The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-19
100000 IS SUDDENLY
ADDED TO THE WEALTH
OF THE VATICAN At ROME
Pope Leo's Missing Riches Laid at
the Feet of Plus X by Car
dinal Gotti
AN AMAZING STATEMENT
Money Was Confded to Gotti by
the Late Pope to Be Kept
Four Months.
HOLE IN WALL AS BANK
Nearly 100000 of the Great
Sum Was Discovered by an
Electrician.
AN AMAZING STATEMENT
HOLE IN WALL AS BANK

ROME, Dec. 1S.-According to the Tri-
buna, the Vatican had sudden wealth
poured into its Golfers to-day. For some
time certain sums which were known to be
possessed by Pope Leo were looked for
without result. the search toward the end
becoming somewhat feverish.
Cardinal Gotti, Prefect of the Propagan-
da accompanied by Mgr. Marzolini, one of
the late Popes secretaries, drove up TO the
Vatican to-day and getting out hurriedly
began tugging at a heavy object in the
carriage. Assistance was offered, but it
was refused and Cardinal Gotti and Mgr.
Marzolini between them carried the myste-
rious object to the apartment of Pope Plus.
They were Immediately admitted and re-
mained for two hours. Intense curiosity
was aroused by this act as 1t was believed
to have some relation to the missing
wealth, and the widest rumors were cir
culated. 1t soon became known, however,
that the bag contained 100000 in bank
notes.
LAID AT THE POPE'S FEET.
When Cardinal Gotti entered the presence
of the Pope he sank to his knees and, point
ing to his burden, said: Your Holiness,
the lamented Leo, just before his death,
confded to me the money now lay at your
feet saying that If I succeeded him 1 was
to use Ii as i thought best, but that if an
other took his place 1 was to turn the
money over to him after period of four
months had elapsed This L now do in the
presence of Mgr. Marzolini. who has been
the only other person to share the secret"
The Pope was much affected.
The Tribuna goes on to relate that just
the papal apartments an electrician, while
removing the hangings in the late Pope
Leos chamber, in order to get at the cleo
trio light wires. found In hole in the wall
several bags which were carelessly tied.
These bags. when opened, were found to
contain 81, $4,000.
WAS LEO'S FRIEND.
While Cardinal Gottis statement is re-
garded as amazing, il is not surprising that
the late Pope Leo made him the custodian
of his wealth, for warm friendship existed
between the cardinal and the dead Pontiff.
In some respects their early careers were
similar. Girolamo Gotti was born at Genoa
March 29, 1894 He is the of poor
but honest man, who went to Genoa in
search of work and was employed there as
a quay porter, humble, but sometimes
sufficiently lucrative occupation. GOtti
studied in the Jesuit College and afterwards
assumed the habit of the barefooted Car
melites. After having entered, while still
young. the Carmelite order. Gotti soon won
the affection and admiration of all about
him. At the age of twenty-five he was
reader of philosophy in the Carmelte con-
vent of Loano; in 1862 he was appointed
professor of navigation in the preparatory
naval college, where among his pupils were
the furture admrals. Acton Saint Bon and
De Alberto, and two future ministers of
the marine, the two above mentioned ad-
mirals. In 1868 Plus TX nominated him
1871 he was elected procurator general of the
Carmelites. and ten years later he became
general of the same order. Later he became
member of the Congregation of the Regu-
lar Bishops. doctor of the College of ST.
Thomas Acquinas and consultor of the
Propaganda Eide.
SENT TO BRAZIL.
On March S, 1892, Leo XIII nominated
Gotti titular archbishop of Petra, and on
May is of the same year sent him to Brazil
on a special mission. with the title of inter-
nuncio and envoy extraordinary. 1t is
known that the Holy See had at that time
serious differences with Brazil, and Mgr.
Spolverino mad been recalled to Rome and
was substituted by Macchi, who did not
succeed in settling the points at issue, while
Gotti was more successful. Some declare
that Gotti did not distinguish himself in
this mission. He became cardinal in Octo-
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