The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume], August 02, 1913, Image 1

About The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917

Image provided by: Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT

                
r P3ET THE HABIT"
Read the Want Ads. in The
Farmer classified columns
there's some good opportun
ities in "For Sales" and
"To Rents."
THE WEATHEIi
Fair, cooler tonight; fair to
morrow VOL. 49 NO. 182
BRIDGEPORT, CONN., SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1913
PRICE TWO CENTS
"Short
Weight"
Case Decision
x By Judge Wilder
Original Package, Two
Pounds Shy But 3lo
Conviction
Charles Brlnkerhoff, a salesman of
!Kew Haven, charged with selling short
weight and attempting to defraud cus
tomers under the . Net Container law,
tried several weeks ago In the city
court has been discharged from cus
tody under a decision handed down
this morning by Judge Frank P. Wil
der. ,
Brinkerhoff who was arrested at the
Village Store when bacon sold by him
was found to weigh two pounds less
than the gross weight charged, the
difference being In tho' paper -wrapping,
has been out upon bail while a
test case was brought to prevent the
sale of bacon and paper together.
The decision today will permit the
sale of original wrappers upon such
foodstuffs as they are held to be pro
taction to the food rather than wrap
pings about parcels or other commodi
ties. -
Judge Vender's memorandum holds
Brinkerhoff was in no manner a party
, to deception as he does not consider
the wrapping upon the bacon to come
under Implied meaning of the word
"package" In Section 1 of Chapter 134
cf the laws of 1911. , In support of his
.decision Judge" Wilder quotes a Su
preme - Court decision in the case of
Steele vs. Swift, holding that bacon
Ss never sold in fixed quantities and
therefore cannot be considered a pack
age. -
Sealer Dennis Xellr refused- to die
cuss the situation In detail or outline
his plans for similar future prosecu
lions.
MISTAKE!? IDENTITY;
ACCUSEDVRELEASED
Investigation Promised
Which May Turn Up
- Guilty Persons
Uoms Orlein, 25-. Hallam street, ar
rested upon a warrant issued' by Coun
ty Health .Officer George S. Hill,
charging him with having sold "bob"
veal was dscharged n the cty court
this morning, the case against him be
ing nolled, when it was asserted the
prosecuting officials had arrested the
wrong man.
This is the second man who has ap
parently wrongly been accused of the
cale which Is alleged to have occurred
over a month ago. The other prison
er was Louis Orlein, a brother, ar
raigned and similarly charged two or
three weeks ago.
When told of the release this morn
ing health officials expressed' great In
dignation, intimating that gross de
ception had been practiced by inform
ants of the department in an attemot
to interfere wltlf Justice and that a
rigid investigation of the whole mat
ter: will be entered into at once' with
the possibility of serious charges be
ing brought against those "who may
have been instrumental in bringing
about these two false arrests.
Silver Wedding of Mr.
" and Mrs. Edward Cleary
Attended By Friends
Tttr. end Mrs. Edward Cleary of No.
9 Williams place "were surprised by
. he1r friends last .evening, it 'being the
twenty-fifth anniversary -of their wed
'.lng. Many friend fium Bridgeport, Slack
Stock, New Haven and New Xork were
present. The treat of the evening were
fth9 vocal selections by Stephen Grohol,
giano selections by Miss Mary Cleary
and Miss Mary Kyan, violin solos by
StmM Cleary.
At midnight the friends left; wishing
Wt. and Mrs. Cleary many more years
f happiness.
Merchant Hurt When
Trolleys Collide Asks
x Damages of $2,000
T?i neat M. Jaycox, who conducts a
rubber goods store on Main street, has
brought suit against the Connecticut
lotnpany for J 2,000. He alleges he
rac cerionsly hurt when two trolley
uIIIJIaA f t A .
) lt Papers in the action were
jRled this morning in the superior
ourt.
' Jaycox claims that when the car on
Jwhicb be was riding reached a point
feetween West and Park avenues ' it
(was struck by another car. The plain
Jtiff was thrown against a brake wheel
pnd badly bruised as well as given a
jeverc shaking up. He waa confined
to bis home for ten days end spent
B10O for medical attendance.
