The Watertown Herald

Watertown, Jefferson County, NY

FATHER MOLLINGER

The Rev. S. G. Mollinger, pastor of the Church, of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, Troy Hill, famous throughout the United States because of the miraculous cures said to have been effected in his church is ill. Once a year he is more active than at other times as a healer. This occasion is the feast of St. Anthony of Padua. It is estimated that on that day he blessed 10,000 persons who had come to his church. The labor of that day prostrated him and he has continued to grow worse. Dropsical symptoms have appeared and it is thought an operation will have to be performed. If the operation is successful Father Mollinger may linger until fall. His friends have given up all hopes of his recovery. Much have been said about his great wealth. A few weeks ago it was published that he was worth $3,000,000, and the story has gone around that he has accumulated this sum by curing people, who feed him liberally. The fact is that he has all along refused to take money from persons who were cured in his church. His parents died several years ago in Holland. They were very wealthy, and they left him the money he now possesses. He has paid of the debt of his church, and is going to build for his congregation an edifice at a cost of $250,000.