The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-22
A GOLDEN SNUFF BOX
HANDSOME RELIC OWNED By EPIs-
COPAL DIOCESE.


At a meeting of the Standing Com
mittee of the Episcopal Church. diocese
of Alabama. held in Birmingham yes
terday the President OF the Committee
Rev. Stewart Mcqueen of Montgomery
was authorized to sell a very hand.
some solid gold snuffbox bequeathed Il
the diocese by Mrs. Letitia Z. Moore OF
Huntsville
Montgomery members of the Stand
ing Committee returned home las,
night having spent the day in Birm-
ingham.
The meeting of the committee was
held in the chapter house of the Church
of the Advent. Those present were
Rev. Stewart Mcqueen and Major w.
w Screws of Montgomery. Rev. T. J.
Beard and Mr.. r. H. Pearson of Birm-
ingham.
Consent was given by the committee
for the conservation of Rev. Robert
Strange, d. D.. as Bishop coadjutor OF
the diocese of Eastern North Carolina
and some other routine business was
| transacted.
| The gold snuffbox bequeathed to the
diacese of Alabama by Mrs. Moore some
years ago has an interesting history
| 1t was once the property of Pope Plus,
TX, the predecessor of Pope Leo, XIII.
1t is believed to have been purchased
by Mrs. Moore while travelling abroad
At the last session of the Episcopal
Council of Alabama the disposal of the
snuffbox was left with the Standing
Committee, the proceeds to be. used
for educational or missionary purposes
The snuffbox is very handsome and
artistic. its intrinsic value being more
than $1,000.
The history of the box which accom-
panfes II is in Italian of which the fol-
lowing is a translation:
The box was originally given by
Napoleon to a person of high rank,
thought to be the cardinal archbishop
of Paris; after long time 1t was sold,
and the name of the person to whom
Napoleon gave 1t was taken of.
The box was bougn, by Pope Plus
the Ninth. for 5,375 francs and pre-
sented by him to Prince Massimo, ia
Their of the present prince. This box
was highly appreciated by Prince Mas
simo as of great artistic value, and
kept by him and showed on all occa-
sions, as rare and curious work of
art. At his death his son inherited an
immense fortune. and 5000, 600 francs
in gold Although a married man wIeA
three daughters and a man of so years
of age, this son of the old prince to
whom the Pope gave the box, con-
tracted the relationship of wife with
a woman, on whom he spent not only
the three millions in money which ..e
had inherited but part of the family
jewels, and several landed estates.
Then the box was put in a bank or
pawn brokers' shop for $50 francs to
be forfeited IL the $50 francs was not
paid. 1t was not paid, and the box
was sold to Mr.. Herbert at Hotel Cas-
tanza, an American. for 500 francs
This gentleman bought 1t to present
to Cardinal Sanfelice, on the occasion
when the Pope Leo XIII nominated
him for cardinal, but having seen that
other persons had presented to the
Cardinal snuff boxes, and although his
box was superior to the others. he fell
a delicacy in presenting 1t. and gave
instead a ring set With diamond and
sapphires, and having no use for the
box, consented to sell 1t at the price
he gave, viz. 500 francs"
Mrs. Moore also bequeathed sum
of money to the Episcopal Church to
be used for the relief of Confederate
veterans. 1t has already been expend-
ed in building the John E. Moore
Memorial Home" at Mountain creen
and the home and lie ground on which
1t is located is decided to the Episcopal
Church of Alabama