European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 3, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 6 a a a the stars and stripes saturday november 3,1990 gravediggers work thursday to unearth the remains of Pierre Toussaint buried in new York in 1853. Digging starts at graveside of sex slave in saintly project new York apr it was no Accident that roman Catholic officials picked thursday All saints Day to unearth the Bones of a former slave who is the first Black american proposed for sainthood. Cardinal John of Connor turned the first shovel Ful of dirt at the Small cemetery at old St. Patrick a Church in Little Italy. That a where Pierre Toussaint was buried in 1853 at age 87. Born into slavery in Haiti Toussaint is now considered the founder of Catholic charities because he helped the needy for 66 years before formal Aid services existed. A it would be magnificent if it could eventually be determined that he deserves to be a Saint a of Connor told about 100 spectators pressed against police barricades. Toussaint was born in 1766 and brought to new York at age 21 by his French owners. Still enslaved he became a leading Hairdresser in the City and was allowed to keep some of his income. When Toussaint a owner died he left an impoverished widow and child. In a typical act of generosity Toussaint secretly supported them for 20 years. The widow freed Toussaint from slavery just before she died in 1807. Once free he bought the Freedom of slaves and lavished Money on charities including an orphanage and the City s first school for Black children. He also entered quarantined sections of the City to help yellow fever victims. Of Connor described Toussaint As a an extremely holy Man a a great Humble Man who made a considerable amount of Money. He used that Money for the poor. He visited the poor wherever they were. He gave away All his Church officials say the Case for sainthood is boosted by one reported Miracle the recovery of a Young haitian with cancer who refused medical care and relied solely on prayers to Toussaint. In 1989 the Church began investigating and examining Toussaint a life the first formal step if he is to be canonized. The process can take years. Identifying Toussaint a remains is part of that process. If he is made a Saint his Bones May be distributed to churches and other holy places. Sainthood May be far away but As workers dug deep into the grave people darted past the barricades to pocket fistfuls of Earth As keepsakes. Only a few Bones were unearthed in the first Day of digging. A Church spokesman said the project could go on for Days. Church officials said it was Likely that the remains of Toussaint his wife and stepdaughter were buried in Wood coffins that have since disintegrated. Workers found a portion of a jaw with Teeth said or. Victor Tchertkoff head of the department of pathology at new York medical College in Valhalla. Other Small Bones appeared to be from human ribs. The remains will go to an anthropological pathologist he said. On a piece of Concrete lifted off the grave before digging began Toussaint was described As a Catholic Black Man a respected and revered for the integrity of his life and for Nis Many works of As of Connor stood outside the cemetery on thursday he said a i wish i were As holy As stateside cushy Raccoon Breaks student s 75-Footfall Ithaca . Up a a University student who fell More than 75 feet from a rain Slick Trail escaped major injury when she landed atop a soft plump Raccoon. Lisa Nelson who attends Cornell University was walking on the wet Cascavilla Gorge Trail that separates the Ivy league school from Ithaca s Collegetown neighbourhood when she slipped. Ithaca police said the 20-year-old student plummeted More than 75 feet into the Steep Rocky Gorge but suffered Only a broken wrist and other minor injuries after Landing on the masked Critter. The Raccoon was injured but is recovering at a local animal shelter. Police said they believe it saved the woman a life. Police capt. David Barnes said Rescue workers found the student and the hapless Raccoon lying Side by Side at the Bottom of the Gorge. A she was on the Bottom and there was an injured Raccoon next to her a he said. Nelson was reported in satisfactory condition at Tompkins county hospital.3 sentenced for beating Man in exorcism rite Devine Texas apr a minister and two Church members accused of trying to a beat the Devil out of a depressed Man have been sentenced to two years probation and 200 hours of Community service. District judge Mickey Pennington also ordered the Rev. James d. Price 43, pastor of the first Assembly of god Church and Church members Robert l. Nixon jr., 43, and Alvin r. Nixon 32, to each pay a $1,500 Fine $600 restitution and court costs. The three were convicted last month on charges of false imprisonment. Ray weimers 44, testified that they restrained and beat him in january As part of a religious rite. The beating left weimers with facial scratches and bruises and a separated right shoulder. Or. Ricardo Castillo who treated weimers said his patient was depressed and had confided to Price about marital and financial problems. Castillo testified that the pastor told weimers the Devil in him needed to be exorcised. The three faced a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison and $5,000 to accept methodist peace award Dallas up a the world methodist Council has announced that its 1990 peace award will go to soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev the Winner of this years Nobel peace prize. The Rev. Joe Hale chief executive of the 500-member Council announced the award in the United methodist reporter which is published in Dallas. He said Gorbachev had agreed to accept the Honor a emr. Gorbachev does not profess to be a Christian but since the late 1980s, and especially since the millennium Celebration of the conversion of Russia in 1988, he has taken Steps to free churches in the . From oppressive Laws that have prohibited the full expression of Christian witness and deprived the Church of land and properties a the award announcement said. Gorbachev is the 11th person to receive the world methodist peace award. Others include egyptian president Anwar Sadat in 1978, South african methodist Leader Abel Hendricks in 1979, and former president Carter in 1985. The award was created in 1976 to recognize individuals pursuing peace and reconciliation Between people and nations. Spat kills Bill to build Little Bighorn memorial Helena Mont. Apr a spat be tween Montana a two members of Congress scuttled legislation to build a memorial to indians who died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The Bill died in the last hour of the congressional session when democratic rep. Pat Williams insisted that the Battlefield not be named for it. Col. George a. Custer. Republican rep. Ron Marlenee disagreed. The Only Indian member of Congress rep. Ben night horse Campbell a Colo a co sponsor of the Bill a said he was angry at Williams and Marlenee for refusing to Compromise. A a in a so damned mad and frustrated a he said wednesday. A after working for two years on that Bill a to have it fail in the last hour of the Campbell said the two congressmen a were within eyesight of each other in the House Chambers but refused to talk. A when they even talk to each other i finally gave up Quot he said., a they were both trying so hard to do something Good for the indians that they both ended up hurting the chairman of the subcommittee responsible for the Bill rep. Bruce Vento d-minn., said wednesday he bring the Bill before the House for a vote without agreement Between the Montana congressmen. The Bill would have authorized a Monument for the indians who died fighting Custer a troops Williams and Marlenee supported the memorial but disagreed Over the name of the site a now known As the Custer Battlefield National Monument. Indian groups wanted Congress to change the name to the Little Bighorn National Battlefield a name that did not Honor Custer. Marlenee said he did no to want the name changed until Public hearings could be held in Montana. He argued that some congressmen would oppose the name change and would try to defeat the Bill if it was included
