hamilton where he was, in turn, 0 church sexton end the manager of c baking company.
 In Hamilton he mot and mar. ried Amelia Mahoney. Their first son was Charles. Tom Coughlin never reiinquished his American citizenship and his son, although born in Canada, is also Q citizen.
 Tom and Amelia Coughlin are still alive and live in DO. troit. Both always addroBs their famous son aS "Father".
 Hot Dogs
 Mrs. Coughlin is on attractive, gray.haired woman who adores her son and is constantly a8sert- ing . mothorly prerogative over hiS food and working habits, She is his official hostess and loves to give "trOata" at her homo for the Father and his close friends.
 A faVoritO "treaW is Q picnic lunch combating of hot dogs, cooked over on open charcoal fire in her backyard, with potato salad, cheese, crackers and leEtas onade.
 At Toronto University Father Ooughlin was c star haifback and once played on entire game with c broken jaw. At one time he was also handhall champion of Cam ada. But since the rise Of his radio pulpit he hos given up sport. Sometimes in the evening he will borrow 6 bicycle from ono Of tho children of hiB parish, and ride it up and down the street for c few moments much to tho youngstNrs' delight. But that iS tho extent Of his exercise.
 Health Not the Best
 Father Coughlin now weighs 100 pounds. He suffers from at1 unsteady heart and c thyroid cons dition In his throat.
 Ills first heart attack 0c.
 cured two years ago while alone In his private study in the
 Royal Oak shrine tower where
 ho ley on the floor for sev-
 eraI hours. Finally, hO was
 missed, and . member of his
 staff found tho priest in . coma.
 Father Coughiin suffered . ssv. gro threat attack just before his appearance at tho Townsend cons Ventlon in Cleveland. He was unable to speak above . whisper when he left Detroit and ail dur- ing tho night, while on route, h0 gargled with two kinds of throat washes. By morning ho had res gained his voice and was able to make his scheduled speech.
 Hates Doctors
 Father Coughlin dialikes ins tenSoly having people express golis cltudo over his health. He likos wise hates doctors end medicine.
 After his recent Sainting spoil in the Cleveland stadium, Whil0 speaking before the convention of hiD National Union for Social Justice, he gtrenuouSly refused to permit his assistants to summon Q physlclan. It was only six or seven hours later, when he was still weak, that he allowed c doctor to Do brought in.
 Father Coughiin iB on onlnivors ous reader and being . rostivO sleeper often reads through ar - s=ss.@s @%@@l[~