Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-03-02
Ihe SIRE Dress.
ANOTHER CLERICAL SCANDAL.
Failure of the Augustinian Society
The Creditors Mostly Mill Opera.


Failure of the Augustinian Society
The Creditors Mostly Mill opera.
lives.
A despatch from Lawrence, Mass, says I:
Seven suits have been entered in the North
ern Essex Registry.of Deeds, attaching all the
real estate owned 10y the Ausustinian society
of Lawrence, of which Rev. c. A. McEvery
is supervisor. These suits are to recover
money deposited with the savings institston
conducted for years by the Augustnians.
For years ii has been the custom of the Ro
man Catholic priests in the city to receive
deposits from parishioncrs, issue books there
for pay in crest and assume all the functions
of savings banks This was first done by
Father O'Donnell in the carly days of the
city, abolt 1916, and has been continued up
to the present time. The rate of interest
paid has been large, an average of six per
cent, and us consequence, the deposits have
been large OF late the deposits have been
lived ny the hugusinian society, which
was Incorporated April 8, 1870, for the pur-
pose Of taking and holding property, not ex
ceednr 5000 for religious purposes in
Lawrence and Andover. To this society
large amount of property was conveyed.
For some time no complaints were heard as
to the savings bank department of the socie-
ty, hut since Jan |, 1881, when Rev. John
Z. Gilmore, who had leen head of the order
here, lett the city suddenly on account, it is
said. of ll-health, and was succeeded by
Rev. FIR. Regau, there has been much trou-
bic experienced by depositors, many of
whom hal left the city, in obtaining their
money, an ! in several instances claims have
been placed in The hands OF lawyers and ma
tional banks for collection. Early in 1881
the society began selling real estate, and since
that time disposed of property 10 the amount
of S1OSj5, including two sales by the St.
Marvs Free Educational Institute for boys
and girls, an allied society. Besides this, for
some time it has obtained from the Essex
Savings Bank, by mortgage on the new st.
Mary's church, the parochial residence and
adjoining property, $4,000 and from the
City Institution for Savings at Lowell SEQ
900, which is secured by mortgage on the
old 81. Mary's Church.
The society has out commercial paper, |
about the renewal of which there lately has |
been some trouble Last week meeting OF
deposltors was held. notice of it having been |
given from tie church the previous day, and |
they were notified that there was no money |
left, but that the society would endeavor to |
pay the dcpOsitors at the rate of S2j, 900 per
year. The total Indebtedness Of the society, |
is S54O, 900, of which $3.50, 900 is due dcpos- |
itors ia their savings institution, aud The |
church property is morigaged for over $40
900. The number of depositors is placed at |
seven hundred, the majority Of them being
poor female mill operatives.
1t is generally believed that the trouble is |
not of recent origin but has been growing |
slowly for years, each succeeding year plung-
ing the society deeper in debt. 1t is known
that Rev. Father O'Donnell, one of the first |
priests in the city, invested funds deposited |
with him in railroad stock paying therefor
$50, 900, aud after holding it some years its
value had so deprecated that he was Obliged .
to dispose of it for 1000.
The managers of the society propose TO pay
the deplsitprs S25, 900 annually pro rata |
without interest," and suspend the parochial |
schools, which have been an expense Of S10,-
600 annually. Great excitement prevails
among the depositors, who arc principally |
poor house Urls and factory operatives.
What the Priests Promise.
LAwRENcE, Mass, Feb. 25,-The Catholic
churches under the control of the Augustin-
ian Fathers, were crowded at each service to-
day, it being expected that the priests would |
refer to the collapse of the savings institu-
tions. At st. Mary's church, Rev. McEvery.
superior of the American branch of The Au-
gustinian order, said ne proposed soon to
give detailed statement of the church
finances. The society would leave moth
ing.llndcnc to meet their obligations. He con-
~ the mortgages on the church properly
q comparatively slight inconvenience. The
only ma ter for serious consideration was the
interest of the dep s'tOrs. lie said the sOce-
ties Indebtedness was between four and five
bundled thousand, but with the receipts from
the order in three churches and two chnpels
in Lawrence aud Methuen with exlraor ulinary
efforts he hoped to meet the financial obliga-
tions in lew years He expressed the ut
most confidence that the Catholics of Law
renee would subscribe according to ther
means to flee The church from Indebtedness,
The society would see that the po,r did not
suffer. He urged his hearers to be patient
and the society would pay them all.
Rev. Car at the Immaculate Conception
told his people that the society would not re-
pudiate It's debts but would pay dollar for
dollar. They should have patience and con-
tribute as Catholics They would get their
money in q short time.
Rev Ryan at the st Lawrence church,
gave the same advice and said that there
" and perhaps oftener. The debt was not
Incurred by the present heads Of the parishes
but the responsibilities would be met.
Comprehensive Effort to Pay the Debt.
LAWRENCE, Mass, Feb 25.-Prominent
Roman Catholic citizens met tonight to con-
slider the best means to extricate the Augustin-
ian society from its indebtedness 1t was dc.
cided to appoint committee Of 10 to have
full conrpl. of the finances and revenues of
all the Catholic churches In the city, except
st. Pa'ricks. a subscription was started |
and $4,000 subscribed at the meeting, Sub
scriptlons VIII be canvassed for and large
fair will he held. The committee assume
the duties only with the uuder-
standing that the deposi,ols will not
force the Augustinian society into insolvency. |
st. Mary's parochial school will he closed, |
saving $4,000 annually, THIS will put 1900
more children in the public schools,