The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-07-02
CHURCH
In MassiIion Robbed Of
Golden ChaIiCes by
Bold Thief
POLICE ON TRAIL

MassillOn, O., June 2S Perhaps the
boldest and at the same time the
most puzzling robbery ever perpetrat-
ed in the city, occurred at the St
Joseph's Catholic church at the cor
ner of East and South streets, at 12:30
this afternoon. Two gold cibOria, or
chaliCes, valued at SIPS and SIS, re-
spectively, were stolen from a chest
in the tabernacle. Just after the morn
ing services had been concluded.
The Massillon police are complete
ly baffled by the daring robbery, and
they have absolutely no clue which
will lead to the apprehension of the
thief A meager description furnish
ed by residents of that vicinity who
saw the man leave the church, is all
they have and while they are making
every effort to unearth the identit
of the thief. there seems little prof.
ability that he will ever be found out.
In very short time after the rob-
berry had been committed the news
spread through every Catholic house
hold in the city. 1t was received
everywhere with shock or horror
and indignation. for the very act Of
robbing the altar, seemed almost un
believable to the people
The description furnished by those
under whose very eyes the robbery
was committed is something after the
following: About six feet tall; light
complexion, smooth shaven; 25 to 80
years of age; and wore a blue serve
suit.
man of this description was seen
emerging from the door of the st.
Joseph's church shortly after the noon
hour this afternoon He walked
away in a most unCOnCerned manner
and at the time. those who saw him,
noticed nothing unusual about his
mien. Under his coat he carried
something of bulky proportion but no
one was particularly attracted by this.
He walked slowly down Cecil street
toward the Pennsylvania tracks and
was not seen afterwards.
1t was only by the barest chance
that the robbery was discovered as
soon as it was. A small boy, named
Lawrence Lynch noticed the man as
he walked down Cecil street. AS he
passed where the boy was standing,
a gust of wind blew open his coat and
disclosed the chalices. After a while
the child told of the incident to his
mother, who at first paid no atten-
tiOn to it. Then, as the boy held to
the story, she notified the Rev Father
DOherty, pastor of the robbed church.
An investigation verified the boys
story
After the services this morning,
the ChaliCes were locked securely in
q chest in the tabernacle but the keys
were left lying nearby. 1t is believ-
ed that the rObber secured these and
with this done the rest was an easy
matter
Among the persons who saw the
man is Frank PILE. who resides on
South street, opposite the church. He
noticed the man emerge from the
church but paid no particular atten-
tion to him at the time. 1t was he
who furnished the description to the
police. On Saturday Janitor Schneid-
er says he saw the man in the church,
but he imagined him to be merely
visitor and did not watch him. 1t is
believed that the rObber was there
merely to get in touch with the sur
Toundings.
The Rev Father DOherty when seen
this evening, seemed greatly touched
hu thp ha
gold seemed to be a matter of but lit
tie Importance to him compared to the
sacrilege of thieVing from the church
He. stated that there seemed little
chance to him that the robber would
ever be found.
Chief Ertle called the incident the
boldest thing since | have been in Of
fee" 1t is his opinion that the thief
is no amateur and that he is a skilled
cracksman, who will not be easily
caught. AS a member of the pilfered
church he is making every effort to
secure clue. All afternoon he work
ed hard to get to the bottom of the
case, but up TO late this evening very
little of Importance has been unearth-
ed. A man answering to the descrip-
tion furnished was seen boarding an
afternoon train eastbound on the
Pennsylvania and the authorities In
that direction have been carefully
warned to keep on the lookout for
the man. .u.
During the afternoon much Of The
country in the, vicinity of this city
was secured by the police. Authori-
ties in all of the cities in this part of
the state were communicated with and
furnished with a description of the
man. Late this evening cards de-
scribing the robber were printed aud
distributed to the police chiefs of
Ohio, With all these steps there seems
very little probability that the perpe-
traitor of the daring deed will ever be
captured or even heard Of
The Canton police were notified
soon after the robbery had been COM
mitted by a telephone message from
Massillon. Although a careful lookout
was kept during the afternoon and
evening nothing was learned of his
Whereabo