TRAGEDY AT A CONVENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2112, 16 October 1890, Page 4

TRAGEDY AT A CONVENT.

The Rome correspondent of the Standard states that a horrible murder j has been committed near Narni, in j Umbria. About twelve miles from the; city of Narni, on the side of a mountain, is an ancient convent, called L'O; Bpeco, It was in the woods near it j that St. Eraneis of Assisi used sometimes to wander about in, contemplation. The convent, however, was only inhabited by five friars, who were much respected by the people in Narni for the great good they were always doing. On Sunday morning two of them went off to celebrate/mass in a village near by, it being the feast of St. Lorence. The other three, towards twelve o’clock, went as usual to their I dinner in the refectory. Whilst they were eating they were surprised by four individuals with their faces masked, and armed with long knives and sticks, with which they attacked the poor friars. A terrible fight ensued, with the result that one of the friars were beaten to death, another was killed by having bis throat cut, and the third was stabbed. A boy of fifteen years of age, who also lived in the convent, ran down to the cellar to hide, but he was followed and beaten to death. The sight that presented itself to the other two friars on their return in the evening was a dreadful one. No reason at all can be given for this atrocious crime, as the assassins did not steal anything from the convent or from the church ; but it is thought that their intention was to rob, though perhaps they were too frightened to d© so after having murdered the friars. The police are hunting all over the place, but have not caught any of the assassins yet.