The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-09-15
AN ALLEGED CLERICAL DEFAULTEIs
Father Kreuseh OF the ST. AIphonsns
Church In the Courts.

Church In the Courts.
Peter Kreusch has been q Catholic
priest in this city for the last twenty.one
years, the most Of that time in charge Of
the St, Alphonsus' German Church, be-
low Twenty.seCond street, on Market. For
many years he had the reputation Of be-
ing one OF the most ~Sagacious and enter
pricing ministers in the denomination To
which he belongs, coming here rs he did
a stranger and building up q church and
congregation Of the dimensions Of his
present charge. He enjoyed the conf.
dencc of his Pensioners, and had the
respect Of his Bishop (Whelan),. So great
in fact was this confidence felt in
him by his flock that he was
their banker. Money was brought to him
freely and deposited, for which he paid
interest to them. These deporitors were
mostly laborers, who had accumulated
slowly and painfully, and not holding
the banks safe, made him their deposi:.
tory. OF others he borrowed money and
gave them notes, holding out asan induce.
ment that no place wa as safe as the
church., and that they could never lose
anything by lending to her. Upon the
strength Of these representations las the
story Ia told TO usl hundreds OF dollars
we're conGded TO his keeping by bis ore
dulOus Pensioners, and q return Of this
money Is what Is now demanded, and Is
one OF the causes Of the priests troubles.
For several years past he has been losing
ground In his congregation, a~ntagoniZtng
BY his peCuliarities the most prominent
and influential members Of his cOngre-
CATION, and gradually alternating his whole
flock from him.
From the lawyers employed by several
litigants, and from members othiS Congre'
CATION We gathered the following particu-
lars:
Lately some Of his creditors began
pressing him, and two considerable judy
ments were obtained against him within
the last ten days in the Municipal Court,
one for S l,0S5 and costs by Jos, Belllnger.
Officer MCQully levied upon 1900 gallons
Of wine to satisfy this judgment, and
much other personal property, the latter
part OF last week. The complicated condt-
ton OF the priests affairs has been the cur.
rent sujeCtof conversation Tor several days
past, and thinking that q conversation
with the old gentleman himself would be
OF interest to tho public we climbed the
hill yesterday, and sought him In the
grape arbored retreat he has chosen FOL
himself.
Just east Of this city, on a hillside ex.
posed all day to the rays Of the sun, and
on this account an eligible site for a vine.
yard, lies the ground which 10 or17 years
ago Father kreusCh purchased and has
owned ever since, He planted 1t with
vines, and in a few year, the rugged hill
side wa overgrown and converted into q
valuable and desirable piece Of property,
In the midst OF this he erected q neat and
comfortable residence, and in this he has
been wont to spend whatever Of his time
he could spare from parochial duties,
cultivating and identifying his prem
Uses. In the yard are several beauti'
full and costly vases, filled with ex-
otiGs, while an image OF the Madonna and
her child stand in q niche oyer the door
way Of the house. A little child told VI
where to find the object Of our search,
and in a moment we entered his apart
ment. Father Kreusch is a man appa'
rently 65 or 70 years OF age and well pre-
served for his years, although at present
he is recovering from a severe attack o.
typhoid fever that has confined him t
the house for seven weeks past. Stating
who we were and what we we're after
he politely received 'rs and said ht
was willing to be questioned in tht
: matter, We began by briefly recitlng thl
street talk as TO his financial condition, apE
the construction put upon it and othel
! matters relating to him. He listened il
an apathetic manner, occasionally starting
: forward as some unexpected phase Of 1
would be presented, and when We con
cluded said, ~ have a great many debt
and they have greatly annoyed me, bu
. II they will only leaVe me alone and gran
I me time, l will ultimately discharge all o.
them. | began the grape business somt
? 10 or II years ago where l now am
| bought the property at considerable ex
pense, and the roots, stakes and othel
3 necessary outfits for the vineyard, in
, Volved me in many debts. l along will
many others thought there would be i'm
; mediate and great pecuniary results from
Z this investment. Well,I began to do tol
erabIy well. Instead Of selling my grape
| pressed them and sold the wine, fndinI
more advantageous to do 80. This wes i
J 'G7 and '6S. In go came that dreadful
, hail storm that devastated fields
forests and gardens, and witt
! them my vineyard and the labor OF years
! at ono set about to retrieve my loss, bu
! at great expense, and four years elapsed
before satisfactory results followed. Herr
is where my endorsements began. They
have accumulated, and my present condi
ton is their sequel. Il is extremely un
fortunate, as my vineyard is now In goot
condition. my business aourishing and my
prospects catering in this direction.
have 5000 gallons of wine on hands
not a gallon Of which ! would take less
than a dollar a gallon for. ! have
a ready sale for 1t, generally among the
priests for Sacramento purposes. In case
my crops were good l would have an in,
come otSS,400 a year from this source
that is by the sale Of wipei and l could
gradually clear myself Of my embarrass,
ments and right myself before the public
My debts, ! know, are considerable. This
TACT my enemies are aware oil, and they
are handling me in the manner you see.
Father I'VE asked, show long have you
been in WheeIing2" VI came TO Wheel
ing in 1858, and have been here ever since.
or twenty-one years. When I came here
there was nj church. Ihave built up my
present congregation and lent all the as,
s~istance l could in the erection Of the
church. In short, st. A~lphonsus Church
was handed over to me rooted. It wa
not finished inside. There was no altar
furniture, no yestments, no anything oil
Importance, and saddled with 4 debt 81
$4,000. II has now the best internal ar.
engagements Of any church in the State,
and l cleared it Of debt. | came to liz
United States q student in lS43. l was
born at Treye, Prussia. on the Moselle.n
why is this run IN you at presentP''
we quieried, at is a scheme to ruin me in
name and fortune. There are ali the ele.
ments of a conspiracy in it. I should
never have had the trouble with INV
creditors | have had, II they had been let