It was mid-October, 1892. Father Crogan was lying too ill to travel at Santa Ana leaving Father Ubach nervously in charge of the sacristry. Time and again he had warned the silver treasures were unsafe and should be stored with the Bishop.
In the end, his fears would become reality. Deputy Marcos Forster informed Father Ubach that the mission sacristry had been broken into and a drawer rifled for contents. The thief left other silver items but took two of the most beautiful and rare:
A solid silver crown which was for special adornment of the statue of the Virgin Mary; and a silver pedestal for the Remonstrance. Together they were valued at $1500.
Witnesses claimed a tramp-looking man had been seen loitering near the mission before the robbery.
Now -- the question is? Was the silver ever recovered or is there somewhere a mysterious silver treasure that belongs to Mission San Juan Capistrano?
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