The Connecticut company is accus
ed of negligence for allowing its cars
to run at unlawful speed and for fail
ing to provide adequate DraKes. ine
tuition Is returnable to the June term
r court.
Weather Indications
New Haven, Aug. 2 Weather fore
cast: For new Haven and vicinity, fair
Jonlght and Sunday.
. For Connecticut: Fair and ' some
what cooler tonight; Sunday fair;
light west winds.
Weather conditions: Scattered show.
r have occurred during the last '24
hours from Tejta eastward to Georgia
and along the Atlantic coast from
.Georgia to Maine. The greatest
jmount of rainfall reported was 2.74
achi at ga?''.T;cTf.
REGISTRARS ASKED TO ERASE
NAME OF SENATOR ML JR.
FROM SEVENTH DISTRICT LIST
Democratic District Chairman O'Rourke, Health
Commissioner Schwerritle And Others
Remonstrate
Allege That Democratic Senator Is Not Bona Fide Res
ident of District In Which He Is Enrolled Mr.
O'Rourke Claims Senat or's Real Residen&e Is .With
Father In Fifth District.
Frank F. O'Rourke, Democratic Dis
trict Chairman in the Seventh Dis
trict, hied with the registrars, this af
ternoon, a request for the erasure , of
the name of Senator Archibald Mc
Neil,' Jr.,- from the primary list of the
Democratic party of the Seventh.
Joining Chairman CRJourke In the
protest-were Health Commissioners
Louis Schwerdle, Patrick J. Carroll,
and Frederick Kiley, . all ' prominent
Seventh District Democrats. -,
The reaata- assigned is . that Senator
MjN eil is not a bona flde resident of
the ' Ttislrict. " r -
The registrars informed .Chairman
O'Rouike that they would, give the
remonstrants a hearing upon the pe
t'.tion, which will mean that witnesses
will be called who will- testify to the
f a.ets connected witfc -Senator MOg
Neil's actual domicile. &
Senator McNeil has twice been elect
ed to the office he holds by virtue, af
his registration as a resident, of the
Seventh District. ,
' The protest filed with the regis
trars is cs .follows;
To William Lounsbury and James H.
Rooney, registrars of voters: i
Gentlemen: - ;
We. the undersigned electors of . the
City of Bridgeport respectfully rep
rfnt that Archibald M'cNeil, Jr., now
the Democratic- primary
list of the Seventh District of said j
.Bridgeport, is not entitled to- such I
en" o.lment, - ior ine iuuuwhi . oi, f
DISASTER TQ '
SUlMffiNE IN
TRIAL TRIPS
Provincetown, .Mass., Aug. 2 Sever
al of the crew of - the United Stastes
submarine G6 were overcome py gaso
line' fumes while engaged in re-chargi-ing
her electric . storage batteries -off
Long Point' today.' The seriousness of
the accident had 'not been learned
here until sorne tme later.
v The men over come were mechanics.
A launch was hurriedly despatched to
shore for medical assistance, but be
fore the two doctors who responded
reached the submarine all of the -Bien
had been revived. .-.'"- , :
The mechanics were recharging; the
batteries with . the aid of a dynamo
ppratd by. . a gasoline - engine,: Or-dmar;ij-
tbe fumes would -have es
caped through the hatchway, but' they
were held down by. a sultry, heavy
air and the men -were gradually af
fected. , One of them suddenly real
ized -the danger and shouted for jhelp.
Aid was quickly at. hand, the -men
were hauled one by one to the deck.
All were unconscious when they reach
ed the air but they were soon restor
ed and none of them is much the
worse f . r his experience.
The "G-6" was built by the Cramp
Shipbuilding Company of Philadelphia.
She was scheduled to have .an accept
ance trial today. ,
BURGLARS GET
IHTO CHURCH
AND LIBRARY
New Britain, Conn., Aug. 2. St. Mar
ia's church and parish house and the
New Britain public library were bur
glarized last- night. An attempt was
made to blow open the safe in the par
ish house, but the crooks were unsuc
cessful. Entrance to this building was
gained through a .window which was
raised from the ouftside. A number of
burned matches were found, on the
floor. .
