The San Francisco call., 1908-12-22
SacriIegiOus Fanatic Destroys
NestmentS and PrOfanes
Altar in ST. DOninic's
Rips. Costly Raiment, Slashes
Silks and Laces and Pens
0bScenities on Walls
Police Hunt High and Low for
Criminal Who Held Wild
Orgy of BIasphemy
Priest Stunned by Discovery OF
Havoc Wrought by
Marauder

~ AN FRANCISCO harbors a
fanatic who has carried de-
~ praved criminality TO the last
imaginable excess of blasphemy
and. sacrilege. Aroused by an out
rage which has desecrated St Domi-
MICS church the police are hunting
high and low for the vandal who has
insulted the local Catholic community
by profaning the sanctuary of the
Dominican fathers with unspeakable
obseenities.
Enters St. DOminic's
The sacrilegious wretch, who has 50
lar cluded detection. entered ST.
Dominic's church, at Pierce and Pine
streets, early yesterday morning.
Priestly vestments valued at more
than 81 900 were slashed beyond re-
pair; the altar linen and laces were
torn to shreds: the blessed candles
were tossed about the sanctuary; the
furnishings Of the sacristy were de-
stoyed
Blasphemous and indecent sentences
were scrawled in the holy places. The
Catholic religion, the COMMITMENTS
OF the faith and the priesthood were
assailed with vile abuse that spoke
eloquently Of the rabid fanatic venting
his perversity with almost insane
hatred.
The hands were torn from the sacristy
clock and the pendulum was carried
away. The book in which the masses
and other daily services are recorded
was slashed and torn.
Priest Is Stunned
The dissertation of the church was
first discovered shortly before o'clock
yesterday morning, when Father Rice.
one Of the Dominican fathers, entered
the sacristy TO robe for early mass.
Dozens Of sacerdotal garments were
heaped in disorder on the floor. The
drawers Of large cabinet in which the
vestments were kept had been pulled
open and their contents despoiled.
Linen and silken abs, silk and gold
threaded maniples. cinctures. amices,
stoles, chasubles. copes and surplices
had been destroyed with knife or
other keen edged instrument. So
shocked was Father Rice that it was
some time before he regained sufficient
composure to report the outrages and
10 have the altar prepared for mass.
Father Murphy. the superior of the
church, notified the police, and Acting
chief Of Police Cutler detailed detec-
tives TO the case. ordering them to
leave no stone unturned in the search
for the criminal. 1t is possible that
two men were concerned in the sacri-
lege on account of the difficulty one
man would have had in effecting an
entrance TO the church.
Entered With Ladder
The culprit or culprits entered by
means of ladder which was found
leaning against a window in the rear
sof the church. Entering through the
priory loft, the sacristy was reached
by q flight Of steps. and from the sac
risty it was easy to reach the sane
tuary. Because one man would have
found it difficult to upright the ladder
and train it against the window, the
police are inclined to think that there
were two Of the depraved fanatics
Father Murphy and the detectives
think that the wretch was frightened
away before he completed his sacrilege.
!. Robes valued at more than $4,000 were
found undisturbed. These vestments
will be used in the Christmas ceremo-
nies. The exact amount Of the damage
has not yet been estimated. but it ex-