One of the most striking examples of the shameless and abject beggary to which Catholicism descends in her mad chase after the festive dollar that I have ever witnessed occurred Wednesday afternoon, January 22nd, between the hours of three o'clock and half past four at the gates of the United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing in this, the capitol city of the nation!

This was pay-day for the printers in this government institution, where between four and five thousand employees of the tax-payers of the country. Some eight hundred employees were paid on this Wednesday afternoon. More than seventy-five per cent of all the employees in this bureau of the government service are either Catholics or hold their position through Catholic influence! Director Ralph, in charge,

is a rabid Catholic and stands in the foremost rank of the unsavory and traitorous "Knights of Columbus" here, formerly an organizer for them.

This Bureau of Engraving and Printing is one of the greatest Roman Catholic institutions here!

On my arrival at this Bureau I noted that all the gates were carefully closed but one. This open gate faces the street just in front of the eastern entrance of the building. A street car stopped, "two old maids in black" alighted and wended their way straight to the open gate---and the game "was made!" Boldly--heretic though I am---I took up my position just behind these two black-garbed nuns, resolved that The Menace and our more than a million readers should know this beggarly scheme as it is worked almost in the shadow of the dome of the Capitol.

In a few minutes a Salvation Army "lassie" appeared on the scene and took up her position, tambourine in hand, at the other side of this gateway from the Romish nuns.

After this---the deluge! For an hour and a half almost a constant stream of humanity poured through that gate. And the faster they came, the nearer the center of the gateway obtruded the two nuns, one holding forth a wicker collection basket insistently.

From a second-story window above watched Director Ralph, where on almost any pay-day he can be seen taking mental notes of those dupes who abjectly offer this tribute to Rome---and those hapless employees who do not offer tribute are seldom known to make any startling advances in this bureau; their promotion is an unheard of thing!

During this hour and a half hundreds contributed to Rome's outheld basket . . . . It was rather an "off day"---at least I was so told---and when I turned

But then, you see, these odoriferous nuns intruded themselves into the very center of the gateway---three fourths of these employees are Romish dupes---and that makes some difference!

As I stood, almost touching elbows with these two Roman mendicants in black, the inspiration for the following lines came to my mind;

February 27th, 1913, I went to the First Precinct Police Station here, determined if it was a human possibility to see that mutilated police record for Friday, April 10th, 1908, a partial story of which was contained in The Menace, No. 23, but the full story of which in all its blackness has never been published until now. I had been forewarned that time after time various interested citizens had endeavored to see this record only to be met with flat refusals. Indeed I was informed that even a certain well-known lawyer employed by patriotic citizens to probe into this mystery fared no better, but was baffled in all attempts to see this public record.

However, I was forearmed as well as forewarned, for I had the word of honor of Major Sylvester that if I was refused permission to see this record at the First Precinct he would give me a written order that I be shown this particular 'blotter.' At the desk I was met by an under officer who curtly but very plainly informed me that I could see no records in that station! In view of the fact that these are public

records, this reception was a bit disconcerting, I confess. Then I asked to see the Captain in charge. I was pointed to his office. Captain J. T. Hollinberger was almost painfully plain in his explanation that his orders forbade him to show the police records to anyone. Someway I gathered the idea that he referred quite specially to the record in question. Finally I asked, "Not even if I bring you a written order from Major Sylvester?" Ah! That was different---why, of course, then he would be pleased to show me the record!

In a very few minutes I was standing in Captain Sylvester's private office in the Municipal Building, explaining to him my conception of the right of an American, free-born citizen to see at will the records of the "Metropolitan" or any other police department. Looking at me quizzically, the Major asked, "But hasn't this whole matter been published in the paper once?" 'Why, yes," I replied, "I believe there was a rather misleading account of this priest's arrest in The Washington Post for Sunday, April 12th, 1908." "No, no." --hastily returned the Major, "I mean in that paper published out West, out in Aurora, Mo.!" I had merely introduced myself to him as H. George Buss, carefully refraining from mentioning The Menace, and now I replied innocently, "Perhaps, Major, you mean The Aurora Daily News---I believe there is a paper there by that name----do you mean that they published it?" "Oh, no, I think you know what paper I mean; I mean The Menace; I read it regularly!" And the cat was out of the bag! "No, Major Sylvester, The Menace has never published this story complete. They published part of it, but their correspondent at that time found it impossible to see this record, so the story was incomplete."

Without another word the Major turned to his desk and his pen scratched visibly for a minute or

two, then he handed me the card which I reproduce here (from a photograph) not only because it is unique---a veritable curiosity, stating as it does, under police authority, mind you, a right that is the heritage of every American citizen!---But also to enable our thousands of Washington readers who may wish to do so to see this vitally interesting record. Perhaps by presenting this reproduced card at the First Precinct Station you will save the Major the trouble of writing any more "permits" to see the public records!

And what a vast difference that bit of paste-board from "Headquarters" made on my second visit to the First Precinct! In a very few minutes after my arrival I was seated at Captain Hollinberger's desk intently scanning the large pages of the open police record that for more than five long years have been so carefully---so successfully guarded from curious eyes.