At the library two windows were
broken from the outside and anotner
from the inside. Those broken from
the outside were evidently smashed
with a stone, but a. diligent search by
the police failed to locate the stone,
thus leading the officers to the belief
that the thieves secreted themselves
in the building before It was closed for
the night. A small amount of money
was taken from a box.' It was mostly
in pennies taken for the collection of
fines for books kept out over -time. An
other box nearby, containing a larger
sum collected in the same manner, was
not touched. .
NINE FATALITIES
IN CYCLE CRASH
Cincinnati, Aug. 2. The list of fa
talities.resultlng from the motor cycle
accident at the Ludlow Park Lagoon
last Monday night, was increased to
nine today when Michael Carney of
Lima; - Ohio, succumbed to his burns.
Two others, a woman and a boy, ar
still in a precarious condition and ara
not expected to recover.
The cases of three men indicted for
voluntary manslaughter in connection
with the accident came up in the Cov
ington, Ky., .police court this, morn
ing. The men are Manager Eber
hardt of the Motordrome; Marcus
Wilbur of the Park, and Representa
tive Reach of the Motor Cycle league.
to wit: that he is not a bona fide resi
dent of said district, and we ask that
his name be erased from the primary
list of -said district. ,
Respectfully ; submitted, ,
FRANK P. CKOTJBKB,
LOUIS N. SCHWBRDTLB,
FREED KILEY, - i
, PATRICK J. CARROLL.'
Chairman O'Rourke said this after
noon: "We are convinced that Senator
McNeil has no bona-fide residence in
the Seventh District, but that he lives
with his father in the beautiful home
of the -latter in the Fifth District., The
evidence which convinces us has been
recently found, and, we shall ask the
registrars to consider it. The Demo
erats.of the Seventh believe that those
who -vote in the Seventh ought ac
tually to live there. Many of us more
over are dissatisfied with Senator 'Mc
Neil's manner of representing the
Democratic party, andlf the law is
on our side, as we believe it is, we do
not desire to run the risk of again
having a senator who does not .belong
among us, who-does not believe as we
do, and who is not in sympathy with
what Democrats in ,the Seventh Dis
trict want.
- "If a rich young" man cari establish
a room where he pleases, and by keep
ing two establishments, create a legal
residence over night . fh any district
he chooses to enter, the prospect of
poorer men holding important offices
will be considerably diminishacl."
BAPTISTS ARE
INELIGIBLE ON
RUSSIAN SOIL
St. Petersburg, Aug. 2.- The Russian
minister of the interior- ie credited to
day by the Novoe Vremia with the in
tention of permitting the Holy Syna
gogue to proclaim the-Baptists as "a
sect .especially , harmful to the state,'
and therefore- not eligible for registra
tion and not possessing the right of
liberty of worship." y- "
The action of the government is at
tributed by the newspaper to recent
refusals of Baptists to talis the mili
tary oath.
The Baptist World's Alli&ce, .during
Its session in Philadelphia in. 1911,-rais-ed
$70,000. for the establishment; of a
Baptist seminary in St. Petersburg and
two Baptist ministers were appointed
to proceed to the Russian capital ' to
seek .permission from the emperor 'fox
the erection of the buildings. '
MINERS STRIKE
ON ACCOUNT OF
FATAL ACCIDENT
Superior, Mich., Aug. 2. Enraged
over the .accident , Thursday . evening
when -two of their ' fellows lost their
lives and several others were injured
500 men employed on the Allouse Ore
Docks at West Superior, who have
been on strike since the accident, re
fused to resume work until ..conditions
which they claim caused the accident
are remedied. ' .:
During yesterday 11 trains of ore
reached .the dock. As many more will
arrive today and It is but a question
of time when the mines will -have to
shut down for want of cars.
The strikers yesterday were granted
a hearing1 by J. C. Morrell, dock su
perintendent. Resolutions passed at a
mass meeting of the men were read to
Mr. -Morrell, who is reported to have
said that there -would toe "nothing do
ing." To allow the railroad authori
ties further time to hear the iemanda
of the striking men a meeting was ar
ranged -for today.
Steps will be taken to organize tb.9
strikers into a union.
Ambassador Guthrie
Arrives at Tokio Today
Toklo, Japan, Aug. 2 Thej new
American Ambassador to Japan, Geo.
