The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-03
ROGUES IN HOLY GARB.
Arrest OF Two Impostors in Tacoma
Who Claim to BE Priests.

w no SiAim 10 De frlests.
TACOMA, Feb Especial. 1.-Two priestly ap-
pearlng men, who claim TO be priests, were
jailed here this afternoon on charge of obtain
ing money under false pretenses. They stub
bornly refused TO give their names, but from
papers found in their pockets they were regis
tered on the city Jail docket as Albert KIiet and
Auguste Laurentz.
Their arrest was brought about by one of the
trustees of the Buckley Catholic church, F. ID.
De Mers Saturday they came to Buckley and
represented themselves to be Catholic priests
and missionaries, and upon such representa-
tions were allowed the use OF the church TO say
high and low mass and conduct vespers service.
The elder OF the two, who is about 60, said his
name was Father Castor, and that the younger
priest was ais nephew. Castor claimed to speak
eleven languages, and to have done service as
Catholic missionary among Indians. After
reading the following article in Catholic peri
odical, Trustee De Mers displeased and disap-
pointed the Buckley congregation by refusing
to allow the priests to enter the church:
An imposter is travelling through the North
west in the guise OF q Catholic priest He is
small in stature and ABOUT 60 years of age. He
speaks bad English aud worse French with
German accent. The Rt Rev. DIR. Brondel,
bishop of Montana, has denounced him. having
ascertained beyond question that he is an i'm
poster He came into Montana from the Cana
dian Northwest, and is heading for the Coast.
At several places he has said mass and admin
times he cal1s himself Father Laurent or Lorel
or Guifeat, at other times other times Father
Meunier or Martinelli, and now he 10 Father
Martin He has with him an associate in his
sacrilegious deeds whom he introduces as his
nephew, or lay brother.
Trustee De Mers argued that the man had
been among the Indians. and took for his name
that of an animal Castor or Castro, and Martin,
meaning heaven. The two alleged priests had
taken up three collections at Buckley, and Sc
cured sl2. Besides, they administered the
rament to several persons and received pay for
the same, even after Mr. DE Mers refused them
the use OF the church. They spoke French,
German and English, and seemed 10 suffer a
digniied sort OF oifense At the action OF De Mers
Monday they went to South Prairie, but so
sure WAS De Mers that they were imposters, and
desiring to vindicate his action, he followed
them and learned that they administered the
sacrament to several south Prairie Catholics and
were paid for the performance of those Offices.
DeMerb persistence N dogging them was annoy
ing, and they took passage for Tacoma Monday
evening on freight train. DE Mers came here
on the same train, but the priests eluded him.
This morning he met them on the street, and
they accepted his invitation 20 enter saloon
and hnve drink. Ds Mers then tried TO get
them TO 90 10 st Lsos church and assert them
selves before the Tacoma prizes hqod. They de-
clined d. Aers threatened arrest and exposure.
Still they refused TO 60 10 st. Leo's Then De
Mers prepared 10 carry his threat into exccu-
ton, and the wOuld-be priests ran IN opposite
directions De Nefs followed Father Castor and
had him arrested. Later the other was run IN
by the police.
Father Nightingale, of this city, went TO the
county jail aud examined the younger OF the
supposed lmpostors shortly after they had been
brought up from the city Jail. The prisoner was
reticent, and tie county officials had 10 90 most
OF the questioning in order 10 secure replies.
Nightingale did not believe the prisoner
possessed Of anything bus the most su-
perfeiaI knowledge Of :hs priesthood.
Two weeks ago Sunday Father lyle
bos. of st LeO's church, announced
10 the congre CATION that imp0stors were work
ing toward the sound country aad cautioned
them 70 be on the lockout. IL had been known
70 priests tha, impostor@ have been saandslizng
tie Offices oi the church for over year sud de
grading the calling Of priests by drinking and
other iudulzeuces The imp0st9rs worked in
small towns having no cleFgymen, aud by col
leetlous and fees dcfraIded Catholics west Of
the Mississippi river cut o. mAay hundreds oi
dollars Neither Of the alleged impcstofs has
been ordained