Wednesday 12 April 2023

100 years ago--Roman Catholic priests in Michigan settle their differences

A direct approach in resolving personal differences is often very effective, as with this example reported in the Edmonton Bulletin, April 13, 1923 (bold in original):

PRIEST KILLED BY ANOTHER AT KALAMAZOO

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Slayer Says He Was "Driven to Fury" by Alleged Ill-Treatment

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KALAMAZOO, Mich., April 12.--The Rev. Father Charles Dillon, 56, assistant rector of St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Church, shot and killed Rev. Father Henry O'Neill, rector of the church, as they sat at the dinner table tonight, then calmly went to the telephone and notified the police and coroner.

Dillon fired four shots, all of which took effect. As Father O'Neill fell dead, Dillon turned to the Rev. Father McCollough, the only witness of the tragedy, and handed him a phial containing holy oils with the request that he administer the sacrament of extreme unction at once.

According to a statement, the assistant rector is said to have told the police and county officers he was "driven to fury" by alleged ill-treatment at the hands of the dead priest. Rev. Father O'Neill was a graduate of Assumption college, Sandwich, Ontario.
A gun and holy oils for extreme unction are strange things to bring to the dinner table, which leads this blogger to use his Sherlockian detective powers and deduce that Rev. Dillon's act was premeditated.

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