W. Guthrie of Pittsburgh, Pa., arrived
here today. He was met' at Yoko
hama by the staff of the embassy,
Thomas Sammons, American Consul
General there and the committee of
the American Asiatic association who
escorted him to Tokio. Mr. Guthrie
was i greeted both at Yokohama and
Tokio by a number of prominent
Japanese.
Pope Appoints New
Bishop for Milwaukee
Rome, Aug. 2. The Rev. J. M. Kou
delka of Cleveland, auxiliary bishop of
Milwaukee, was appointed bishop of
the diocese of Superior, Wis., by the
Pope on the recommendation of Car
dinal De Lai, secretary of the consis
torial congregation. He takes the place
of Bishop Augustin Francis Schinner,
who resigned on accouut of ill health,'
BURGLARS BUSY
ABOUT THE CITY
-
Several Hemes Rifled
During Absence Of
Occupants
A series of burglaries committed in
this city during the pursuit of the
murderer of Nicholas Biafore, is to
day attributed by the police to vag
rants. ,
Am6ng the houses robbed are those
of Henry Seltus, reported In The Far
mer yesterday. A list pf the articles
today submitted to the police will be
sent to other cities in the hopes of
locating the goods.
Entrance was effected at thA resi
dence of George Heus, 15 51 Barnum
avenue, while the " family was absent
at a t.hflatf1p.al np'rfnrmflnPA. Al
though the house was ransacked from
one end to the other but $ 8 In cash
was taken from an envelope In a
bureau drawer. A door had been
pried open in the rear. '
William R. Eaton, 1958 North ave
hue left hs house locked up yester
day afternoon, with the exception of
a -window on the - first floor from
which a screen was later taken. When
the owner returned the utmost con
fusion was" noticeable where every
thing had been torn from closets and
drawers" in haste. Between $200 and
$250 worth of money and valuables
is reported by telephone today though
a complete list has not been, submitted
to the police. No silverware had been
touched though af quantity was in
plain sight of the "burglars upon a
dining-room sideboard and table.
ARRESTED MEN
CLAIM 0R0ZG0
MADE DEMAND
, El Paso, Tex., Aug. 2 An American
who arrived from Chihubua -today
states that the cause of the arrest
of Chsirles Bissau, manager of the
Mines ComDanr of 'America -and Ber
nard 3. MacDonald, - manager of the
San- Patriotic Mining Company , which
was made several -days ago . by soldier
of General Pascual Orozco at Santa
Rosalia, was because they declined
to accede to the demand of Orozco for
a commission of- five per cent on the
value of the' bullion they Intended to
move from the Parral district.
-Orozco is said to - have offered the
miners safe conduct to the border for
a consideration. Bissell and Mac-
Donald have, it is said, made affidavit
to President Huerta, setting forth Or-
ozco's demand. General Mercado, gov
ernor of Chihuahua, who is said, to look
on Oroaco with suspicion has collected
the facts regarding the arrest and
is merely detaining the mining men
until h receives definite orders in
the case from Huerta. ' ,
Bissell and MacDonald are Bald to
be comfortably situated In Jail and
allowed - everything except their free
dom. : . '-
CITY COURT CASES
The case of James Remain, 27 Ches
ter street, accused of indecent assault
upon 10-year-old Lillian o-cofl-eld on
July 15, was again continued for the
fifth time today at the request of the
authorities, who asserted a witness had
failed to materialize. The case has
been carried over until Monday when
the poBce have-promised to produce
the witness' wanted.
Andrew Martin, 347 "Wlllard street,
accused of stealing a. bicycle In - Sea
side Park yesterday, was committed
to the Jail for 20 days m addition , to
the Imposition of a fine of $1 and costs.
Mary Thomas was committed for 30
days, while John Resko, Jointly arrest
ed with her for misconduct at Seaside
Park yesterday,' .was fined $15.
Harry Harris, arraigned for the em
bezzlement of $37.35 from the American
Graetzen Light company, was held in
$400 bonds for trial before the superior
court, after a demurrer bad been en
tered.
A Jail sentence of 30 days was im
posed upon John Olson, alias Ander
son, 34 Wall place, who was found
guilty of .the theft of a coat' valued at
$5 from Mrs. Sadie A, Teague, 115 Gil
bert street.
