National Republican., 1880-08-19
4 PRrESTLY SCINDAL.
Tho Victim Lured to Convent and Ther
TO Ruin,

Tho Victim Lured to Convent and Then
TO Ruin,
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, August 16.-A
Messila valley papor publishes the following
received here by wire Excitement is intense
throughout tho Messila valley, owing TO tho
seduction and abduction by Father Todowa
Renault, priest Of Las Crucss, Of brilliant
and beautiful young lady Miss Msrgaretta
Garcia from the convent of the Sisters Of Lo-
retto. Father Joseph Parrice, head captain OF
the jcsuits in New Mexico, had revival in
the Mcssilla valley, worked on tho supersti-
tious and stirred up religious craze compell-
ing number of girls TO 60 into tho Sisters OF
Lorctte convent against tho protest Of their
parents. When Miss Garcia was ordered to
the convent there was great excitement in
tho household, apd pistols wero drawn. 1t
was believed that Ronault had fcndish designs
on Miss Garcia, who belongs TO ono Of the most
respectable fsmlirs In the valley. Her father
being dead she was living with her mother.
Hon. Maxine Costane is her uncle.
Father Tohowa Rcnault is u Frenchman,
formerly from Tucson and Yuma, Arizona ter
ritory. He and others have boon making a
tremendous fight against all public schools,
ying, because they did not teach religion in
them that they were schools Of corruption,
They had thus compelled mothers fathers and
guardians to take thoir children out of
the public schools and at last broke up those
institutions. They provided no schools TO
tAko their place. except convent for girls.
As parish priest Rcuault had FREQ access o
the convent nt all hours Of the day and night.
Reports say that for months past ho held
meetings with Miss Garcia in the vineyard
and orchards attached to the convent from II
u. III. to three or four o'clock IN the morning
that the inmates knew of his attentions to tho
young lady; that similar attention had boon
paid by him and others to young ladies at tho
convent. Such was common town talk. What
makes tho excitement still more intense Is tho
fact that the young lady was reaching such u
condition that the matter could not much
longer be kept private, hence tho elopcmcnt.
Tho priest bought horse aud buggy, drove
around the street, went to tho convent about
dark, and, no doubt, ut that timo completed
his arrangements. lie returned TO church aud
passed the evening with Bishop Saliforto of
Tucson, aud Rev. A. Moren of Messilla. All
were to take dinner next day with the latter.
After talking to tho bishop until 10 p. IN. R0-
nault, it was supposed went to bed, but instead
got his horse and buggy, gun, revolver aud
pocket siX.shootcr, and then went TO tho con-
cert,
About midnight, Miss Garcia slipped out
from her room with part of her apparel. The
pTltSl utlpCu UCr ONCE lut lOW WAL lHlO MS
buggy, and of they went through the back
streets to the outskirts of the town, and
thence toward Colorado. Tho mother, who
was to have taken her daughter out Of the
convent tho next morning, went there with n
carriage, aud was told that the girl had left
at midnight. AS the priest was absont from
early mass, search and inquiry developed the
\ facts of tho clopement.
Officers then started in pursuit of the run
aways, who had ten miles tho start. The
mother OF tho young lady and hcrsisters were
nearly crazy. After an exciting chase Of
sixty miles tho pursuing party arrived ut u
house, in front Of which stood tho priests
buggy. Tho officers raped on aud tho priest
| opened the door. lio was en- deakdJiLlG. Tho
couple had boon sleeping in the front room.
! Tho officers told Renault TO surrender, and the
| girls uncle struck him Oh the head and would
havo killed him had not the priest jumped be-
| bind the officers and demanded protection.
| The fugitives were brought back to Las Cru
ces, where the priest and his companion in
sisted on their right to get married. Against
| the protest Of the mother aud other relatives,
tho ceremony was performed by justice ol
the peace, and the pair went to boarding in a
| private family.