The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-04-18
FAKE PRIEST coNFEssEs.

FAKE PRIEST coNFEssEs.
Potsdam, N. Y, March 24.-Benja-
min Clearmont. self-styled ex-Catholic
priest. was kidnapped about z o'clock
tonight and prevented from delivering
a lecture here in which he proposed
to expose the church" He was
taken in an automobile to a point
about a mile outside the village and
left there. The police found him at 9
o'clock and took him to the Albion
Hotel, under guard, says the Catholic
Sun.
Clearmont spent the night at the
hotel, the chief of the department re.
NAMED with him.
Mr.. Clearmont lectured at Norwood
last night on Roman Catholicism"
Handbills were circulated announcing
a similar lecture here tonight. He
had leased Maccabee hall at Gouver.
neur for a lecture on Thursday even.
ing, but when the nature of his aid.
dress became known his check was
returned and the lease cancelled.
At a late hour tonight he signified
the intention of leaving on an early
train for Watertown. At the hotel
Clearmont saw newspaper men and
dictated a statement which he after
wards signed. In it he says he never
was a priest, and denies statements
made on the lecture platform, fol
which he asks forgiveness. He will
retire from lecturing he says.
Clearmont arrived here from Nor
wood at 10:43 o'clock this morning
He was unaccompanied and went di
rect to the hotel. He was about the
streets during the afternoon and at I
o'clock this evening set out alone fol-
the opera house, where he was tt
speak.
The opera house is located in Parl
street, two blocks from the hotel
Clearmont reached Elm and Parl
streets, where he was set upon. Be
tween fifteen and twenty men sur
rounded him. He was seized, hurried
into the road and bundled into a wait
ing automobile, which set off at to,
speed.
Clearmont shouted for help, but hi
cries were silenced. Word reache,
Police Headquarters almost immedi
ately and officers were put on tn,
case, Chief Leahy taking persona
charge.
The search was ineffectual for
time, as but meager description O
the abductors was available.
Residents of Leroy street notice,
the machine being driven at a rapi,
pace, however, and it was not long be
fore the officers had clew. Follow
ing it up, they came across Clearmon
near house on the outskirts of tn
village, where the machine left him
He was discovered by Chief Leah,
and officer Gotta.
Signs Statement.
At the hotel Clearmont appeare
almost at the breaking point as a re
suit of his experience and was badl
frightened. His captors, he said, ha
beaten thin over the head, choked hi1
and threatened to throw him in tn
river. He showed no marks of ii
usage, however. Clearmont's state
ment is in part as follows:
Il was born in Geneva, Switzerland
I never was Catholic priest. 1 sim1
ly studied. l was an altar boy at 81
Johns church, Quebec, for eigh
months under Father Trudell. wa
IA years old then. 1 left the churc
in 1905. I have been lecturing in m
own behalf.
Il am not going to lecture turtle
as the opposition is too great. d,
cided that last night. My present az
is 49,"
The abduction was not general
known and large crowd gathered 9
the opera house to hear the lectur,
The streets were crowded until a lat
hour and the excitement was tntens,