The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-14
AIEST AND A FIEND.
HISONs AND BUTCHERS &
WIFE AND DAUlETER.

following awful story Is translated
fhe W ochenbit4tt OF Aug. 5, 1888, pub
lin Bueuos Ayres:
few days murder trial will he begun
s5a, Buenos Ayrss, which will be of
4lost sensational character. 1t will
dess be shocking to the public in gen
land threatens also to embarrass the
III Catholic church.
perDetrstor Of the crime, strange to
IS Pedro Castro Rodriguez, priest,
what is still stranger, the victims were
wn wife and daughter.
ratio Rodriguez is said to have been
in New Y ork, though his parents were
yes Of Santiago. A born Catholic, ne
me priest esrly in life, but forsook his
oh IL $50 and tried to enter the Meth
circuit of Buenos Ayres. But the
hodists had no use for him, and DR..
!, the presiding elder, declared him an
igible candidate.
4 1874 Rodriguez sought in matrimony
soiace which church leadership denied
I. and he then married Sonora Rufna
lin, the daughter Of q colonel in the
rentine army. He soon suspected his
G Of unfaithfulness, wheroupou he left
and went back to the Catholic church.
chbishop Aneiros, of Buatlos Ay9es, Civ.
him an assistant pastornte il his own
&. In 1877, when he was made CHAPLAIN
Azul his wife followed him, living, it is
lined, in little cottage pssr the ecciesl-
5ical headquarters, where Rodriguez used
visit her The question Of martial in
icity seemed 10 nave been OIsprovsd
out this time, for the next year she bore
"a a daughter, which WIS named Pedrona
aria Castro, as near his own name as pos
lie.
In 1882 be became pastor, or cuTGto, of
avarrio, and also superintendent Of pub
schools. He then left his family in
Ienos Ayres, visiting them, as he admits,
.ry regularly for a couple Of months, and
zen less often, and finally not at all.
In May Of this year bis wife sold all of
leir property, getting "A 900 pesos, or
oout S2l ,000, for it. which SUN she put in
bank, 10 Der husbands order, and then
'ent with her daughter TO Ola vaTTio, where
ae was received al the revsTentiAl resi-
ence. One VI the choir boys named Per-
in, who served supper 20 Rodriguez and
is family, thought them very much de-
ressed that night aud out OF spirits. After
MS meal TIE CUT0to took his guests to sleep
ug apartments, putting his vile in his own
DOM and the lutte girl GA a lounge in the
larlor, he himself going into an adjoining
DOM While the woman and child were
making their arrangements Tor the night,
Rodriguez left tine house for a short time
IN his return his wife laughiugly said
Il suppose you have been out to see one
# your parishionsrsn
No" he answered, Il went after some
,ills TO quiet your nerves"
BORGIA OUTDoNE.
After she got in bed, according to Rod
iguez's confession, he gave her one of these
,ills and glass Of water. Shortly after
ward such violent pains seized her that she
complained of 1t, asking him what he
bought caused il. Without answering
Ter he got hammer and pounded her on
be head with it until she was dead.
The noise of this brought the child into
he room, whereupon Rodriguez popped one
I the pills into her mouth, forcing her to
wallow it. Then he took her in bis arms
nd carried her up and down the room for
our hours to prevent her from making an
utcry or giving an alarm. Through the
ast two hours OF this she was dying; but
be didn't die fast enough to suit her parent,
ThO, as his statement shows, wanted the
usiEess over within time for him to cele-
rate mass in the morning" He finally
smashed her head with the same hammer
G had used on her mother"
When the daughter was dead he locked
Il the doors, went to his study, where, in
isguised hand, he wrote letter addressed
D a magistrate. and then said mass.
CRIME vPoN CRIME.
This religious duty being done, he went
O the Office Of Dr. Quilarte for burial
ernit, but that gentleman being out the
erTnit had 20 be sought from the municipal
where Rodriguez produced the
stter ne had just written, which was to
make it appear that the permit was for the
,ody of dead woman, which would arrive
u the morning train The permit once safe
n his pocket, be went to an undertaker's,
where a similar story was told, and where
ie ordered an extra large" coffin, directing
hat it was to be delivered in his church
hat same evening. The coffin was accord
ngly taken there and placed next to the
nigh altar, on which the curdto lighted one
# the candles.
The pastoral home being Joined to the
hurch by corridor, Rodriguez tried to
AIRY the dead body Of his wife along this;
'ut she was too heavy for him, and so he
lad TO drag her instead, leaving a trail of
)lood TO mark the course. The dead woman
ace downward, after which her dead
he coffin lid screwed down.
the coffin was taken away in an under
aker's wagon the next morning, and as
ome blood ran from the awful box the
'urdto coolly remarked that he supposed
the poor woman" within must have died
II some disease Of which profuse bleeding
S phenomenon
PERKINS, sAGACITY.
All likely would have gone we'll but for
.he inquisitiveness Of Perrin, the choir boy,
who was very solicitous about his masters
guests, and expressed great deal Of won
'ernent as to the cause of their non
appearance. Rodriguez informed him that
hoy had died of heart disease and had been
July buried, and he also admonished the
10y not 10 concern himself about them.
But tie boy was not so easily assured, and
began looking about. Discovering the blood
tainS, which filled him with alarm, he
hurried to La Plato and told Chief Of Police
-osta what he had found and what he sus-
'ected.
ARREST AND CONFESSION.
Rodriguez was at once arrested, and the
'hief Of police soon pressed him into a con-
e SION, though he first offered to pay 20, 900
DeSos TO have the matter dropped Rod
susz says he is a SenStively organized
len, and assumes 10 be deeply injured by
ne lascivlous coarseness Of his wife, who,
-e claims, in every way unnerved him aud
Hade him wretched. The main reason,
.ause she insisted upon living i'll the house
Ne occupied, which, as priest, he could
lot permit. So he felt compelled TO rid
Inlseif OF her. The poison which he used
~ MS wife and daughter, be says, he stole
rom drug store, Gin the vain hOpen that !