The morning call., 1893-01-20
OF NO MOMENT.
Archbishop Riordan's Lost
Letters.
WHAT HE SAYS OF THEM.
His Very Small Opinion of Those Who
Have Pried Into His Private
Business.
WHAT HE SAYS OF THEM

Archbishop Riordan was seen at his
residence, 1122 Eddy street. by a CALL re-
porter yesterday afternoon and was asked
for further light upon the matter Of the now
famous stolen letters.
The Archbishop lives a busy life, and
after his office hours. 9 to u each morning
at ST. Mary's Cathedral on O'Farrell street
and Van Ness avenue, he naturally feels
that the rest Of the day should be at his
own disposition. When once he has left
his Office it is hard to see the Archbishop.
you are the fifth newspaper reporter
that has been at this house to-day" he said
on entering the parlor where THE CALL
man was waiting.
what is more you are the only one who
got inside the door. You can count your
self lucky, | assure you, for you have all
come to talk with me upon subject the
very mention of which would have prompted
me to deny you hearing. But now that
you have me cornered, suppose you want
10 know everything"
Archbishop Riordan is forcible and con-
vincing speaker at any time. Yesterday
afternoon he was particularly so. He
spoke rapidly and with great earnestnesS
and left little time for The CALL man TO
make notes.
In the month Of May last Archbishop
Riordan received a number of letters from
Archbishop Ireland of st. Louis upon mat
tiers of an important. but private and per-
sonal nature.
These letters, after being answered, were
placed on file at the ArchbishOp's residence
and received no especial attention from him
until, In the course of the correspondence,
he had need to refer TO one of them for
some poiats that had slipped his mind. 1t
was then that he discovered they were gone.
Suspicion at once attached to personal
attendant of the Archbishop, who lad had
sole access 10 the apartment that contained
the letter-hle, and had shortly before left
the service under singular circumstances.
1t was also discovered, upon more careful
examination. that not only one but several
others Of Archbishop Ireland's letters were
missing from the file.
When the suspected servant had been
away few days he returned to get some
clothing he had left. was charged with hav-
ing removed them, and was shown one of
the letters that had been found among his
belongings.
Archbishop Riordan finally believed that
the servant was only the tool of some
schemlng person, and consequently refused
10 have him prosecuted.
Shortly alter the second disappearance
OF the servant. Carl A. Doeing, Cath
Ollie bookseller and publisher on HAYES
street, in letter to Archbishop Rior-
dan, as well as in others TO Archbishop
Ireland, Monsign0r Satolli and other prom-
nent men in the church, quoted verbatim
from the missing letters.
And yet" said the Archbishop yester-
day, the whole matter is of absolutely no
Importance. Some OF the newspapers are
making great uproar over tie affair. 1t
Is only Idle gossip and should not be given
space.
"A gentleman loses letter. and people
want to make sensation out of it.
1T could effect no one if the letters were
published. They did not concern the school
question nor Monsignor Satoll, for he had
not come 10 America then"
1T Is an evidence of municipal decay"
said he, when we have nothing to do bat
inquire into other peoples business. Ii has
parallel in the crumbling of the ancient
cities. when, as we read in the classics, the
people would meet on the street-c0rners to
inquire 'Quid noyem'-what news?"