The Washington times., 1906-01-31
ENDLESS CHAIN
PRAYER Is HERE
Contains GruesOme Sugges-
tiOns and Sinister Hints.
DIRECTED TO CATHOLICS
Circumstances Have Excited Both Clergy
and Laity in Several Of
me Parishes.

After having mystihed, annoyed, and
even terrorized. in many cases. the citi-
gems OF Chicago and New York BY flood
ing those cities with letters containing
what has L cen termed an endless chain
prayer" the mysterious epidemic has
now struck Washington.
SO great is the terror INSPIRED by these
letters that in New York city father NJ
y. Lavelle. Of So. Patrick Cathedral.
went so far as 10 call upon the district
attorney and ask his aid in running
down the person or persons responsible
for the missives-
Appearance in Washington.
The first appearance of the endless
chain prayer in this city came about
two or three days ago in Holy Trinity
parish
The recipients. upon receiving the
prayers, Immediately reported the mat
ter TO the heads Of the parish. While
they were cautioned to pay no attention
whatever TO the epistles, so great is the
fear inspired by their sinister wording
that all who read them become terror
stricken.
In Other Parishes.
In the last two days many Catholic
in this city who do not belong IN Holy
trinity parish. have received copies OF
the prayer. This Is thought by many 70
indicate that instead Of being on the
wane the mysterious affair is daily
growing in magnitude.
The substance of the prayer lies in
the fact that the receiver is directed to
recite and write the prayer once each
day for nine successive days, at the
end of which time a great favor Will be
bestowed. Not only are the recipients
asked 10 do this, put each Of the nine
days they must after having recited and
written the prayer give the copy they
have written TO some other person This
has gained the title Of endless chain
prayer" The wording of the prayer it
self is not very extraordinary, being
merely a plea 10 God to have mercy on
the one praying
After fun directions have been given
for saying the prayex NUM- sr OF de-
lfghtfuIly mysterious hints aN thrown
out as TO the fate OF the one FhO may
be so bold IS 10 fall to carry. out the
instructions. 1t speaks in a yelled man.
ner of assassinations and vengeance too
great for expression in words
Postmarks Blurred.
The letters are sent out in a plain
sealed envelope addressed in typewrit
ing and when they are sent through the
mails, the pOstmark, as a rule, is badly
blurred. Those on which the postmark
could be made out were mailed in this
city.
To add weight and inspire greater
respect the names OF several OF the
highest dignitaries in the Catholic
Church are attached to the eommunica-
ton. Ali the prayers are sent. accord
ing to the contents, by the Pope, or
rather as he is described in the epistles,
the Bishop Of Rome.
So great had become the circulation of
the "endless chain prayers" that all OF
the Catholic clergy are up ia arms. and
it is expected that the police Will be
asked TO cooperate in finding the origi-
nators of the scheme as well as their
accomplices.
What is the most alarming part Of
the matter is that many OF the more
ignorant persons who have received
the missives have taken stock in them
and are carrying out the instructions
to the letter