Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 June 1879 — A Mendacious Priest. [ARTICLE]

A Mendacious Priest.

An extraordinary story is related by a correspondent of the Italian Nazione, writting from Lucca. Some years ago a native of Camajore emigrated to America, leaving behind a wife and two children. After a time he sent home to them through the priest of his native place 100 lire. A few months later on this remittance was followed by, a second, this time of 1,000 lire, and at intervals afterward other sums were split, making all together a total of over 25,000 lire, or £1,000. The priest, however, never gave the money to those for whom it was intended, but kept it for himself, sending for the woman and telling her, with many consoling reflections, that her husband was dead. At the same time he wrote to the man informing him that his family were dead, sending also with his letter an official certificate of their death. After a time the man married again, and a short time ago, having prospered in business and become wealthy, he determined to revisit his native place. In due time he arrived with his second wife and family at Camajore, and went to the principal inn in town. As he was walking out one day a boy begged of him. Something in the appearance of the beggar seemed to be familiar, and, questioning the boy, be found that it was his own child, and that his wife was living with the two children he had left behind in the greatest poverty. The priest, thus found out in his wickedness, endeavored to compromise the matter by offering to pay the 25,000 lire, but the authorities, who had been informed of the business, declined to allow it, and proceedings against him are now pending.