Beasts in Cassocks: The Crimes of the Heads of the Russian Greek Catholic Orthodox Church in America/Chapter 12

by John Feoktist Dudikoff

CHAPTER XII.

The Clergymen Administer "Justice"

The following were called to the inquest: Vassily Repelo, the defendant and at present priest and provost with the Mission, and Marie Lubkuch, the plaintiff, her father, and a number of witnesses. Father Slunin had them all sworn in, "Consul Rutsky, alias Daniel Gilevitch, cross-examined them, and I took down the testimony. Piatetsky acted as assistant secretary. The inquest made it clear that Vassily Repelo, having lured the girl Marie Lubkuch for a walk on the cemetery, violated her at a headstone representing an angel with a cross in his hands. Vassily Repelo admitted his guilt and implored that his youth be taken into consideration and that an attempt be made to reconcile him with Marie. He promised to pay her father $5,000. He paid this sum in full and handed it to "Consul" Rutzky who turned it over to Father Slunin, remarking: "This inquest is being carried on by the Church Mission and the money must therefore be transmitted to the defendant through the medium of the Church. Give the money to Archbishop Platon, and you, Lubkuch, sign a receipt for it at once because the money has been turned over in your presence. When you present this receipt to the Bishop, he will give you the money. Should you wish to thank the Church for its trouble, you

Holy Fathers Under Charge
3.	Father W. Repelo
4.	Father T. Melasevich
5.	P. Popoff, Archpresbyter
1.	Father Krochmalny
2.	Father Kukulevsky

may donate a thousand dollars or so to Archbishop Platon for charitable purposes." Father Slunin put the money into his pocket, and promised Lubkuch to send the money that very week. As it turned out, the money was never sent. On the way back to New York, Father Slunin, who sat in front of me, paid Daniel Gilevitch for having played the part of "Consul."

 

---