Surinamese Newspaper

Rome, July 25, 1839

November 8, 1839

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Surinamese Newspaper Rome, July 25 The diligent efforts and the well-known dexterity of our police have succeeded in discovering the person who had recently stolen the chalice for the sacramental bread. He is a day labourer of the Roman campagna, and because of his illegitimate birth known only under the name of Projetto, the bastard. This unfortunate man has swallowed the sacramental bread itself, which aggravates his crime in the eyes of every righteous Catholic. He buried the lower copper part of the chalice on the Campo Vaccino. He brought the silver lid to an innkeeper's wife in front of the gate of San Giovanni. She would keep it until his return from Ostia, where he usually worked, and in return would advance him some money. However, this woman wanted to have nothing to do with the case. Later, when she heard of the church robbery, a suspicion began. After consulting her acquaintances, she reported the incident to the police. Immediately the woman, accompanied by several judges of instruction, as well as a large number of gendarmes, was sent to Ostia during the night with the greatest caution. The next morning they gathered, under some pretext, all the day labourers working at Ostia, among whom the innkeeper soon recognized the thief. At first he wanted to deny everything, but he entangled himself in his answers and finally came to the confession. According to the laws of the Roman Church, Projetto must be sentenced by the Inquisition, but the Pope, who to this unfortunate one too does not want to deny his famous charity, has referred him to the secular judges. The death penalty is inevitable. In earlier times he would have been burned alive. [Translated from the Dutch]