Dwenger, Joseph, Bishop of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Archbishop John Baptist Purcell, of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1872 April 27

He thanks Purcell for his many kindnesses and hopes that he may merit them in the future. After leaving Cincinnati he said Mass in St. John where his parents are buried and where he said his first Mass. Father Andrew Kunkler returned to Minster. There, Dwenger was kindly received. He is in hopes that Father Julian Benoit will agree with him and assist him. He finds such confusion that it will take some time to unravel it. Bishop John H. Luers sold his residence, boys school house for $5500 before he died. The property cost $11,000 to build. There is also a large tract of ground sold. It is worth nearly ten times what Father Edward Sorin paid for it. Terms for tuition are given in a contract made out before the deed was turned over to Sorin. Dwenger is going to South Bend next week to try and get it back. He is willing to grant Sorin occupation till he can otherwise provide. Dwenger finds in Luers' papers that he had collected $1,600 for the Pope, used it some time and never sent it most likely. Dwenger will find out from Cardinal Barnabo whether it has been sent. He has not found out how much debt there is, but next Monday he is going to pay $2,000 and has already sent $640 to the German Orphan Society as one year's interest. He has found $5,000 worth of good notes but cannot realize them at once. He has not found the insurance and other valuable papers. He has written to the Pope but mentioned nothing about business matters. He will mention it to Barnabo, and desires Purcell to write likewise to Barnabo informing him of the state of affairs. Dwenger will be busy at first, but otherwise will always be ready to do any work for Purcell that he can. :: II-5-e A.L.S. 4pp. 12mo.