The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-21
PAPAL TREASURY ROBBED.
Leo Much Vexed by the EmbezzIement
of 100000 Lire.

ST LOUIS, March 2o-The GIobe-Demo-
Gratis Rome correspondent says: Although
the most extraordinary efforts we're made
in papal circles to prevent the matter from
becoming known, there has just been an
other great financial scandal at the Vat
lean, it being the discovery of embezzle-
ments to the extent of over 100000 lire,
resulting in the flight of one of the most
trusted employees of the papal treasury. The
holy father is reported to have taken the
matter to heart so much that his health has
been very seriously affected thereby This is
not surprising, for presumably successful
and glorious as has been the reign of Leo
XIII in other respects, 1t has been singu-
larly unfortunate in financial matters His
predecessor, Plus TX, in spite of his dis
taste for economy and his extravagance,
managed to leave at his Death a quite large
reserve fund deposited in the Bank of Eng
land for use in case of any sudden emer-
gency. 1t was the dream of Leo XIII to in
crease this to such extent as to render
the papacy absolutely independent Of the
Italian government in all financial matters
With that object in view he inaugurated
at the Vatican an era of the very strictest
economy, which caused CONSERVATION
among the members Of his court. Nearly
SNAA eAiC IOlSSS WCIC SOlO, DIS wen as a num-
Der of the coaches and carriages. while an
army of servants and retainers were dis
missed The pay and perquisites of every
one, from cardinal down to the humblest
servant, were cut down. in some cases by
nearly 30 per cent.
Less exception might have been taken to
t ms py those whose incomes were affected
thereby had it not been for the fact that
the money thus saved was squandered in
otner directions. That is to say, it was
either intrusted to officials who betrayed
their trusts or else was invested in schemes
that eliminated in ruin, with the result
that to-day not only has the fund left bv
Plus TX not been increased, but on the
contrary, it has been reduced to infnitesi-
having unfortunately had the effect of in
duclng him to transfer the principal por-
England to one of those Inflated banks of
this city which have since been overtaken
by disaster. Besides this, the Pope is
through Mgr. Sacheri, who was for a long
time chief secretary of the Holy Conere.
cation of the Index and one of the most in.
age of the Pope
:. Tnen there is Archbishop Folchi uncle of
the painter who eloped with the daughter
OF Don Carlos, ard who not only -soIandered
immense sums of the Peter pence fund in
speculation, but likewise advanced large
sums without the Pontiff's knoWledee to t6e
various members of the old Roman arIs-
tocracy in vain efforts to stave off their
ruin Money too, has been lost, it is said
accorded
Anglo-ROman Bank, founded by the nenhew
OF his Holiness Count Philippe Pechi while
an enormous amount of money has been
sunk In connection with the appalling ugly
ana vulgar looking jubilee church started
by the French Able Brugidon, and which
the Vatican was compelled to completes AT
its own expense in order to avoid scandal
These are only few of the financial mis-
adventures which have characterized the
administration of the moneys of the papacy
ascTlped IN a great measure to the Holy
Fathers placing his confidence in the wrong
Klnd or people and to his readiness to lend
an ear to any plausible and INSCRIPTIONS
adVenturer that came along. Thus he is
known to have lost considerable amount
OF money in connection with the disastrous
Union Generate at Paris, which brought
about the ruin of so many houses of the old
f fae arlstocracy, and the dishonest
curing the Pope's blessing for the enter
prise VpF
1t is in a great measure due to this lack
or proper administration of the papaI
finances that the revenues of the latter have
1allen on to such an extent, and at the time
when Archbishop Folchrs losses became
known some years ago some Of the largest
contributors stopped their annual contribu-
Tons on the ground that their money was
given not foI the benefit of the bankrupt
members of the Roman aristocracy, but for
the use OF the Pope himself and for that
of the church. 9t{ s9e
To-day the revenues yielded by the Peter
pence subscription are not by so per cent
| as large as they were at the beginning of
Leo.s reign, and this, together with the
has been a source of so much worry to the
| POntiff as to seriously affect his health.
! 1t is unlikely that any attempt will he
made to punish the dishonest preate or
| even to force him to refund. This could not
| be done except by means of an appeal on
| the part of the papal authorities to the
| Italian police which would constitute a
recognition of the latters jurisdiction with
| In the precinct of the Vatican, which is
| denied by virtue of the so-called treaty of
| guarantees. 1t is precisely this knowledge
| that under no circumstances will they be
| punished by law and forced to dsgorge their
| plumber that constitutes so great a tempta-
ton to those papal officials ecclesiastics
| and laymen who handle the funds of the
| papacy.