The New York herald., 1922-01-17
800 Acre Long Island Estate
to Be Used as Retreat and
Perhaps for School.
ACTRESS NON CATHOLIC
Has Long Been Interested in
Church Society and Lives
at It's House Here.

Maude Adams, actress, has given
her 300 acre estate at Lake Ronkon-
koma, l.. l., to the Roman Catholic So
c,ety of Our Lady Of the Cenacle. 1t
will be used as a retreat for women
and possibly as a school for the train
ing of those who intend to enter the
sisterhood.
Miss Adams is not Catholic, nor,
il was said yesterday, has she ex-
pressed any intention of becoming one.
But during recent visits in New York
she has lived at the Convent Of st.
Regis, maintained by the Society of
Our Lady of the Cenacle, at 62s West
140th street. She had become inter-
ested several years ago in the secular
retreats conducted by the sisters, and
when she learned that the order needed
a home in the country she offered her
Long Island place, which is known as
Sandy Girth. This was about year
ago.
Permission for acceptance OF the gift
mad to be obtained from the Bishop OF
the Brooklyn diocese. Because of the
illness of Bishop Mcdonnell, who has
since died. the matter was POSTPONED.
About week ago the present Bishop.
the Right Rev. Thomas f. Molloy, gave
ms approval and the legal procedure in
connection with transfer of the deed
is now in process.
Off Stage Three Years.
Miss Adams has not occupied her
Long Island estate for several years II
became her habit to spend her summer
vacations at Ontecra in the Catskills
She mas not been seen on the stage
since the autumn of 1918 when illness
compelled her to abandon her tour in
Barrie's "A Kiss for Cinderella" After
two years of rest she was so well
that she was expected to appear in the
new Barrie play. MARY Rose" which
eventually she decided not to do. Thi,
year IT was supposed that she would be
seen in The Intimate Stranger" which
Booth harrington wrote with her in
minu put change of plan made the
piece vehicle for Billie Burke.
NO announcement has been made
however. of Miss Adams's permanent re.
last year she has becoma enCrossed In
experiments in stage Illumination and
has been working in a laboratory at the
plant OF the General Electric Company
in schenectady. IL has been said that
the effects she has sought might he
used in motion pictures
The estate at RonlSonkoma has a large
stone residence and several outbuildings
situated in a rolling wooded country. IT
was placed on the market in 1910 at
slSO,O0O, but the next spring II was
Withdrawn and Miss Adams planted
10000 locust trees, built hennery ia
accommodate 1000 chickens and con-
structed another house for the en-
picyees. Since then several lumber com.
panies have tried vainly TO buy timber
from the property. Last spring severa
groups of men made offers with the idea
OF getting the estate for a golf club. but
they were told that 1t was not for sale.
Had Suite In Convent.
1t has always been Miss Adams's dc.
sire to keep her personal affairs apart
from her stage life. The fact that she
has had suite of rooms at the Cenacle
OF St Regis. as the convent at River
side Drive and 1f0th street Is known,
did not become public until yesterday.
Aht 'oOti'ty VI OuT Lazy OF tne Cen1- /
Gle was founded in France in 1926, It's
purpose being to attract pilgrims to the |
tomb of St John Francis Regis, a Jesuit |
apostle of the poor, for prayer and medi- |
tation. The first American foundation, |
In New York, was in 1892. The order |
has ninety members here. The houses
of the society are always open to women |
of all classes for spiritual retreat and |
Special Dispatch to TIE New YoRK HERALD |
SCHENECTADY. Jan. 16.--Miss Maude |
A dams at her home here tonight con- |
firmed the announcement that she had /
given her 300 acre estate at Lake Rom
korkoma, l.. L.. to the Roman Catholic /
Society Of Our Lady Of the Cenacle. She |
denied. however, that she has any inten-
tior OF becoming Catholic. Miss .
Adams has been making her home here
in connection with her study OF stage
at the laboratory of the
General Electric Company
BULGARIA REFUSES TO DISARM
SOFIA, Jan. 16 (Associated Press) -
The Bulgarian Government to-day re-
ceived from the Allied Council OF Am
an order saying that Bulgaria
must be completely dlsarmcd
-