Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-05-09
A PRIEST is THE VICTIM.
He is Out One Thousand Dollars and Has
Baby on His Hands,

bhDY On HIS EfhnuB.
The Rev. Father Ariens, pastor of the
st. Joseph's Catholic Church, Bridgeport,
Conn, is out $1,000 and at the anne time
has prettylone-year. old baby boy on his
hands, the parents of which he does not
know. 1t is seldom that bunco men visit
that city, but in this case they did and
chose as their victim the pastor of one of
the principal Catholic churches.
A few evenings ago Father Ariens was
called upon by two well-dressed, middle
aged men, apperantly Frenchmen. One
of the men said that he and his wife had
decided to separate. The m other wanted
to keep the child, but she being Protest
ant and he Catholic, he would not agree
to such arrangement, fearing the child
would be reared as Protestant. For this
reason he had come to Father Ariens for
advice.
The man offered to give the priest ST.
600 if he would take the child and care
for it until 1t should be called for, which
would be in a short time. The frankness
and apparent honesty of the man disarmed
the priest. He thought the matter over
and decided to accept the offer, intend
ing to send the child to the sisters at St.
Joseph's convent in Hartford, and also
pay them the $1,000.
The men left the house apparently de-
delighted with the scheme. Next morn
ing cab drove up to the pastors resi-
dence, and pretty woman dressed in
black appeared at the pastors door with
baby in her arms. The housekeeper re-
ceived the child in accordance with the
orders of Father Ariens, and no questions
were asked. The woman entered the cab
and drove away.
Late in the afternoon the two strangers
arrived at the parochial residence, bring
ing with them trunk filled with chill
dl ems clothing. On the top of the cloth
ing was tin box, and the lid being lifted,
revealed a stack of greenbacks. The
arrangements made were again talked
over. The anxious father insisted that
the clergyman himself, and his friend
should 60 to Hartford, and that the first
should pay 81, 900 to the sisters in their
presence. The money the men had
brought should remain in the safe at the
priests house in this city, until they re-
turned.
The priest counted out 81, 900, $400 of
Of which he had borrowed from one of
his parishioners the previous day in order
to have the amount on hand. The man
picked it up and after counting carelessly
threw it in the trunk on top of the
clothes, alongside of the other
$1,000. The next moment he asked
the priest to step into an adioin-
ing room, as he wished to talk with him
privately. After moment the man asked
to be excused, as he wished to consult his
friend abont certain point
Father Arlens waited five-ten-fifteen
minutes but the man did not return. He
went into the parlor, and the men, trunk,
and money were gone. No one had seen
them leave the house. The child was in
the hands of the priest and he was in a
pretty predlcament. He decided to say
nothing about the matter, and thus it has
never been reported to the police. But
few in the citv know thp fapts
The party operating the game were un-
doubtedly professionals, but as Father
Arens cannot or will not give a descrip.
tion they are, of course, safe. The child,
which was probably taken from an
orphan asylum, is still at the priests
home,