The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-08
FIGHT OVER A TREASURE
A NEW PHASE IN THE CONTEST
pErWEEN CHURCH AND STATE.

Fortune and Imprisoned Long Time,
hut Refused TO Yield-The Strange
History of the Contest fer 9,OOo,o 900
Francs, Which Began In a Dispute
Bstween Rival Bishops
From the NeiV York Herald, Oct. 80.
One of the most remarkable cases ever
brought before the civil courts of this
country is to come up to-day in the supreme
court in this city.
The circumstances of the case are of the
most unusual nature and involve, directly
or indirectly, the highest dignitaries of the
Catholic church, even to the pope himself,
the King of Belgium as an indirect defend
ant and other personages of more or less
inheritance. Ex-Sheriff Peter Bowe of
This city is the direct defendant in the &C.
ton.
onening move in proceedings which may
eventually lead to international complica-
tons. The complainant is a Catholic priest,
now teacher of languages in one of the
leading Catholic institutions of learning in
England. who came to this country in 1882
with more than g. 900, 900 francs in securities,
which had been intrusted to his custody by
his superiors at Rome. Leon Bernard VS..
Peter Bowen is how the suit appears on the
docket
The complaint, filed April 10 of this year,
alleges that previous to July 81. 1882, the
defendant, then sheriff, attached certain
bond,, stocks and other securities, valued at
$500 600. under a warrant of attachment
taken out against Canon Leon Bernard by
Leopold IL, King of Belgium; that this
warrant was thereafter annulled and the
action discontinued. and that thedefendant
tbereupon delivered the said property
without due and lawful authority to one
Francois Bourgeois. Judgment is asked for
S6OO,00O, with interest from April 81, 1888.
GETTING AT THE FACTS.
The proceedings to-day will be a sort Of
boiling down of voluminous technical de-
tails in order that the gist of the matter
may be the more readily arrived at. Messrs.
Edward r. Johnes and Henry G. Wilcox,
of No. so Broadway, appear for Canon Ber-
nard and Police Commissioner Charles F.
Mclean looks after the interests of ex-
Sheriff Bowe
1t may be mentioned here that, as will
subsequently appear, the Roly See at Rome
has a direct interest in the proceedings, and
that when the heavy artillery of the case
is brought into play Col. Robert G. Inger-
soll-"Infidel Bob"-is to exert his elo-
ouence in behalf of the papal interests.
Mr.. Mclean for the defense, will admit
having levied upon the property and de-
clare that the funds were turned over to
Bourgeois because he was entitled to receive
them under a judgement rendered by the
courts of Belgium. The defense will also
set up the statute of Limitation as a bar to
the suit.
Aside from its legal aspects, the story, as
set forth by the papers in the case, is this:
Some time previous to 1879 Mgr Edmond
Joseph Dumont was Bishop of Journal, in
Belgium. According to custom he had
charge of the funds Of the diocese, amount
ing to some 1000, 900 francs. Owing to some
Misunderstanding between the pope and
himself concerning the affairs of the diocese,
Bishop Dumont was removed and Bishop
Isadore Joseph Duroseau was appointed in
his place as ADMINISTRATORS of the diocese
and custodian of its funds.
These funds were kept at the residence of
Bishop Dunont. and, as it appears, Bishop
Dumont was loath to part with his trust.
1t is set forth that on Friday evening, Dec
28, 1879, when Bishop Dumont was absent,
q party of priests and servants, accom-
panied by a locksmith, presented themselves
at the episcopal palace and demanded ad-
mittance. There was some opposition on
the part of Bishop Dumont's servants, but
by q successful ruse the besieging party
finally gained an entrance and took pos
session.
CANON BERNARD TAKES THE TREASURE.
The lock on the door of the private office
was removed and new one substituted
In this office were two large safes, one of
which contained securities payable to bearer
valued at 1900, 600 francs, and the other
held bonds of various governments footing
up to nearly 8,000 900 francs. 1t is part
of this treasure that is concerned in the
present action.
By the Belgian law the church is not
allowed to hold title or possession in trust
funds. For this reason no account is kept
of the funds of a diocese, manual possession
and delivery being held sufficient. The funds
of the diocese of Journal were therefore In
a precarious condition. They might be
seized by the crown as belong to the state,
or, as they were in dispute, it was not I'M
likely that Bishop Dumont might seek to
regain possession of them by force.
Canon Bernard, young man of marked
ability, integrity and force of character,
was at this time secretary to Bishop Duro-
seau. He was selected as the custodian of
the funds, and under Instructions from the
papal authorities they were deliver ed to
him by the bishop.
Here King Leopold comes on the scene.
Securities worth 9, ZOO, 900 francs were good
deal of q treasure and as they were held in
defiance of the law proceedings were begun
to gain possession of them. The authori-
ties at Rome were determined to block
King Leopold's efforts in this respect
Hence it was that Canon Bernard received
instructions to gather up all the securities,
carry them to America, deposit them Sc
cretly and hold himself under cover until
further orders.
Being young man of great discernment
II did not take Canon Bernard long to find
out that the police were watching him. He
managed to elude them and escaped with
the treasure to England, whence he en-
barked for Quebec.
At Quebec he left about z, zoo, 900 francs in
sale deposit company and then went to
Boston. There he secreted several million
francs more in the same manner. and finally
reached New York with 5000, 900 francs,
winch ne put in safe deposit vault here.
SEIZED AT HAVANA.
The Belgian authorities were on the alert
when Bernard got away, and they de-
termned TO get him back at all hazards.
he was traced to New York, and frorn,here
% Mexico, where he expected to find good
hiding place.
In one way or another the police tracked
bernard to Mexico, and finally to Havana.
Ihere, without the formality of a warrant
or extradition proceedings, Bernard was
rudely seized and bound one morning,
gaken on board ship and carried back to
belgium. From papers found in his pos
session the Belgian authorities learned the
Of h. aud 10