John Carmody, 442 West 36th street.
New York, arrested by Patrolman Pat
rick Corrigan at the depot yesterday
upon a description burnished toy , the
authorities who charged the p-risoner
with theft of a pair of shoes, obtained
his release when it was found he had
taken his companion's shoes in place of
his own. ' Carmody is a waiter at the
University club and left yesterday
when he alleged a shortage of waiters
threw too much upon bis shoulders.
The mistake was made in packing his
grip. '
New Director General ,
Off for Santo Domingo
New York, Aug. 2 Walker W.
Pick, director general of Dominican
Customs for Santo Domingo, sailed to
day to take up the duties of . his new
position.
PERSONAL MENTION.
Mr. and Mrs. B. - M. Wentz of Han
over, Pa,, are spending the summer at
their Whoo cottage, Silver Beach, Mil
ford. The Wentz party arrived at
the cottage July 10 and expect to re
mam unti1 September 1. 'Fr4e of
the party, George Wentz, Miss Nell
Trone, Mark Trone and the Misses
Editn and Pansy Bishop, have left for
their homes in Hanover, but Mr. and
Mrs Wentz and other visitors will
occupx the cottage for the rest of
Ue eeason. -
NICHOLS DID
SAY HE'D VOTE
FOR WHITGOMB
Confirmation of . Farmer
Story By Civil War Vet
eran-Favors Whitcomb
But Will Support the
Demodratic Nominee.
"I did ,say that I was for Senator
Joseph H. Whitcomb for mayor and
I said, it in the registrars office when
I asked- to have my name changed
to the Democratic primary list," de
clared Frederick H. Nichols to a Farm
er reporter this morning.
Mr. Nichols is a veteran of the Civil
War and for many years has been
Republican. The Farmer published
tne story last evening ot Mr.' Nichols'
visit to the Registrars of Voters to
have his name taken rom the Repub
lican primary , list and placed on the
Democratic lisp. Since then the regis
trars have denied that Mr. Nichols
made any, statement in regard to Sen
ator Whitcomb.
When seen this morning, however,
Mr. Nichols insisted that he had made
the statement and that he ,mfl;de,:it In
the registrars' " office Just as he was
leaving the room. 'He said:
' "I did not say that I was changing
my politics so that I could vote for
Senator Whitcomb for mayor but I
did say that I hoped to have ary op
portunity to vote for Mr. Whitcomb.
In fact I intend to vote for the Demo
c ratio candidate whoever he is. I am
disgusted with the treatment I have
received from the. Republican party.
"I am a veteran of the -Civil War
and have lived in Bridgeport a long
time. I have also voted the R-epubli
can ticket and worked for the party.
When I was out of work I went to
see Superintendent " JStreets Bodine
and, he Jurned me down cold. He put
at work other men who have not lived
here as long as I have.
"Then I saw Mayor Wilson without
any better success. ' The fact that 1
have been a life long Republican and
that I fought in the Civil War did not
seem to cdund with ithsm. So I
determined to quit the party. I am
not looking for anything from the
Democrats, that ' is not why I chang
ed,, but I am tired of being associated
wit'h a party which treats is old vet
erans so shabbily.
BISHOP BURKE 4
OFFICIATES AT
BRADY FUNERAL
Albany, Aug. I. The funeral of An-
thonv N. Brady, the financier who died
in- London, July 22. was held today
from the Cathedral of the Immaculate
Conception, the Right Rev. Thomas Ml
A. Burke, bishop of the diocese of Al
ban, officiating. Low mass was celc
forated. , ' ,
There was no eulogy. The boys and
girls of the St. Vincent' Orphan Asy
lum were among those who occupied
seats in the crowded cathedral.
After the services in the church the
body was placed in a crypt-in the Bra
dy mausoleum on "Mount O'ive-tts" in
St. Agnes' cemetery. The pall bear
ers - included: George B. ; Cortelyou,
Timothy S. Williams, Judge Morgan -J.
O'Brien and Wlliiam F-. Sheehan, New
Tcrk: Col. S. P. Colt, , Providence;
Major James B. McEwan, D. ' Cady
Ilerrick, apert C. Pruyn and .Eugene
D. Wood ,all of Albany, and Edward
Murphy, Troy.