And every line bore a name---the name of a prisoner, together with his occupation,---that is, every

line but one. Should you live in Washington, dear reader, and should you be interested enough to verify for yourself the truth of these statements, when you examine that record you will plainly see that the line bearing the number 163 has been carefully scratched with a knife or a steel eraser,---carefully and deeply scratched until every trace of both the name and the occupation of the prisoner, represented by the remainder of that line that extends across both pages, was completely obliterated! Then, to complete the mutilation, two parallel lines have been carefully drawn with ink close together cross these two spaces alotted to "Name" and "Occupation."

And yet the rest of this tell-tale record is left, showing that this prisoner was brought into the station at 8:15 P.M., Friday, April 10th, 1908; that he occupied cell number 8; that his age was thirty-nine years; that he was white, born in the United States; that he was unmarried, that he could read and write, that the charge was "indecent assault," and that the complaint was Leslie Irwin, of 1416 N. street, N. W., this city.

But we have not exhausted our sources of information yet. Officers Owen and J. S. Johnston (both residents of Washington at present) made this arrest and the charge at the direction of William H. De Lacey, who directed that they take the boy who had made this nameless charge in the Juvenile Court against a man whom he claimed to be unknown to him by name but who he could point out at their usual meeting place at the appointed time, to the place designated by the boy and arrest the man he would point out, take him to the First Precinct Station and charge him with "indecent assault." The man whom this boy pointed out as the monster who had unspeakably degraded him wore the fateful Roman collar of a priest!

When the arrest was made, this priest, standing beside Officer Owen at the patrol box as the call for the patrol wagon was sent in, abjectly begged to be turned loose, offering the officer twenty-five dollars for his freedom and saying that this 'would ruin him in his business!'

Captain George H. Williams, since deceased, was at this time in charge of the First Precinct Station, but at night (and this night also) this station was in charge of Lieutenant James Hartley, who, it seems, on this memorable night, showed his priestly prisoner every possible (and some impossible) courtesy and phoned Judge De Lacey that through some horrible blunder the judge's trap had caught a "howly father!"

De Lacey came post haste to the Station.

But the Irwin boy was unshaken in his identification of this human brute even throughout such "third-degree" methods as the unscrupulous De Lacey administered that night at the Station-house!

William Raymond Wheeler, a fifteen-year-old boy, residing at 1210 H. street, N. W., confirmed the positive identification and the damning statements of Leslie Irwin that night at the First Precinct against this cowering priest!

Leslie Irwin, the complaintant was fourteen-years-old!

Before midnight the priest was released!

Without bond and without trial or hearing. And the police record was mutilated.

But the whole history of this jail-delivery can be found in the records of the Department of Justice in Washington, D. C., among which are the sworn statements of Officers Owens and Johnston, who made this arrest, together with the name of this malodorous priest, as given at a hearing concerning this scandal held before that Department about a year after its occurrence.

What is that priest's name?

Go and demand the right to read these records at the Department of Justice for yourself. Better take a court order along, though! You will find that Rome hides her ghastly secrets well.

"Be sure your sin will find you out!"

Beginning Sunday evening, October 20th, a "fair" lasting an entire week was held by the image-worshippers at the "Church of Our Lady of Lourdes," Aliso avenue and Rowan street, Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California.

Priest Gratian Ardans, "O.S.B.," is the local boss of the spiritual and, of course of many of the physical destinies of this particular aggregation of Romish dupes.

Two years ago the "Benedict-ine Fathers" assumed oversight of the territory east of Loreto street and north of Stephenson avenue. To impress upon the reader the swift stealthiness of the encroachments of these mole-like foreign foes, the first "mass" was held in a hall over a grocery, October 15, 1910. Two months later, a building site was "secured" and Occidental Heights. Before the approaching Christmas a temporary chapel 34 feet by 60 feet was erected.

Just six months later a "parish hall" 40 by 70 feet was finished. Soon after that the "parochial residence" was built. The explanation? Romish graft and Protestant suckers! But one thing was lacking now to complete the customary Catholic settlement, one last contemptuous monument of defiance to American institutions and to the American spirit---a "parochial school" building!

Then, happy inspiration! the usual Catholic "fair" was decided upon. In addition to the usual pitiful begging, grafting, and gambling games of chance, bazaars, ect., vaudeville and variety acts, singing, and skirt-dancing were furnished. There were many volunteers---the priest merely had to pull the strings and the puppets danced as usual. We reproduce our artist's drawing of the half-tone photo of one of these sanctimonious skirt-dancers. We ask in all sincerity that you take one more careful look at the pose of this "fair" danseuse. See the subtle suggestiveness of that poise? To

what depths of shamelessness and appeals to the animalism and to the lustfulness of their deluded followers these priestly, fat and disgusting Romish grafters degrade Catholic womanhood in their wild chase after the festive dollars of the suckers that they may feed fat the "system" that is dragging them all hellward down the spiral of retrogression to the sensuality of beasts and brutes!

Skirt dancing in the name of God---GET THE IDEA?

Chapter 20