Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-17
WAS KIDNAPPED.
Rev. Fr.. Cirrigione Found
Wandering in the Streets.
|. Hysterical and De|irious and Tells
Broken Story Of Su8erings.
Kidnapped by Four italians and Barely
Escaped Alive.

Joseph Cirigone, rector OF the 1tailan
church of the Immaculate Conception
in Williamsbridge, n suburb Of this city,
who disappeared from his home under
mysterious circumstances. last Friday
night, has been found. He was discoY-
cred by policeman in East 5lst street,
,.iving wildly in Italian and is now in
a hospital. :.
Fr. Cirrigone had incurred the ennli-
ty Of Italians about Williannsbridge. by
a crusade against vice. He received
several threatening letters and had re-
ported the matter to the police VINO
were endeavoring to locate the writers.
Late Friday night, two men called upon
him and representing themselves as
policemen. asked him to accompany
them to the station house. He did not
return and It was believed he had been
carried off by agents of an Italian Sc
cret society,"
A police man found the priest early
Monday. SHOUTING wildly.
When found FIR Cirrigione fell eX-
hausted into the arms Of Policeman JOS
Cooke OF tine East 51st street station,
crying OUT
They have robbed me; and they will
kill me. they will kill me-
Over and over again he repeated this
cry. For two hours or more the police
were unable to get any further infor-
nation from him as to where. he had
been and what had befallen him since
he left his home about o'clock, Fri
day evening.
DIR. LOiseaux made q hurried eXami-
nation Of the priests physical condition
lie found that on his wrists We're two
red marks, similar to those that would
have been made had the priests wrists
been bound with q rope. These when
the man first was found appeared very
red and deep but within a few hours
had almost entirely disappeared.
Under the influence of soothing
drugs given by the ambulance surgeon.
Fr. Cirrigione became calmer and was
able to tell something of his story. He
said that he had been robbed by two
men who had gone to his home. Friday
night. and whom he had accompanied,
believing them to be detectives.
They took ne to the ocean," he said,
but beyond that they could get little in
detail Of where he had been.
He said that when but a few steps;
IIoIIi Tic uOOI I'll Ills OWN HoIlt Tie w u
men grasped him, one holding his arms
behind him while the other thrust over
his nostrils n handkerchief or cloth of
some kind saturated with Il pungent
liquid. Then he says he lost conscious
ness and the next thing he knew was
when he found himself in dark and
dismal cellar" with his wrists. bound.
AS the priest reached this point in
his narrative he again became hysteri-
cal and tried to jump from the stretch
er on which he was lying.
Il did not know them" he cried but
would know them now 1 never can
forget their awful faces and that ter
rible place they took me to. They have
robbed me, and | fe1. thcy viii kill
mo-"
Becoming quiet again for few min
utes. the priest said that he had been
freed but few minutes before he had
been found by Policeman Cooke. Cues
toned closely by Sergeant Mulcahy, he
s2id lie thought he had been in the
street about Is minutes when found.
He said he had been led blindfolded
into the street and then the bandage
over his eyes was removed and he had
been given Il push.
Soon after Fr. Cirrigione was quiz
eted. Archbishop Farley. FIR. Lavello
and FIR. Hughes and FIR. Ferranti, the
latter of whom is n personal friend of
FIR. Cirrigfone. were notified. FIR.
Hughes and Tr. Ferranti went to the
station house and were taken into the
back room. AS they entered FIR. Cir
rlR1ona started up from the stretcher
md lS1lJ Ii
crying out: PRAY for me. for fear for
my life" When Fl. Cirriglone left
his house. Friday evening last. he had
n handsome ebony cane gold mounted.
Il valuable watch and chain and some
money. When found, Monday, all were
gone.
When FIR. Cirringione had told his
story and had been questioned by the
police at some length he became more
hysterical and on the advice of the po-
lice surgeon he was taken to st. Vim
cents hospital.
Friends and relatives and Justice
RoeGch. who had long interview with
the priest at the hospital believe the
story OF the priest, but the police are
awaiting further developments before
taking any action.
According to the story told Justice
Roesch by FIR. Cirrigione. there were
four men in the gang who abducted
him. Only one was an Italian. One Of
the men was very rough to him and in
sisted that he be killed. He said that
he heard the men say on Saturday that
the papers We're filled with the story of
his abduction and this man again in
sisted that he be killed. The others OBJ
jected and managed to get this man
intoxicated and the priests life was
saved.
When Capt. Foody of the Wakefield
station learned that the priest was
found he said:
1T simply bears out what have said
all along; that the man had worried
over financial troubles and simply wan
dered away. Any story that he may
tell about being Kidnapped is all non
sense. 1t would be impossible for any
one to kidnap the priest at that hour in
the night, as the Italians in that neigh
bOrhoOd would kill the kidnappers.
Carmine Ciopolta, a Williamsbridge
contractor, filed a mechanics lien for
$500, Monday, against FIR. Cirringione,
&c ,.octor NJ, the churcb r,ronarfv Will