Kew York, Aug. Z The elevated and
surfaoe cars of. the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company stood . still for one
mmute at 9 a. m. today out of respect
tc th memory of Anthony N . Brady.
Mr. Brady, was chairman of the Brook
lyn Rapid Transit board of directors.
Voters May Enroll
Each Day of Next
Week on Party Lists
The meetings , of . the registrars to
enroll voters for party primaries will
continue,. Monday, . Tuesday, Wednes
day, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
of next week. The hours during t
of next week.- The hours during
which the office will be open are from
noon of each day to 9 o'clock each
evening. . By, an error in the print
The Farmer was made to say that
the office would open at 9 o'clock in
the morning of . each day.
The Tasco, ' a wrecking tug, has
brought to safe anchorage the schoon
er Emma ' Southard, which turned
turtle off Duck "Island in the storm
yesterday, .
A
Real Estate
Dealer
sold a house yesterday
through a FARMER
"FOR SALE" adv.
It cost him just 225 22
words.
Lucky, yes ! but those
who use Farmer classi
fied columns FIND
THAT THEY PAY.
Got a house for sale?
Try a Farmer "For
Sale."
Death Summons Rev. T. R. Sweeney
Rector Of Sacred Heart Church
.iH-i1'- -.!! !! J..
1 c-
Pi; "
- -
REV. TIMOTHY
Whose Death, Last Night, Has Plunged the Sacred Heart
Parish Into Grief
The funeral of Rev. Timothy R.
Sweeney, pastor of the Church of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, whose death
occurred at the parochlal residence at
11:1 p last evening, will be held on
Tuesday morning. The solemn high
mass of requiem will be sung at the
Sacred Heart church at 10:80.. It will
be preceded by the office for the dead
which will be chanted at 10 o'clock.
The remains will be taken on an earjy
afternoon train to New London, Conn.,
for interment in the Sweeney plot,
where repose the bodies of the priest's
parents.
Rev. Walter J. Shanley, D. D., per
manent rector of St. Peter's church,
Danbury, will preach the eulogy while
Rev. James B. Nihil!, pastor of St.
Patrick's church, this city, will be'
celebrant of the mass. The other of
ficers of the mass will he Rev. C. J.
McElroy, P. R., of St. Augustine's
church, this city, deacon; .Rev. Timo
thy Crowley, New London, subdeacoh;
Rev. "John G. Murray; chancellor of
the diocese of Hartford,, master of
ceremonies; Rev: John Donahue, Lake
ville, and Rev, W. F. Fitzgerald of
Hartford, formerly a curate at the
Sacred Heart church, here acolytes;
Rev. Frankv Murray, Guilford, censer
Dearer.
'While the .death of Father Sweeney,
was not altogether unexpected, there
has -seldom been a demise in this city
that has- occasioned such widespread
sorrow, and such sincere manifesta
tions , of grief. - ; -.
The body of Father Sweeney will
be borne from the rectory to the Sac
red Heart church Monday afternoon
where It will lie in state until the fu
neral services on Tuesday morning.
The various societies connected with
the parish will maintain .a guard of
honor about the bier throughout the
night.
Rev. Timothy R. Sweeney was a na
tive, -ana,, aside: from his. preparation.
in Montreal, for the -'priesthood, a life
long resident of Connecticut. He was
the son of the late Michael and Joanna
Sweeney, and was born in Norwich,
Conn., 57 years afeo. When a small
boy, his family moved to New Lon
don - where he received his funda
mental education. ' He was graduated
successively from the Bartlett school
and the New London high school, and
then he entered the Grand seminary
at Montreal, where he completed his
preparation for holy orders. He was
ordained to the priesthood June 8,
1879.'
Father Sweeney celebrated Jiis first
mast - in New ; London. His first as
signment was to a curacy at &t. Rose's
church, Meriden, under the pastorate
of Father Walsh. He served in other
curacies in Moosup and Norwich, be
fore he was assigned to his first pas
torate, In Litchfield.
It was here that Father Sweeney
displayed the acumen that later won
recognition in more responsible posts.
