Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-12-21
papers that he did not take UP cases
presented to him in that way.
Secret Sncietv Sl1Sne.ctad

Secret Society Suspected.
The authorities of all the northern
counties began to watch for mysterious
strangers in carriages, also for religious
cranks. 1t was finally believed that the
cross smashing was tie work Gf some
new mysterious secret society, working
among the citizens, for in no other way
could the country police explain the
midnight visits of the CroSs-destroyer
and the failure to find any trace OF
stranger in the vicinity.
The country districts were aroused,
but it was not thought that the fanatics
would dare to visit city graveyard
Oconto, however, was the next victim,
and two cemeteries were smashed, dam
age of more than $4,000 being caused.
The same night a cemetery in the west
ern part of the county considerable
distance from 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 wrecking 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 a 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 a 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 a 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 tOmbstOIes and
watched him lift a stone and with
wen-directed blow knock the cross off
a monument as cleanly as though it had
been done with a 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 hal been ravaged SO quietly
that the guards had heard nothing.
The prisoner was taken to Marquette.
where he gave his name as KaZo Kazi.
mir. He said he was a 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-smashing
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 a letter, dated
Nadudyar, Hungary, which revealed the
story of a shattered romance
Kazo KaZimir was the son OF peas
ant, but had determined to become a
priest. His lowly condition proved no
bar to his ambition. He passed his now
tiate and was soon to be ordained. One
day he saw a girl, Maria Kakosvakacz.
His dreams of emirence in the church
faded, and the young priest-to-be made
desperate love to the girl. She repulsed
him. saying he was u 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 a translation:
Renounced by Loved One.
Thou renegade priest. Sooner would
| die than be the woman OF a false man
to his church. Jan Snoyiske will be
my man"
According to letters from Hungary,
received after an investigation of this
note, ka2o became silent after his dis
missal by his sweetheart.
Stunned by churchmen, barred from
his fathers house for his desertion or
IL.