Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-09
Anether CIerIeaI se.Iau.x

Asotatr NAerACA ScNIaHAR
A shNsATioE IN koNAN CATHOLIC a. So -
PRIEST Runs AWAY wtTa vHE rEopt.,s
MONEY AID roUNs woMAN
The very large CAtholc element 10 Phuaael-
phia was thrown INTO state of sreat excite-
menf last Friday morn ng hy the annouf cemeDt
Of the fact that Rev. q atAer Iohn W GrT'is
man, pastor Of 81. BonifAcins RomAu Catholic
Church, IN the northern part OF the city, haf
suddenly left for parts uukn0wn, taking Wita
hun q beautiful young lady, Miss wtuns who
bad previously acted 10 the capacity of OrgAnist
in this church. The facts made pabnc are very
mesgre, but a personal scQualntsnce OF the
parties concerned furnishes the fOllOWing nar-
aeulArs Of the affair: Some time since Father
GerdemAnu induced this young laty 90 leave
the church over which Rev. Father O'NeiIl pre-
sides, and 70 come % his church, Offering a good
"a Ary. The young lady accepted, Sad the
father oeing very hne Musician himself,
spent considerable time In her company. An
lhtamscy sprung up between the two. which
soon fipened into the wArmest friendship, and
the sec uenee was declaration OF love on the
part OF TIE young lady tor the gentleman OF the
robes. She told = friend that she .as deter-
mined % have Father GerdemAnn A. her
husband, and that she did not care What
the consequence would he. The tender
feelings we're reciprOcatec by the Father and
when coayersing with hts brother priests be
would Continually dilAte upon the great ability
OF his lady organlst, And speak OF her With more
than Ordinary consideration. Time pHSsed on
and the intimacy became - great that the
young LADY would spend the evening ~ the resi-
deDce Of the priest, and Ofteutimes "a not lesvs
his abode until midnight, and then IN his com-
pAny. Her visits 20 the parsonage became -
frequent a. % cause considerable uneasiness %
Father Gerdemann's sister, who acted ~ house.
keeper for the father and has two asziztants
The conduct Of the brother and the lady organlst
v a. 80 bad AZ 20 disgust her, sud the sister re-
turned 10 Germany, whence she OF ginslly cam.
Finally matters went 20 tar. ani the two became
20 bold, that one Of the assistants threatened o.
EXPOSE the whole affair 20 the bishop. Gerds-
mann became ind gnant. and said mis- yog OF
chastity a9d cehbacy had not been violated, anI
that nothing Improper hsd occurred. However
the assistant knew too much for the loving
couple, and the whole affair OF the misioinys
Of the Rev. John were mode plain 70 Hts Rev
etence Bishop Wood. Gerdemann celebrated
mass on Sunday last, and on Monday which
was IAN Souls Day," he was not prssenf AZ
early mass. He complained OF being unWeI
snd was found al O'Clock I'm the morning walk
ing mp and down the yard attached 70 Ms par
sOnEge, apparently suffering great mental snx-
tety- he remained AZ home until noon OF rues-
day, when he Suddenly left, since which time
there have been no tidings concerning him
This little love affair and fall from grace on the
part OF the reverend gentleman did not cOnsti
tute all bis crime, for now the most painful
portion or the story remains 20 be told. In Ac-
cordanee with plan in vogue In most Catholic
parishes, the members OF the Congregation de.
posted their savings with the priest. These
were receipted for and six per cent interest al
lowed. Father Gerdemann was In close conn.
dence with Bishop Wood, and thus had a freer
use OF the funds Of the parishiOners than other
Slse would have been the case. IL has new
leaked out that the funds were mlsapprO-
priated In manner which was 80 rascal
" as 70 be beneath the contempt OF a gam
bier, much less a shepherd OF a large hOcE.
Ike the one in the present case. Gerdes
mann privately made has puts aud calls in the
stock room, dRbbled In real estate, and bOasht
and solo railroad stocks on call and for ii me-
he induced members OF the parish to fndOrso
notes for large amounts telling them the monev
Was needed for the church; the cash raised In this
manner he Appropriated 10 biz own use. IL
was no unusual thing for him 20 have notes
discounted az bank for - eco or 40 90 Al a time
ana the very large credit he was given, on ac
count OF the position he held, he prOstituted in
the most shabby manner. lie bought the large
houses on Norris Square opposite his church,
and had them decided TO bis sister. As A forger
he was successful, and when several notes were
presented 70 the makers thereof his transac-
uons IN this line were Immediately brought 70
light. Most OF the parishiOners had All their
spare cash invested in the priest, and are lett
utterly penniless. IL is supposed the amount of
cash carried OF will not fan below -. 900, And
Is the result Of the hard work OF many poor per-
soils Tor several years. The Indignation OF the
congre gaticn seems 20 know no bOunds and the
house formerly occupied by the Father bRs
been besieged all dAy long by the persons who
had funds intrusted 20 biz keeping
On Thursday, the day after Father Gerde-
mann's disappearance, Right Rev. Bishop
wood received a letter from him stating that
the reason he had lett the Catholic church Was
mat be could not believe in the infAllibility OF
the Pope, and saying:-"By the time Won read
tbs you will know ali about me, and therefore
have no need 20 make an explanation" He
also said that bis debts had overwhelmed him,
and used other like expressions. The Young fe-
male organist OF the church, with whom Ii is
alleged Father Gerdemann disappeared, IL
named Maggie Whitley, Protestant, whose pa
rents reside in Reading.