It was after the solemn requiem mass over McDonald's body in the
Church of the Presentation that the Rev. Father Dorney consented to
tell the story of the gambler's dying repudiation of his second wife.
"I told 'Mike' McDonald before his death," said Father
Dorney, "that in the eyes of the Roman Catholic church
there was no such thing as divorce; that he had but one
wife, the mother of his children--Mary Noonan. I told him
he must publicly repudiate this other woman, and only when
he said he did so could he receive the last sacraments,
penance, holy eucharist, and extreme unction.
"Although he was critically ill, he said, firmly, that he
would do as the church wished: that he was sorry for his
sins, and he wanted to receive the last sacraments. Then,
in the presence of witnesses, as is required, he made the
repudiation. Later he went to confession, but what he told
there I can never reveal.
"Afterwards the other woman, Dora Feldman, came to see
him at the hospital, but if he was conscious he never
recognized her. He was true to his promise, true to his
resolution to put her out of his life."