The sun., 1903-11-17
HELD:,CAPTIYE, PRIEST SAYS.
PUT IN A WAGON, CHLOROFORMED
ND.STRIPPED IN A CELLAR.
ChIoroformed Again and Taken to Slst
st.. Where He Was Found In Dazed Con-
dition--AbductOrs Three at First. but
Nine In Gang-Watch and S25O Cone

H.
dition---Abductor Three at First out
Nine In Gans-Watch and S27o Gone
The Rev. Giuseppe Cirringione. the young
Italian priest of the Church of the lmmacu-
late Conception in Williamsbridge. who
has been missing since last Friday evening
turned zip yesterday as strangely as ne
had disappeared. He was found hall
dazed and wandering in tho street at the
corner Of First avenue and Fhty-hrst
street. 49,, -.
He was taken to the East Fifty-frst street
station, where he told in a disconnected
way Of having been kidnapped Friday
evening, chloroformed and imprisoned in
q cellar somewhere. where his captors
threatened to kill him if he did not give
them $4,000 the amount OF the loan nc
had negotiated for the church. he saio
they did take s27O, chloroformsd him again
and took him in wagon to near the place
where he was found, where they released
him.
His story was such remarkable one
that the police at first put 1t down as
fancy of a disordered mind. Later, when
he went over his story to detectives az
st. Vincent's Hospital, they admitted that
his story might possibly be true and said
they would make every endeavor 10 cor
roborate it.
Father Cirringione told the story to
Fathers Hughes and McMackin OF the Ca
thedral. They said yesterday that they
were inclined to believe the young priest
story, but that judgment should not be
passed upon it, they thought, until he had
had a chance to become calmer, as his con-
dition clearly showed that he was suffering
from great nervous strain.
On account Of the scepticisrn which the
police manifested earlier in the day re-
eaJding the story, at the solicitation OF
Father Cirringione's friend, Civil Justice
Roesch, who is firm believer in the priests
sincerity, the authorities at st. Vincents
Hospital decided last evening to allow
three newspaper men to hear Father Cir
ringione's story from his own lips Here
IL his story as he told it, propped updn bed.
to Sun reporter:
PRIESTS OWN STORY OF ABDUCTION.
Il have been making every effort to build
the church in Willamsbridge, and on Oct.
20, at the laying of the cornerstone by
Archbishop Farley, I announced to the
crowd that was present that had arranged
to make a loan Of SIS. 900. Two days after
made that announcement I got the first
threatening letter, which I tore up, after
showing 1t to the other priests. 1t pur-
ported to be a demand from nine working
men for $500.
1T occurred to me then that possibly
nv announcement concerning the loan
had prompted this, but did not think
seriously about the matter until got the
second letter, on Oct. 81. became worried
then, and I went to the police station and
spoke to the sergeant about IT. he said
be would send the Captain to see me, but
the Captain did not come. That letter
received on Saturday.
THE following Wednesday, the day men
toned In all the letters when wss re-
uuired to deliver money to the men who
threatened me, heard q loise at my bed
room window at 3 o'clock In the morning
Il was as though some one was trying to
ret In. I became worried after that and
bought q large revolver.
Last Wednesday I received third letter.
It rot me very excited. II was a special
delivery letter and, although It was mailed
at 4 o'clock in Bedford Park, It did not reach
me until the next morning. When got
It / went again to the police, but that was
not the nrst time, as Capt. Foody says, as
I had been once before.
1T Ia also untrue that when the captain
and his detectives saw me afterward did
not want to give up the letters or write for
them. i said tha. wanted to make copies
OF the letters before they took them away,
and they would not lot me. The police
told me not to be afraid and that they would
protect me. Capt. Foody told me that the
only thing-te do was to wait until another
letter came Then, he said, the police
would. 90 with me 10 whatever place was
mentioned. 60.
4 tried to reassure myself but ! could
not. was anxious every day. and asked
everybody to pray for me. Each letter
had mentioned o'clock at night as the
hour ] was to meet the men. and at that
time every night could not help but feel
wrought up,
Friday went up to Williamsbridge to
keep the appointment I had made with
the captain. After he left wrote seven
letters and had them mailed. l played
cards for a short time then, but became so
nervous that told the others to play, and
paosd up and down the hall. 1t was the
OTBt Dl&IN i Ilhu bPeIN dl w NlhihihnpIiusS
since had received the last letter. About
7 O'Clock q knock came at the door l
found outside man with beard, sandy
complexion and OF average height,
BOY MJoHT coRRoBoRATE STORY.
s'You must be glad now. Father Joe.
he said, swe have the man, and the captain,
who was just hero, wants you to come to
the station house. ! went back, told the
others where was going and went with
the man. A little way along we met sec-
ond man. At the corner Of First street and
Fourth avenue, up which we turned, I
passed a ten year old boy. who said, Good
evening, father If that boy is found, he
will oorroborate my story.
"Two blocks up Fourth avenue we came
to covered wagon, like a bakers wagon.
There was a man bound inside that they
said was the prisoner. They said we were
all going to the station house. asked why
they did not 60 on White Plains avenue.
the main street. and they said 1t was be-
cause 1t was too torn up.
Then they asked me to show them the
revoiver / had bought. still thought
they were detectives with a prisoner, as
they all spoke English. and were not Italian.