Sacred Vessels Stolen from St. Mark's

Things have come to such a pass in the city that even churches and their pastors are not exempt from thieves. The most contemptible burglary that has occurred during the epidemic took place Saturday night, when St. Mark's Episcopal church was entered, the sacred vessels used for the sacrament stolen and the altar cloth soaked with water. When the sexton opened the church yesterday morning he found everything about the altar in confusion. Rev. D. C. Garrett, the rector, was immediately called and on an examination it was found that the following property had been stolen: The rector's cassock, the silver communion flagon, the silver chalice, one silver vase from the altar. Around the altar were strewn the vestments, on the floor lay the altar cloth, soaked with water from the silver vase. The Bible had been thrown aside as if a worthless thing. Hymn books and papers had been thrown about as school boys throw paper darts. In short, everything that was used in divine worship had been cast about or trampled on. The police were notified at once and an officer came and looked over the ground and promised to do what he could to recover the property and catch the thief. Tracks and signs would indicate that the entrance was effected through one of the vestry windows, which had probably been left unlocked.