Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-08-26
A PRIEST ACCUSED.
Darnley Beaufort Charged With Swind-
ling.
Claimed to be a Descendant of an
English King Who Died While a
Boy-Scandals Set Afoat-Why
He Left Gethsemane College, OF
Which He Was Principal-The
Monks Publish a Statement.

ing swindled the Trappist monks who
conduct it out of $4,000, as they allege.
1t is only due to the goodness OF the
Trappists that Beaufort has been al
lowed to go without prosecution. He
seems to be a swindler, though this he
denies in a telegram from Indianapolis,
stating that upon the return from
France of Abbot Edward he will pay
up what he owes, having. as he al
legged, the Abbot's consent to use the
money.
Beaufort came to the monastery
about five years ago. He claimed to
be brother OF the Duke of Beaufort
and a descendant of Edward VI. OF
England. The monks did not know
that Edward VI. died while a boy and
believed his story. Beaufort claimed
to have promised his son on his death
bed to spend his life doing good for
boys.
The monks made him principal of
Gethsemane College, and being man
of fine education he filled the post ad-
mirably. He was always doing good
for boys and poor people and was re-
garded as a most philanthropic man.
| Now 1t seems the money he used so
freely was that belonging to the
monks. An investigation resulted in
proof of his guilt and he was dismiss
ed. Some of the stories he told have
been found to be untrue. One was
that he had been appointed a colonel
on the staff of Governor Brown and
another that he had taken the VOWS
Of the Trappist Order.
New Haven, KY, August 25.-The
| scandal in connection with the name of
Darnley Beaufort, erstwhile principal
| of Gethsemane College, has created a
great stir among the good people Of New
Haven, where Beaufort's athletic figure
has been familiar for the past four or
| five years. The following notice has
been sent out from the Abbey:
"Notice-The public is hereby re-
spectfully notified that Mr.. Darnley
BeaufOrt's connection with Gethsemane
| College has entirely ceased. Mr.. Beau
! fort is no longer authorized to transact
any business whatever for the college.
The Rt. Rev NJ. Edward Abbot, Presi-
dent Of the college, being at present in
] France. all communications on business
! with the college should be addressed TO
the undersigned.
IN. BENEDICT,
President and Vice President, Geth-
semane."
It was first reported there was an
Indebtedness of $4,000 to the college, but
this seems entirely too high. What the
amount is is known only to the monks,
who bring no formal charge against
Beaufort. The shortage will in no way
affect either the college or the abbey.
For the past two years stories of a
compromising and criminal character
concerning Beaufort have been afioat,
but his easy manners and liberal-heart-
edness were enough to quiet the peoples
suspicious, although the mysteries sur
rounding him made strangers a little
| dubious The story was told that Beau
fort was wanted for forgery. A picture
accompanied the letter, and, in the Opin-
| ion Of some Of those who saw the pic
! ture, It resembled Beaufort COnsidera-
| bly,. The picture was in the hauds Of
| officials in Frankfort but for some rea-
| son the matter was never prosecuted.
Stories of BeaufOrt's treatment Of
! his boys are rife in New Haven. He
| frequently brought a crowd of the boys
| here. among them being very small
ones. taking them to saloons and Civ
! ing them beer to drink. One man who
is reliable tells of having been with
Beaufort in Lebanon when the latter
was very much under the influence Of
| LIQUOR In the meantime scandalous
rumors of the most nauseating sort
were bruited about but for some time
these were not countenanced by the
good monks. and Beaufort was allowed
10 conduct his school as he had done
previously.
For the past two years w. II. Will
| lett. an expert accountant of Bards-
town. has visited the school and audit
ed Beaufort S accounts. He came down
to the school last May to look over the
books. He has been in Gethsemane
ever since. and the unusual length Of
time it took him to audit the books
caused comment Last week, while he
was still at work on the hooks, Beau
fort was summarily relieved of the
principalship of the school.
A story s,told Of the most disgusting
sort of the same nature as the Cleve-
| land street scandal. on account OF
which Beaufort claimed he had left
England TO avoid disgrace caused by
the name of a member of his family b.
/ ing connected with the affair This
] fer erufa nT0
what appears to be good authority, to
/ have been the direct cause OF Beaufort S
being relieved of his charge OF the
school. If the monks didn't believe it,
they at least didn't like the scandal.
/ Hard uDOn the heels of this story comes
another that Beaufort was short in his
accounts. This story comes indirectly
from Mr.. Willett himself. He told this
to Mr.. Francis Bowling, of the banking
firm of S. Rapier & Co. This banking
firm transacts all the business OF the
/ Abbev and up to a year ago, when II
was removed TO Lebanon, conducted
the business of the school. The exact
amouut of BeaufOrt's shortage cannot
| he learned. In speaking of the matter
tn Mr.. Bowling Mr.. Willett declared
! that the money consideration was IN
signifGant compared with the scandal.
He did not intimate the amount snort.
however. II is said to be the policy OF
the monks never to prosecute any one
who has defrauded or proved raise TO
them. These persons are simply turn
ed adrift to be punished by their con-
sciences