Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-10
A PRIEST GOES WRONG
Father Kelly. of Elk Point.
Elopes With Girl Member
Of His Flock.
Miss Josephine smythe Fell in
Love With the Catholic
Clergyman.
They Met at Sioux City and
We're Discovered in Cali-
fornia Village.

j
daughter of Judge F. w. Smythe. They
fell in love months ago. AT first their
intimacy was SO stealthy that the COM
munity did not know it, but finally It's
sharp eyes saw what was wrong, ana
little later the church authorities sent
Father Kelly away for his health to
little desert parish near Lancaster eai.
Two weeks ago Josie Smythe came 10
Sioux City, ostensibly to visit brother
in the hospital here, but she disappear
ed and no trace of her Whereabouts
were discovered until this week, When
Young woman of her description was 10
Gated in California, living with Father
Kelly az his niece. The investigation
set on foot from Sioux alarmed Father
Kelly. and Wednesday morning at
o'clock he and his niece" disappeared
precipitately, giving teamster all OF
their cottage furniture to get them to
train in time to catch it. They caught
1t, and since then their whereabouts
have been entirely unknown.
Father Kelly loved horsefiesh, ana
some of his animals were fleet enough
roadsters to win purses regularly at
county fair race meetings. Miss Smythe
comes of a very prominent family and
her parents are almost heartbroken oV-
err her disappearance.
Miss Smythe is described as girl OF
attractive appearance. altho she Is not
to be called beautiful. Kelly is said to
be as years of age, altho he looks TO be
older. He is a man of medium height
and heavy set The girl is of medium
height.
The girl foremrly sang in the choir at
Father Kelly's church. She was known
to be very religious. Sometimes she
went to communion, 1t is said, as often
as once a week.
1t is told at Elk Point that on one
occasion the housekeeper for Father
Kelly discovered him hugging Miss
Smythe. He had been celebrating mass
and had not had his breakfast, and
vexed at his delay in coming to his
morning meal, the housekeeper burst
unexpectedly into one of the rooms. it
is said, and found the two making love.
Another story which seems to have
emanated from the housekeeper is that
Kelly on one occasion told her she
could go out and make any calls she
might desire to make. He would like to
have the house between the hours of .
O'Clock and 4 o'clock. The suspicious
housekeeper went out, but returned be-
fore 4 o'clock and took her place in
house across the street. She sakw the
Smythe girl leave Kellys house.
1t is stated that Judge Smythe OBJ
jected strenuously to his daughters as
sociating with Father Kelly, and he
gave her strict orders to cut off her
visits. In spite of the fathers protests
the two managed to meet at different
places.
Because of the talk which had been
so common before the mysterious dis
appearance of the girl, it was quite nat
ural that ssupicion should attach to
Father Kelly, altho many people of Elk
Point. both Catholics and non-Catho-
lies, have refused to believe he knows
anything about the whereabouts of the
girl.
Father Kelly succeeded Rev. John
Hogan as pastor of the Catholic church
at Elk Point. His parish is considered
to be very fine one. He has gener-
Gus congregation, most of whom We're
much attached to him until the scan
dalous stories came into circulation.
The people built him fine house and
equipped it with modern Improvements.
Recently the remark has often been
passed that he had too much of
"snap''-that he might have been a
better priest If he had had more work
to do.
The family of F. w. Smythe, the
girls father, is highly respected. There
are thirteen members of the family, all
boys but Miss Josie and crippled
have been quite distracted over the dis
appearance of their daughter, and their
distraction has been intensified by the
ugly stories which have been afloat
since her departure.
Since his daughters disappearance,
Judge Smythe has steadfastly refused
to discuss the matter for publication.
Father Kelly was transferred from
Tyndall, S. D., to Elk Point, S. D.,
about six years ago.
Father Kelly is a great admrer of
fast horses, and has a special fondness
for speedy PAGES. He has many friends
among the horsemen in this city, and
during his visits here he often found
much pleasure in gossipng about the
roadsters and track horses.
Several years ago Father Kelly
owned the speedy little side Wheeler
Maggie Lee, and another PAGER known
as Allie Nothing afforded him more
pleasuy than a whirl over the roads
benin one of these horses. He was
much attached tP Maggie Lee, and be-
lieved she was capable of much speed.
He finally decided to develop her.
EARLY mornings he would hook her to
bike. and could be seen on the Elk
Point race track giving her work out.
His parishioners took exceptions to
this, and Father Kelly finally disposed
of his fast animals. But he still loves
good horse and is thoroughly posted
on the sport
1t was understood that Father Kelly
was in California only temporarily.
The current issue of the Elk Point
Leader says: Rev. Father b. j. Kelly,
of Elk Joint, Will be home from Cali
fornia Sunday or Monday"
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STATE LOSES THE FEE.