Was the first priest of St. Florian Church really murdered?
Yes. Rev Florian Chodniewicz was murdered in the St. Florian Rectory. Shortly after midnight on January 22, 1922. a burglar broke into the Rectory attempting to steal Sacramental wine. Rev. Chodniewicz interrupted the burglar and was shot. He was initially tended to by a physician at the scene and moved to a St. Margaret’s Hospital in Hammond during the late morning hours. He died later that evening. According to police reports, Rev. Chodniewicz was 60 at the time. The crime was listed a “prohibition related crime” due to the attempted theft of alcohol. A man named Charles Majewski was charged with the murder but was released due to lack of evidence. Almost two years later, Edward Frenenski confessed to the murder, however the police did not believe the confession Frenenski was tried and convicted on other charges. The case is among Chicago’s cold case files most likely because the assumption, at the time, was Majewski had commited the crime even if it could not be proven.
