Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-24
ROBBERS IN A CONVENT.
Two Friars and Porter Killed-soverai
Friars Wounded.

Advices from the Caroline Islands, says
the New York World. report the attempted
pillaging Of the Catholic convent on the
Island Of Santa Rosa. the murder OF two
friars and n porter, and tho woundlng OF
several other friars.
While the friars were at supper about Z
o'clock on the evening of January 10Th, one
of them, Friar Zagara, had occasion 70
leave the dininc-room, and IN the dlnly.
LIGHTED hall he stumbled over the body OF
| Thomas. a native who acted as porter.
Thomas was bleeding profusely from along;
deep cash in his throat and from several
wounds on the body.
he WAS DEAD.
"Robbers." he gasped as Friar lagara
raised the poor fellows head. moment
later his head fell back. He was dead
Friar Zagara shouted an alarm, and the
friars came trooping from the table. Friar
Zagara excitedly explained the scene TO
his fellow-priests and they at once scat
tered TO catch the murderers;
While Friars Gomez, Morales, ana Ton
ZaleZ were searching on the second moor
of the convent they came upon two men
who were ransacking the closets OF the
room. The robbers sprang 90 Gomez and
Gonzalez with uplifted knives. and before
they could defend themselves the knives
were buried to the hits in their breasts;
As Gomez was falling he was again stabbed
by the murderer. go
Morales ran down stairs with the rob-
bers in close pursuit. When he was at
about the middle of the stairs he suddenly
threw up his hands, toppled over, and
fell dead. One of the robbers had thrown
a sharp knife with such accurate aim that
il had pierced the base of the skull and
caused instant death.
THE AssAssIYs CAUGHT.
By this time the alarm was given and
several officers Of the garrison near by
came hurrying TO the convent and met
them with O crowd of natives. The two
robbers tried 10 get 10 the side of the con-
vent which looks on the river, open VIII
dow. and lump out. They were foiled in
this. and then they jumped at the crowd OF
friars and tried to hack and hew them 10
death. They were finally Oyerpowered and
bound.
At this moment man was seen running
ont the kitchen of the convent with seye-
raj Others in hot pursuit. One OF the pur-
suers was covered with blood. The native,
for such he was, looked right and left and
seeing the right side of the garden nearly
full Of his cOuntrymen he made dash
in that direction, gained the river, sprang
into it. and was lost tosight. The soldiers
have been unable to capture him and
they claim that tho natives did not stop
him. but opened the road for him to gain
the.robbery.
Lomez, Gonzalez and the native porter
were killed and about a dozen more or less
wounded. The gulrd-house, where the
robbers are imprisoned, is doubly guarded
for fear an attempt may be made by the
natives to free them.
franciscan friars established the con-
vent on Santa Rosa about twenty years ago,
and 1t has long been used as a distributing
station for supplies for all the parishes
on the island. Domineering officials and
general i'll treatment of the natives have
made them bitter towards all Spaniards, 4
and even TO the Catholic Church. Several
murders and frequent brawls have resulted
from this race prejudice.