The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-02
PRISONERS IN NUNS DRESS.
uOHEy ARRESTED AS IMPOSTORS
NAN TAKEN WITH THEM.
Cathedral Clergyman wrote to Naples
About Them and Informed the Au.
,horities That They Are Not sisters
or the Perpetual Alteration Order.


Two womon, one young and the other
middle aged, dressed in tho garb OF nuns
were arrested yesterday afternoon by Chief
Mendicancy Officer James Forbes Of the
Charity Organization Society, charged
with violating section 5e7 of the Penal Code
rb,ch makes i. felony to collect money
On the false pretense that it is collected
for charitable or benevolent purpose.
Forbes alleges that the women, posing as
Sisters of the Order Of Perpetual Alteration
are not connected with any order.
The arrests were made on warrants is
sued Yesterday by Magistrate McAvoy
in the Morrisana police court. The prison.
ers describe themselves as Mary Adele, 2s
wears old and Mary Agnes, SO years old.
They were arrested at 400 Fast Twenty-ninth
street where also was living Hugo Germais,
"a wears old, who represented himself as the
brother of Mary Adele. The man was
arrested too. charged with being an ac-
complice Of the women. Mr.. Forbes de-
clares that Ge.mais Is not related to them.
The three prisoners were locked up last
night in the East Thirty-fifth street station.
They will be arraigned before Magistrate
NcAvoy this morning.
Nearly year ago the actions Of the two
women were brought to the attention of
the Rev. DR.. Gherardo Ferrante Of st.
Patricks Cathedral, who looks after many
Italian cases. Toe women at the time
we're representing that they were men,
hers Of the Order of Perpetual Alteration,
and that they had been expelled from Italy
on account of religious troubles there.
DR.. Ferrante wrote to the Cardinal Arch
bishop Of Naples The Cardinal caus ed
an investi CATION to be made and later re-
ported to DR.. Ferrante that the women
we're undoubtedly impostors.
Dr. Ferrante sent for the women. They
admitted to him their wrongdoing. He
gave them week to get out of the country
or az an alternative to be arrested. They
decided to get out.
That was the last heard Of the women
until about month ago. The Charity
Organization society had been informed
Of the case by DR.. Ferrante and had kept
an eve out for the women. Nearly a month
ago the Society learned that the women
were again collecting money. Agent Van
zand was detailed to investigate.
vanZand has been following the women
for several days. 1t was their practise,
he reported to go into store or saloon
dressed as nuns and hold out their hands
for aims. If any one asked for informa-
ton before contribution one of the women
would shake her head and say:
mo understan'; Italiano.'
II by chance the women we're addressed
in Italian they declared that they were
French or Of some other nationality. Yes
terday yanZand followed them about The
Bronx. When he decided that he had suf-
foient evidence he sent for Mr.. Forbes and
the warrant was secured.
We had to go very slowly in the case"
said Mr.. Forbes last night I'm such
matter it would never do to make a mis-
take. We have an excellent case"
Anna Cemenallo, who keeps the house
In which the prisoners lived. said last night
that the three have lived on the top floor
for about a year. Marie Agnes posed
ma the aunt of the young man and the
young woman. All went out together, she
said, about 10 o'clock every morning and
returned about s. The two women were
always dressed like sisters OF charity.
They said that they were collecting money
for an Italian church. They paid their
rent regularly in advance. Every time
they paid they said they were going to
move, but they didn't move.