The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-08-29
Elopsd With a Roman Priest.

Mrs. Michael Mcdonald, wife OF the famous
politician and the three times millionaire o.
Chicago, has eIoped with Catholic priest
July "a Mrs. Mcdonald left her home osten'
sibly for the purpose of visiting her mother
at Tiffin Ohio. She did not go to 1ittin, but
joined Rev. Father Joseph Moysant, assist
ant pastor of the church of Notre Dame
Vernon Park Place and Sibley street. Since
the day Mrs. Mcdonald left her home no one
has seen her in the neighborhood except once,
three days after her departure, when she re-
turned to the house dressed in the garb OF a
nun. Her visit was so timed that her NUS
band would not see her. Mis-. Mcdonald is
forty -four years old. Her priestly paramour
Is seven teen years her junior and not at all a
man who would ordinarily tascinate or at
tract u woman. Mrs. Mcdonald is the moth
er of four children and the grandmother OF
, two. Hugh Mullaney, the cOachman and
Mrs. Johanna Candy. the housekeeper, knew
of Mrs. McDonald's intrigue, but neither
said anything to Mr.. Mcdonald until his
wife had been gone two weeks. Mulaney
said Mrs. Mcdonald had sworn him TO Sc
crecy. Moysant had been stationed at
Dixon. ILL.,. tor tho past three months. He
was sent from Notre Dame into retreat ut
Bourbounais Grove, near Kankakee, Tor
negecting his duties in the church and be-
cause of his bibulous habits. He did not re-
| turn to Notrc Dame, but went from Bour-
bOunais Grove to Dixon, where he remained
until the elopement
Mr.. Mcdonald said: "This fat, French
priest has sat ut my table countless times.
He has blessed my food, and has had my lit
| tie boys get down on their knees that he
might bless them. He first came to my
house two years ago lastJuly. My wife, who
! had been to church, came home and told me
Irh, 90, ,lx,r, -Ia h.
| vited to visit US. 1made no objection. The
| fellow came His shoes were filed with
holes, his dress was slovenly and his man
ners were very offensive. But in spite of
all this my wife fell desperately in love with
! the fellow. He seemed to have charmed her.
He even put her up to rob me at night, not
| only of money that was in my clothes, but
| of Shirts handerchiefs and stockings. He
was frequent visitor to the house. He
would eat five and six meals q day and drink
my beer by the bucketful. They had their
meetingplaces at tbs Grand Pacific hotel, the
Palmer house and the Sherman house. My
wife kept oil these cIandestine
a nun. The scoundrel am convinced, plan
ned to poison me or get me out of the way
in some manner, for he circulated the story
that it would not be q great while before
there would be funeral at Papa Macs, as
he always called me-"
MIN McDOudlu, WHen sne lelU nOue, udu
about 81, 500 in money and between 81, ,OOC
and IS, 900 worth of jewelry. She has prob
ably turned all this stug over to her para
mour. In 1875 Mrs. Mcdonald ran away
with Billy Arlington, the minstrel, and mar
ried him in Cincinnati, although she was then
the wife of Mr.. Mcdonald. She was at this
time an invalid, and it was thought she waf
near her grave. When she returned to Chica
go she said nothing about her escapade, but
complained about her lungs. Mcdonald
sent her to Denver for the mountain air. The
next thing he knew she was in California
with Arlington. Mcdonald lost no time il
getting to the slope and reclaimng his wife
whom he brought back to Chicago. 1t was
learned that Father Moysant led Mrs. Nc
Donald to the altar of Notre Dame churcl
just before they left town, and there he per
formed the marriage ceremony by slipping {
plain gold ring on one of her fingers ant
pronOuncing her his wife, 1t is believed tha
the priest and his victim have gone to En-
gland. Before she left town Mrs. Mcdonald
pawned $4,000 worth of diamonds for $4OO