Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1899-01-14 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

BREAKING A STICK OVER A WOMAN'S BACK.  A question concerning prime and people is at present exciting :mob interest in the mining district of Slanuennan, in Stirlingehina The local priest is accused of having beaten • woman, • member of his flock, and a section of the Roman I Catholic, community are up in arms. The story! of the complainers is that on the Bth of last month Mrs Flanagan, the wife of a miner residing at Barnmuir, went to the Catholic. school to cornplain to the lady teacher of what she considered; to be the severe punishment which had been given to bar child a girl of five. While Mrs Flanagan I was speekir to the teacher, she states, Father MacOsoar, the priest, appeared. Mrs Flanagan told him that unless her children were punished with less severity she would not send them to school Upon this the pried, it is said, declared that he would compel her to send her children to the school, whether she wished it or not; he pushed her down the steps, and beat her with a stick till it broke. Father Mac Oscar is alleged, further, to have followed her part of the Way to her house, shouting all the time. On the evening after the assault a meeting of Catholics was held, at which the conduot of the priest was denounced. A brother of Mrs Flanagan stated that he had seen Father Mac Oscar, who confessed that he had chastised the woman; and he olaimed the right, as a priest, to chastise any woman of his own congregation. If they dared to prosecute him at law, he might be fined; but from generation to generation it would be remembered against them and their children. In fact, he said he would excommunicate the people who would prosecute him at law. As a result of this meeting a charge omelet Father MacOsoar. Tres lodged with the police, but it was subsequently withdrawn. As the higher ecclesiastical Pathan' ties took no action, there was another meeting, at which the following resolutions were passed : " That whereas Rev. Jas. MacOsoar, Catholic priest, committed a ruffianly and murderous assault on a Catholic woman here; that, at the request of his ecclesiastical superiors, and because of their promise that they would punish him sufficiently, police proceedings were dropped; that three weeks have passed since he committed' the dastardly crime, and he has not been ' punished; and that now the matters seems to be closed, we hereby decide and promise—first, to keep away from church • second, to send our children to the Board School; and, third, to cease contributing to the church collection', until the said priest be removed."—At the request of the Archbishop, a meeting of the Slamannan congregation was held, at which his Grace presided. Father MacOsoar had no doubt committed an indiscretion, but be had acknowledged it, had expressed his great regret, and had made full reparation to the person to whom the wrong was done. He desired to make it very clear that the priest was the duly anointed of God. and had authority over the congregation. Anyone who interfered between the priest and his people to create feeling, or who tried to withdraw the eongreifation from him, Were sinning deeply against the Lord's anointed, and against the authority of God. He had decided that Father ,Illaooscar mud remain at his poet.