New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-15
SCOUTS KIDNAPPING.



i'm a few hours"
wanted To compa - the handwriting. The priest
Captain Foody alleges said he was too nervous
tn write and so the captain could not get his
signature.
Father Cirringione was at the williamsbridge
station at 6 O'Clock on Friday night. He was
warned by Captain Foody not to leave the
house under any consideration, matter who
called and summoned him out. Throughout the
priest seemed greatly worried. Captain Foody
scouts the story told by Joseph Penn. the sex
ton of the church. that two men called at the
house and brands 1T as false. He said that he
told the pastor to be in readiness to accompany
him to Police Headquarters tomorrow morning
and tell the complete story to inspector NC
Clusky of the Detective Bureau.
Captain Foody says that he has learned
Father Cirringione borrowed $500 from Antonio
Pasquale, the contractor who is erecting the
new church. and $1,5O0 from a loan company.
Not cent, he declares, has been paid on the
new church.
Civil Justice George F. Roesch went to Will
iamsbridge yesterday from the office OF the miss
ing priests lawyer Max Keve. Mr.. Keve's part
ner. Anthony Gullota. Justice Roesch says, re-
eeived a letter from Father Cirringione yester-
day morning which was mailed about o'clock
Friday night. In 1t the pastor said that he
would be unable TO keep his appointment for
Yesterday with Gullota. as he was In great
trouble. He said however, If he found it impos-
sible to call he would telephone
The missing priest also wrote a letter to
Mirag Clio a contractor, which was received yes
terday morning To him the priest wrote that
he would be at his office at o'clock this af-
ternoon, adding, IF God spares my life"
About year ago the Italians of Williams
bridge asked that church be organized among
them, and Father Cirringione was sent there.
He succeeded in his undertaking. and on &C.
tober p of this year Archbishop Farley.
sisted by numerous prelates, laid the corner
stone of what is supposed to be the most beau
tiful church above the Harlem River.
The threatening letters began to reach Father
Cirringione he said, two days later, and were
Immediately turned over to Captain Foody. The
first letter read in part:
We are nine workingmen with nine families 10
support. We out of work, and our families
are starving. You are priest with no family ana
are young and prosp, rous
The letter then went to tell the priest to
walk to Bronx Park, which is three miles away,
land at the end of the three miles you will meet
a masked man, to whom you will give $1,000.
II you do not do will kidnap you, ana you
know the consequences"
The letter signed with the initials "A. B.
c." It was poorly written, but the words were
spelled correctly. Father CirringriOne consulted
with his curates and advisers in the church, and
gave the letter to Captain Foody, who set his
men at work on October 81 Father Cirringione
received another letter. This letter said
We have waited for you to hand over that
another trial We must have that money by Sat
urday at O'Clock, We will kill you on the spot
The letter was signed. as the previous one
had been, with the initials "A. b. c., and had
evidently been written by two OF three persons.
each of whom endeavored to disguise his or her
handwriting. This letter was also turned over
to Captain Foody
Last Monday a third letter was received. This
came by special delivery, and said in part:
Now we are mad and we will kill you unless you
pay $1,000 before o'clock Friday.
Father Cirringione handed this letter. as he
had the previous ones, to Captain Foody. whose
detectives still at work trying to find the
writer writer's
On Thursday Father Cirringione visited the
home of his parents and sisters. at Eighth-ave
and Seventeenth-st. He did not tell them of the
threatening letters but mentioned them to Mrs
Maud Alden, who lived with the family. Mrs.
Alden was a parishioner OF Father Cirringione
when he was attached to the Bedford Park
Church, and at the priests request she. with her
baby. went TO live with his parents. because
they could not speak the English language.
Father Cirringione remained at the home of
his parents until Friday noon when he started
for Williamsbridg He had engagement to
meet Captain Foody on Friday night.
About 10 o'clock on Friday night Father An
thony. another priest and Penn, the sexton.
went to the Wakefield police station, and told
Captain FOody that Father CirringiOne had dis
appeared after two men had called him from
the rectOry. Their story was that at about 4
o'clock while they and the priest playing
an he was
answered by a servant. Two men were on the
stoop. They told the servant that Father Cir
rngfone was wanted at the police station by
Captain Foody; that man had been arrested.
and that the captain wanted to the priest
about him. Father Cirrirngione at once left the
house with the two men, who had said they were
police officers
The police reserves were turned out, and they
were Joined by several hundred residents of the
Williamsbrdge district, all of whom COM
municants of the Italian church. The party
spent the entire night in hunting for the priest.
but trace Of him found.
Recently the missing priest received 81, 500
toward the erection of the new church.
The letter received November covered
eleven lines of a sheet of paper. every line
of which was written in a different style. The
first line was wavy and shaky, the second
slanted to the right. the third to the left. the
fourth printed, the fifth was printed in
large letters, and so on. Penn said that Father
Cirringione was pacing up and down the hall
and appeared to be laborng under some nervous
strain. while Fathers Orlando Marchisi and
Anthony were playing cards, when knock
came at the door. The pastor answered it
and when he returned to the room where the
curates were playing he said that Captain
Foody had sent two officers to have him to go
the station Father Anthony offered TO ac-
company him, but the pastor said there was
no need for 1t. as the two detectives would be
protection enough
Father Anthony said that the missing priest
had little, If any. money. Every cent belonging
to the church had been accounted for and there
was not the slightest discrepancy In the priests
accounts.