Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-27

A QuarE OF Ghe wonderful Knock
Chapel Mortar for Sale In Lots To
Ne,c York Times.


Some three years ago, as will be re-
membered, it was asserted that a series
of wonderful apparitions had been made
manifest at a little Roman Catholic
Chapel at Knock, County Mayo, Ireland.
1t was claimed that the Virgin Mary had
appeared to a number of persons on di.
vers occasions. These alleged miracu-
lous phenomena caused the little Irish
village to suddenly acquire wide spread
celebrity, and numbers of pilgrims
and curiosity seekers flocked to the
spot. In the course of time it was fur
Their announced that many marvellous
cures had been effected by pilgrimages to
the chapel. Pilgrims and curiosity
seekers, in their anxiety to secure a relic
of the little chapel, tore away so much
brick, mortar and wood work that the
building finally became unsafe, and the
ecclesiastical authorities ordered it pulled
down and handsome new chapel
which is now in course of erection
built in its place. The ruins of the
original chapel are penned in and a watch
is kept over them, it being forbidden to
take away more than a certain limited
quantity of the debris. Even the ruins
of the chapel are claimed by many to
possess miraculous properties, and have
been sold in various parts of Europe as
a sovereign remedy to variety of ills
Such limit has been put to the supply
that the debris of Knock Chapel has as
sumed marked advance in commercial
values.
That an attempt is to be made to in
troduce the debris as a curative agency
to the American market was indicated
by an advertisement appearing yesterday
in a morning paper, in which ga
quantity of the mortar" of Knock Chapel
was offered for sale, and reference was
made to its miraculous cures of all
diseases" Investigation by Times re-
porter revealed the fact that the mortar
is offered for sale by James Frenchley,
occupying apartments with his wife on
| the top floor of tenement house on the
West Side. A relative of Mr.. Fenchley's
wife, it appears, who has been living in
the vicinity of Knock, has lately arrived
in this country, bringing with her about
quart of the mortar of the miracle
producing chapel. The Fenchley
family having been presented with this
supply, Mr.. f enchley, who is a person
of practical turn of mind at once cast
| about him for some means of utilizing
his new acquisition. Having no all
ment in his own family, he was
unable TO put it to any use at
home. 1t occurred to him, however,
that he might be able to dispose of it to
relic hunters, but Mrs Fenchey, who is
staunch Catholic and firm believer in
the miraculous powers of Knock debris,
strongly urged that it be sold as a rene
dial agency. A lengthy family debate
ensued as to the capacity in which the
mortar should be placed on the market.
| Finally, compromise was effected, and
Mr. Fenchley entered into a species of
cOpartnership with his wife, in accord
ance with which Mr.. Fenchley, as the
strOng-minded, practical member of the
| firm, offers the mortar for sale merely as
a relic of a famous chapel, while Mrs.
Fenchley is the partner who enters into
negotiations with those believing in the
miraculous properties of the mortar, and
places the stuff before the public as the
| best curative agency in the mar
ket to-day The Fenchley Relic
and Miraculous Mortar Company-such
will doubtless be the firm name adopted
| by the new concern as its business
expands--advertised its consignment
of mortar for the first time yesterday.
Up to a late hour last evening no orders
had been received by the firm, but doubt
less with the opening of the business of
the week today customers will present
themselves IN large numbers. There are
still several relatives of the Fenchley
| family living in the vicinity of Knock.
| SC oil
terms with the authorities guarding the
ruins, and thus fresh consignments can
be forwarded to the firm here by its &C
credited agents at the point of supply
No schedule of prices has yet been is
sued, but it is announced by the firm
that mortar sold for its medicinal prop
critics will at all times command an ad
vance in price upon the mere relic mate
rial, while the prices of both grades WILL
of course, be largely regulated by the
usual laws of demand and supply.