Benoit, Father Julian Administrator, Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Archbishop John Baptist Purcell, of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1872 February 26

Benoit has an attack of neuralgia and relieves himself by writing to Purcell. He has been administrator of Fort Wayne for 8 months and yet no word comes from Rome about a successor to Bishop John Luers of whose will he is also administrator. As administrator he can do only what he is not able to do. He has not done anything in his quality of executor and yet he is not without blame. The movable property of the deceased has disappeared. The money the deceased accumulated is either buried or has been confided to some one whom he does not know. There remains the real estate burdened with debts to the amount of $35,000 or more. Expecting a bishop from week to week, he does not undertake to sell the property, for he could not give title to it, because the title is in Purcell's hands. Neither does he want to do anything that the successor will disapprove. If he had forseen how long the job would last he, like everyone else, would not have accepted it. For the rest of the administration he has met fewer obstacles than he expected and he is tempted to ask why Rome abuses their patience by delay. Nevertheless, lest as Americans they go ahead too speedily, it is necessary to resign oneself. He is pleased to learn that Purcell's health is good. P.S.—He writes in French because Purcell ought to be tired of his bad English. :: II-5-e A.L.S. French 4pp. 12mo.