The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-04
Priests Hiding Places.

A recent book entitled Secret Chamb-
ers and Hiding Places" gives an account
of Nicholas owen. builder OF places Of
concealmeDi for Catholic priests IN Eng
hsh houses during the persecution. with
incomparable skill says an authority,
he knew how To conduct priests to
place OF safety along subterranean pas
ssges, tor hide them between walls and
bury them IN mpenetrable recesses and
To entangle them in labyrinths and a
thousand wndings But what was much
more difficult of accomplishment. he 50
disguised the entrances 10 these as 20
make them most unike what they really
We're. Moreover. he kept these places 50
close secret with himself that he would
never disclose 10 another the place OF
concealment Of any Catholic.
''He alone was both their architect and
their builder. working at them with in
eXhaustible Industry and labor. for gem
orally the thickest walls had 10 be broken
INTO ana large stones eXcaNated. requlr-
ing stronger arms than were attached TO
body so diminutive as To give him the
nickname of Little John. and by his skill
many priests were preserved from the
prey OF prosecutors. Nor Is VI easy TO
find any one who had not often been in
debted for his life to owens hiding
places
How effectuslly Little Johns" peculiar
ingenuity baffled the exhaustive research
e. OF the "pursuiVants,' or "priest-hunt-
tfSt mas peen SHOWN pN contemporary
accounts of the researches that took place
frequently in suspected houses. Father
Gerard. I'm his autobiography has handed
down many curious details OF the mode
Of procedure on these occs sions-how the
search party would bring with them
skilled carpenters and masons and try
every possible expedient from systematic
measurements and soundings to bodily
tearing down the paneling and pulling up
the floors IL was not an uncommon thing
for a rigid search 10 last "A fortnight and
for the "pursuvants' 10 go away empty
handed. while perhaps the object OF the
search was hidden the whole time within
a walls thickness of his pursuers, half
starved. cramped and sore with pro
ionged confinement. and almost afraid 10
breathe lest the least sound should throw
suspicion upon the particular spot where
ht lay immured
After the discovery OF the gunpowder
plot Little John" and his master. Father
Garnet. were arrested In lindlip Hall
Worcestershire. from informa tion given
10 the government by Catesbys servant,
Bates. Cecil who was well aware or
owens skill in. constructing hiding places;
wrote exultingly. Great JOY was caused
all through the kingdom by the arrest of
owen, knowing his skill in constructing
hiding places, and the innumera bile num-
her Of these dark places which he had
schemed for hiding priests throughout the
kingdom" lie hoped that great booty
OF priests" might he taken I'm conse-
ouence Of the secrets owen would be
made TO reveal and directed that first he
should "be coaxed II he be Willing 10
contract for his life" but that the Sc
cret IL 10 he wrung from him" The hor-
rors OF the rack, however failed in its
purpose His terrible death is thus
briefly recorded hy the governor Of the
tower at that time: The man Is dead;
he died i'm our hands Chicago News.