Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1901 — Death of A Famous Former Catholic Pastor. [ARTICLE]

Death of A Famous Former Catholic Pastor.

Monsignore Joseph A. Stephan, one of the leading notables of the Catholic church in this country, diod Thursday, Sept. 12th, at Washington, D. C. at the age of 77 years. He was located at Rensselaer for several years, soon after the war, during that having been a chaplain ih Sheridan’s army. He was probably one of the most popular of army chaplains, as he was also one of the most universally popular clergymen ever located in Rensselaer. While here he was superintendent of the Catholic orphan asylum, for girls, that was formerlyjlocated where St. Joseph’s college now stands, and pastor of the Rensselaer Catholic congregation. After leaving Rensselaer he attained a high rank in his ohuroh, and at his death held the position of Monsignore, which is next in rank to a bishop. He caused the former Indian sohool to be located here, and used to visit it every year. The following notice is from the Washington news in today’s Re-cord-Herald. Washington, Sept. 12 —An al--1 most classic figure disappeared to- ■ day in the death of Mgr. Joseph 1 A. Stephan, who died at his residence here at 7 o’clock this morning. Mgr. Stephan had been the director of the bureau of Catholic Indian missions since he resigned his chaplaincy in Sheridan’s army corps nearly forty years ago. He was more intimately connected with the Indian character and had seen longer service among the aborigines than any man in Washington. He was a stanoh advocate of Indian rights and the possibility of creating among them civilized and self-supporting communities. His plan was to educate the Indians at home. He was aggressive in his methods and a source of anxiety at times not only to the Catholic hierarchy but to the great political parties. In 1895 Congress determined to withdraw the appropriations for the support of sectarian Indian schools, and since that period Mgr. Stephan had labored to support his twenty-odd thousand Indian pupils from the voluntary contributions of Catholios. His able coadjutor in this work was Mother Catherine Drexel, superior of the Josephites and daughter of the Philadelphia millionaire. Two years ago his bureau would have been dissolved by the board of Catholic arch-bishops and the work delegated to the local dioceses upon the same lines of administra-tion-as orphanages, etc., but his personality saved his project from destruction. He was made a monsignore by the pope in 1895, and he had been for years one of the most remarkable personage at the capital He was patriarohial in appearanoe, with a long flowing gray beard and a massive, kindly face. His boast was that no outbreak or disturbance had ever ooourred among Indians under his influence. The Alvey vs Bedford Case. The hearing of this noted case was finished Monday forenoon, Judge Thompson announced that he would take it under advisement. A sensational developement was the indictment, by the grand jury of Mrs. Minnie Alvey, Miss Josie Bhay and John Webber for grand laToeny. It is claimed that Mrs. Alvey took away oertain goods belonging to Mr. Bedford, along with her sister Mrs. Lizzie Hitohoook’s goods, which she had a right to take. The others are charged with assisting her. This state oase is on trial before a j ury, as we go to press. Linseed oil 75 oents/irare white lead 5 oents. C. E. Hershman.