The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-12-22


distance from a railroad, was visited.
This seemed to destroy the theory that
one fanatic was doing the dork.
Reward Offered for Capture.
After the Oconto visit the number OF
cemeteries ravaged increased rapidly.
In two weeks a dozen had been left
wrecked. The cross-smashing epidemic
spread north into Michigan. One night
at Escsanaba the cross-smasher, not sat-
isfied with wreckipg the stone monu-
ments, piled all the wooden crosses into
a pile, and % graves were left with no
mark at all, no record to show who was
inferred there. The Catholic societies
offered rewards, but in vain.
Bishop Fox, of the Catholic diocese OF
Green Bay, declared the feeling of his
people was such that there would GER
tainly be lynching when the fanatic
should be captured. In all this time no
Protestant cemetery was touched.
Suspect Taken.
Some days after the Escanaba episode,
Gladstone, to the north, was visited.
The same night suspect was captured
at Escanaba, and though his patched
shoes fitted the impression left in the
Escanaba cemetery, he was able to show
that he had reached Escanaba from the
south the day of his arrest.
He talked nationally and was released.
Three hours after his release a ceme-
terry to the west of the city was raided.
If the suspect did the work he had just
been able to catch a train to get to the
country graveyard to smash the crosses
and return, with only few minutes to
spare. The Escanaba police thought
this was evidence that two or more were
at work.
Caught in the Act.
The next night the Ishpeming ceme-
terry was visited. The following night
at Negaunee men on guard saw man
lurking among the tombstones and
watched him lift stone and with q
well-directed blow knock the cross of
monument as cleanly as though it had
been done with chisel.
The man was the one who had been
arrested and released at Escanaba.
Every graveyard in northern Michigan
and Wisconsin had been under guard,
but some had been ravaged so quietly
that the guards had heard nothing.
The prisoner was taken to Marquette,
where he gave his name as Kazo Kali
mir. He said he was stonecutter, and
his behavior indicated that he was in
sane. The authorities had been so puz-
zled by the manner in which he had ap-
peared, as though by magic, at widely
distant points, that it was thought i'm
possible he had done the work alone.
Two months have passed, however, and
there has been no more cross-smashlng.
Reveals Story While Hypnotized.
During this two months the police
have vainly endeavored to learn some
thing of his former life. Their efforts
were in vain until a specialist hypno-
tized the man, and he dug up from a
big old pipe which he continually car
ried time-worn scrap of letter, dated
Nadudyar, Hungary, which revealed the
story of shattered romance.
Kazo Kazimir was the son Of a peas
ant, but had determined to become q
priest. His lowly condition proved no
bar to his ambition. He passed his novi-
tate and was soon to be ordained. One
day he saw girl, Maria Kakosvakacz.
His dreams of eminence in the church
faded, and the young priest-to-be made
desperate love to the girl. She repulsed
him, saying he was d disgrace to the
church. Thereupon he renounced his
vows, declared his intention of becom-
ing a doctor and again sought the girl.
She avoided him, and he wrote note
asking her to meet him. The letter
found in his pipe was her reply, OF which
this is translation:
Renowned by Loved One.
Thou renegade priest. Sooner would
l die than be the woman Of false man
to his church. Jan Snoviske will be
my man."
According to letters from Hungary,
received after an investigation of this
note, Kazo became silent after his dis
missal by his sweetheart.
Stunned by churchmen, barred from
his fathers house for his desertion OF
the church, he became respondent and
secured work as stonecutter. He sell
dom spoke to his associates, by whom
he was little liked, and finally came to
America.
He worked in the Pennsylvania min
ing districts, but his taciturnity pre-
vented him from making friends. He
learned little English, but what he did
say was in denunciation of the church
which he had come to blame for his
troubles.
His insanity finally took the form OF
an attack on the crosses in cemeteries
and with the entire loss Of his SANITY
came the devilish shrewdness by which
he calculated to a nicely how to dodge
on freight train, hide under the cars
on the bumpers, anywhere; reach a vii.
lage at night, smash the crosses in the
cemetery and escape without having
been seen by soul.
His case is believed to be incurable
and he will probably spend the rest OF
his days in an asylum, while trail OF
broken tombstones marks the gruesons
nath nt his insanity.