, 1875-10-10


The Berlin correspondent Of the London Time.
gives the following interesting particulars OF the
traffic in crime maintained between the priests
and the criminals iu Sicily:
Soon after the cessation Of the Crusadee 1t appears
that the Popes cndeavoring to fan the tagging ardo,
OF Spanish and sctltan believers, annually proclaimed
IN Indulgence to au those who would either earys
against the 1nddela suppor holy var by means OF
pecunary gifts. This proclamation was regularly
Issued ever since 145 though in course Of time it was
changed in character and object. From being lofty
incisement to the CruBades it at one tine egenerpted
into mere permission to ent meat dutlug Lent and
at another time granted general amnesty for sund1y
To facilitate the cas part OF the TRANSACTION the ne
used to be paid By purchasing copy, or in case Of
hsaEaer odease general copies of the Bull at fixed
price, In those days It was periodically announced in
the churches that the 6antiss1a croc,ata as the Bull
continued to he called after its original design, had
arrived from Rome. When sinners would hasten to tho
Priests to purchase the useful document and make
their peace with the Church.
For good many gcars-ths Bolla protessed the
snlier oenses atoned for by the mere purchase
Of copy, ~ formerly, graver delnqueucies under
this Papa document could be wiped out by the pay
Iolta Of 1s6, for instance which is the last whoso
details have tt7nBpired, contain an explicit cata-
logue Of crimes, with tho sums required 10 secure for
eaVeneaa- NO penal code can be more cou1piete or
more particular in making distinctions between the
various categores Of misdcmeanor felony and deadly
s.n no wine merchants biu coula be more exact IN
goods pas1 80 much robber who IN the way Of bus-
ness has happened to poascss hiueelf Of somebody
else's commodities. 80 much; while fellow who has
ruined girl or murdered person ne easily cleara
himself BY an adequate fnc. To give an example:
Il man, says this Bull Of 1885, happens to have prop
eesty in his hands, the proprie,or of which be
does not know, aud the value Of which does not
exceed Gl Ga, ho may BECOME tie rishtful pro-
Rsetor of ths said property upon purchasing copy Of
the Fu1 Tor Is Cd In proportion to the vuue of the
so!en articles the accidental proprietor has to pay
more; though. rs there is 4 limit to everything the
worth of the goods be converted into legitimate
Possession by purchase Of copies nnet not exceed
some eco odd Should faithful peutent wish to
make terms for m amount in erceas Of what b.
condoned By Of booksellers bargain, he must
appear before his Archbishop and arrange terms. In
tie event Of personal intel vscw appearing unsdvisa
lie, As sometimes may te the case when there fs
none to fear but the sciNan police, psnitent may
send somebody else to tho Archbishop to zepreseut
him on this pious and important occasion.
By Of this Bn the Pope authorized all father
in Sicily eondone crimes for recuniary
confederation: burglar Or bandit worid appear b.
fore The priest, telling ti he had pl!ered ind spent
900 lire. mo matter, The Priest would eay under
polls for tho Church" Thus ccnpro1iss vas easily
arrived at Tha burgar raid the Pope tar the Pops
o return absolying the burglar. There accmpete
lat Of all ixaa1nAlA sEanas rnntainad IA fha Ra,N