The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-03-27
TORE OFF THE mask
TIE fFECEEDNESS 0F four H0NKS
BROUGHT TO LIGHT
PLIjNDERED THE CHURCH
Murder, sacrilege, Robbery and Cut
ting Up High Jinks With Bad Wo-
men Are Among the Crimes Charg-
ed to the Account Of the Four
Hypccritical Monks.


ed to the Account Of the Four
Hypccritical Monks.
Murder, sacrilege, robbery and dis
graceful living are some OF the
charges which four monks have been
called upon to answer at Petsikov,
Poland, where an extraordinary trial
is in progress. The prisoners are:
Fathers Damazy, Macoch, Basil OLE
Sinski, ard Isador Starezewski, and
with them in the dock appeared a
former telephone girl named Helena
Macoch, whose husband is alleged to
have been murdered by Father DAM
aZy.
He was head of the famous convent
at Czenstochowa, between Warsaw
and Vienna, where a much-venerated
image of the virgin attracted quar-
! ter Of a million pilgrims annually.
This image Of the virgin was studded
with priceless jewels, and it is said
that the monks substituted imita-
tions for the real gems. To prevent
discovery Of this crime, Father DANA
zy confessed to having murdered Vac
lac Macoch, his cousin, who might
have betrayed the plot.
The first trace OF the crime was the
discovery near the convent Of lady's
small bag, which had evidently been
lost, containing some Of the stolen
jewels. Subsequently, sofa with a
mans corpse inside il, was taken
from the local river For months
the Russian police were baffled. The
mutiiated body had been sewed up
in mating with several numbers on
it. These an experienced railway Of
fetal recognized as the numbers used
CT the Warsaw-Vienna railway.
The waybill was turned up and
showed that package with those
numbers had been sent to the con-
vent, but still it did not occur to any
body to suppose the monks were con-
Injected with the mysterious discov-
cry. The mystery might have re-
NAMED one forever but for a story
rold by drunken cabma1, who had
helped carry the sofa from the con-
vent. But the driver got drunk from
the money procured from the monks
and told some companions OF his ad-
Venture, which was duly communicat-
ed to the police.
Father DamaZy was arrested and
ne confessed that his conscience was
burdened with the robbery as well
as the murder. He stated that for
more than ten years the most riotous
life had been led By the monks, who,
while the faithful were praying in
the church, used to squaunder the
church's treasure in their orgies and
excesses. Drunkenness, card-piay-
ing and the visits of women were the
order Of the day.
Damazy confessed that 1t was he
who had removed all the jewels from
the virgins crown. They were sold
through his cousin, Vaclac Aacoch,
and also the latter's wife. Eight
years ago Father Damazy saw her as
a pilgrim in the church and took her
10 his cell. He afterwards married
her to his cousin His relations with
her, however, did not cease, but he
furnished a fat for her at Warsaw
with magnifcence and her banking
account showed balance Of SIT 800.
After the discovery in 1909 that
the church had been robbed, Vaclac
IIacoch v ent to the cloister and made
representations to Father Damazy,
who, according to the latter's state
ment, made him drink wine until he
fell asleep. Then the father fetched
an OK and struck his cousins head
with it several times. When the un-
fortunate man partly resailed con-
sciousness the monk, in cold blood,
gave him absolution, and then with
his hands strangled him.
When the pope heard OF tne ToO-
nery he gave $4,000 for the 7eadorn-
mcnt OF the virgins crown; but On
earning Of the murder he pronounced
the great communication en- Dam
aZy Macoch and had him unfrocked.
On the other monks Of CZenstocnoWa
lie has imposed several months fast
ing and praying and forbidden them
20 take any part in the service OF the
church. He also Immediately sent
delegate to close the church.