Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-25
BURGLARS STEAL
SACRED PICTURES
DESPOIL CHURCH OF OUR LADY
OF ANGELS
Take Two Paintings of Stations OF
Cross, Valued at $1,000, by CUT
; ting Them from Their
Frames

Burglars entered the Catholic church
of Our Lady of the Angels on North
Main street, opposite the Plaza, early
yesterday morning and carried away
two oil paintings that are said to have
been some of the finest works of art
in the United States. No adequate es-
innate can be made of their value, but
Father Caballeria, who has charge of
the church, says that they are worth
at least $1,000, If not much more.
The burglars procured ladder and
went to the north side of the building,
placed it under a window and climbed
in. On this side of the building is a
yard containing about thirty palm
trees. These trees cut off the glare of
the street lights and cast long shadows
on the church walls. Working under
these favorable conditions the burglars
climbed the ladder to the window case
ment which is nearest the rear of the
church. The church walls are of adobe
and about three feet and half thick.
Sitting on this wide window ledge the
thieves forced the window open and
slipped into the church.
On either side of the window by
which the men entered were the last
two pictures of series of fourteen
ranged around the church walls. The
pictures taken were lettered on the
frames as Jesus Is Taken from the
Cross" and "Jesus Is Buried in the
Sepulchre." These were cut from the
frames neatly, few shreds being left
attached to the woodwork. The bur-
glars departed without disturbing any
thing but the frame of one of the pic
lures, which was moved but few
inches on the wall,
Heartbroken over Loss
Father Juan Caballeria was heart
rlnn1N OF 10
church yesterday. He told his story
of what he knew about the pictures
with much feeling and frequently
stopped speaking when overcome by
emotion.
To-day is my birthday" he said. "I
am 43 years old today and the church
had brought Jesus Gonzalez, special
artist from the City of Mexico. to re-
touch and clean the pictures in honor
of the feast which we will have to-
night.
"This series of fourteen pictures
which you see around the wall was
painted by Father Tanquery about
thirty years ago for this church. He
was one of the most faomus painters
of his time and did great amount of
work for the church. He came all the
way from Rome to paint these pictures
and you can see that they are of the
finest quality. Art critics who have
seen the paintings have praised them
very highly and it would be very diff
cult to replace them at any cost.
Difficult to Replace
eff we should attempt to get some
one to paint these fourteen again it
could not be done for less than $4,000,
and then they would not be of the ar
tistic merit that these are. They pre-
sent the story of Chrust's crucifixion
from the time of his trial to his inter-
ment In the sepulchre.
years ago the church was adorned
with paintings made by the Indians,
but when the city grew they became
too crude for the present civilization
and we removed them to the back
room and had Father Tanquery paint
these for us.
"I believe that the thieves intended
to carry off all of the pictures, but were
frightened off by noises. Last night