The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-09
MORCAN'S TREASURE
CAUSES A TRAGEDY
Cope of AscoIi Bought by Rich
American Has a Tragic
History
sneciaI Foreign Service

1~ much interested in the marvel.
ously beautiful antique cope which was
to be seen in Pierpont Morgan's art
collection. exhibited at the South Ken
Sington museum in London.
Now | propose to relate the tragedy
which followed the theft and public ex-
hibition of that cope. No sooner was
the precious relic seen in London than
it was recognized as the one stolen two
years ago from the cathedral of AS
coli, Italy. The cope is priceless. 1t
originally belonged to Pope Nicholas
III, and was presented by Nicholas "
to the cathedral Dante speaking of
the former in the Inferno, says: "Sappi
chic fui vestito del gran manto."
The italian police were at once
reused by the news from England, and
following little clues, fastened their
suspicious on two persons, Father Raj
faeIe Castelli, who at the time of the
stealing belonged to the cathedral at
Ascoh, and Enrico Rocchigiani, a pho
tographer of Volterra. The priest was
accused because he seemed to have
been acquiring property which the po-
lice thought he should be too poor to
pay fer.
The Castelli family are exceptionally
united and consist of a married sister,
Don Raffaele, and a younger brother.
One evening, recently, they were all
TRANQUILITY sitting. enjoying the even,
Ing air, when suddenly the tramp,
tramp of an armed squad was heard in
the road. Don Raffaele turned to his
sister laughingly and said: IF one had
something on his conscience how that
sound would make his heart beat and
he had no sooner finished speaking
than eight carabineers, with an officer,
came out of the gloom and stopped at
the gate. They came silently up to
the group and surrounded the young
priest.
You are wanted" they said, 'come
quietly and we will not make a scan
daI"
But Why? Of what am 1 accused"
%'' |-Of knowing more than you ought
about the cope"
The scene that followed was uncom-
monty painful. To be even accused Of
crime is considered mortal disgrace
by the Castelli family. At last the
scafdbineers, and the young priest him
self. cut the scene short as the only
thing to do. and the dungeon door
Neiosed for the first time on Castelli
AS Don Raffaele left he said: Il am
innocent. never believe anything else,
and l will live to prove it. Keep up
heart. and believe in me-" The sister,
in a delicate condition. fell into con-
vulsions and the baby she expected,
with so much happiness, never
breathed
Father Raffaele at first abandoned
himself to despair in his prison cell,
but his religion soon came to his aid
and in the morning he was calmer.
Some days later he was released for
want of sufficient evidence but he is
changed past recognition. An old man
at twenty EIGHT, he feels himself under
a ban, and his only desire is to go
among strangers who do not know. his
story.
Enrico Bocchigiana, the photogra-
pher, had also, like Father Castelli.
been showing too much money. Until
not long ago he could scarcely make a
living, when suddenly-as it seemed
llhe had plenty of means and talked of
marrying. Being enterprising, he
brought out a postcard of the stolen
cope and gained considerably by it.
One fell into the hands of the police,
and a bright officer at once exclaimed:
But how is that! The cope had only
been photographed once before it dis
appeared and this is not a reproduc-
ton of that picture, so the cope must
have been photographed after it was
stolen!"
That night there was joy in police
quarters. while Rocchigiani, unSuspect-
ing, planned his future with his
fiancee. The next evening also found
him engaged in the same pleasant oc-
eupation which was so engrOSSing
that they did not hear a ring at the
front door bell. The courtship was
suddenly interrupted by a gruff voice
saying. Il arrest you in the name of
the law" Enrico jumped as though
shot and the police thinking he was
trying to escape, seized him. where
upon a struggle ensued, while his
fancee tainted.
Signorina Blanca Mascagni, to
whom Rocchigiani was engaged, seems
TO have been a poor spirited creature
and was easy game for the authori-
ties. Where did Enrico so suddenly
get his money!" Did he steal the
Cope" WHO were his accomplices ?''
''Where is Enrico's money!" were the
questions rained down on her until
she was reduced to a jelly with fright.
Don't arrest me, don't arrest me; -
she whimpered. Il know nothing" was
her continual cry, until. hard pressed
she confessed that her lover had given
her $4,000, which was in the bank, a
fact that the police had never sus-
Pected.
. he ran 10
the Jail. and bursting into Rocchigi-
ants cell. cried 1--WE have you now,
how about the $4,000 you handed over
to Signorina Mascagni." With a ges-
ture of despair Rocchigiani hid his
face in his hands, refusing to answer
any questions.
The next morning when the guard
opened the door of the photographers
cell he stumbled against heavy OBJ
ject, which swung out as he touched
1t. The stark form of Rocehigiani
clad only in his night clothes, hung
from q hook over the door, with his
sheet as rope. In his convulsively
closed fingers was a slip of paper, on
which he had laboriously written with
a burnt match, Il am innocent. Search
for the guilty and when you find them
you will not touch them, they are toe
high 1 die because a woman has be-
trayed me-
Thus ends the first chapter VIII
the second tell of Pierpont Morgan's
return of the cope to, the holy fathers
of Ascoli?
An Illustration
Wife - What is meant John by the