While in Litchfield he built St. An
thony's church, a. handsome monu
ment to his zeal and skill. In 1899
he received the appointment of pas
tor in Portland. There he practical
ly rebuilt .the church and built a fine
parochial school, though his pastorate
as very brier.
It was in September, 1900, that he
received what was destined to be his
most important, and his last, pastor
ate. The late Bishop Tierney assign
ed him to the pastorate of the Sacred
Heart church in this city to succeed
Rev. James C. O'Brien, who became
pastor at Stamford, when the entire
city of Stamford was embraced in the
one Catholic parish of St. John's.
Father O'Brien ha1 but recently com
pleted the commodious parochial
school, one of the finest in the dio
cese. When Father Sweeney took up
the administration of the parish, there
was an incumbrance of $54,000.
Father Sweeney, with foresieht tb
M
J 3
i v;
R. S WEI
made his counsel often sought by oth
ers o the energy, began plans not only
for tie reduction-of the debt, but for
the erection of a consent building.
He possessed the happy faculty of in
culcating his parishoners with enthu
siasm for the welfare or his parish,
and it was not i long 'before the debt
was being' reduced by substantial
sums. f
The completion' of the convent in
Myrtle avenue, one of the finest -specimens
of church architecture devoted
to the purpose In the -diocese of Hart
ford, was a signal triumph for Fath
er Sweeney. This was 'ready for use;
five years ago, and the expense of its
construction, together with the debt
and current expenses of the parish,"
was steadily brought towards elimin
ation. So bright was the outlook at '
the beginning of 'the year 1913 that
Father Sweeney, reading bSa annual
report, expressed confidence that era
another year had passed, "the entire
church property would be free from
debt: that the solemn ceremony of t
consecrating It to God could be ac
complished. 1
Father Sweeney's 13 years inj.Bridge-
port brought him a host of friends.
The demarcations .of .creed, were no
bar to the feeling of respect his priest
ly life Inspired; Though he was not
constitutionally strong fon'some years,
he continued his priestly labors with,
undiminished zeal, kept in intimate
touch with the families of -' his lai-jre
and increasing flock, and ministered
alike to their spiritual and temporal 1
welf are. ; . .
Father Sweeney was a deep student,
a linguist, and scholar of attainment
exceptional even in the erudite priest-;
hood. He was fond , of travel, had
crossed the Atlantic several times and
had seen much of the United States.
. When, two years ago, the inroads
of . a complication of diseases (gradual
ly' began to -underrain Ji!s constitu
tion, he would not bring- himself to
accept the counsel of his assistants
and friends, who urged , him to relax
his arduous labors for the financial
welfare of the parish. It was about
six. months ago that he became so i!l
that he was advised to go away for a
rest. He went to Atlanta, Ga, where,
as the guest of his sister, Mrs. P. T.
Quirin, he remained several weeks.:
Here his condition became so . serious
that it was some time before he had
strength for his return.
He came to Bridgeport, apparently
somewhat improved, and for a few
dam his flock hoped for the b?. t.
Graduafry he became weak, and ev
en weeks ago he was obliged to tak
to his bed where he remained almot
constantly ever since. Since "Wed
nesday his death was . almost momen
tarily expected. His two sisters, Mrs.
M. R. Moran of New London and Mrs.
Quinn of Atlanta, had , been summon
ed in anticipation of the worst.
Yesterday morning, the first FriaaT
of the month, the children of the par
ish, as is the custom, approached tho
sacraments of penance and holy
eucharist. The priests asked the chil
dren tb offer their communions tor
the welfare of their beloved pa?tor.
Father -Sweeney's peaceful death, at
10:15 last night, had been the objert
of manV devout prayers. I'remle, or
kidney trouble, was the chif factor
in his demise, though he suffered otbT
ailments in connection with this dis
order. All Thursday night, and all during
Friday a constant vigil haB been kf!pt
at his bedside. Though the household
bad sought not to alarm the parlflb
ioners unduly, the' news of FathT
Sweenev's serious condition soon
spread about the vicinity, and through
out the day men, women ana crisiaren
called to hear the latest reports of
the priest's condition. Their solemn
visages, as they left the rectory, be-
tContinued on Faje Two)