In 1926, a woman named María owed attorney Tomás Anderson Calvo (grandfather of former Governor Paul M. Calvo), $15.72.
In today's value, that would be around $260.
No reason is ever stated in the court documents why she owed Calvo that much.
Having failed to get payment from María, Calvo sought justice from the court. María answered the summons and promised payment by a certain date. When that date came and went, and there was still no payment, the judge ordered the Commissioner of Hagåtña to search María's house for anything worthy of being auctioned, in order to obtain money to pay the debt.
The Commissioner reported that he found only one thing worthy of being auctioned. A gold rosary with red beads and a gold crucifix.
Well, that would have to do and the rosary was put up for auction. Only one person stepped forward to make a bid. He was Pancracio Rábago Palting, another lawyer, who bid $4 for the rosary, which today would mean $66. So, Palting won the rosary and the debt was now reduced by $4. I have no idea what happened to the rest of the debt.
LOST ITS BLESSING
The Catholic Church does not allow blessed items to be sold. Assuming María's rosary was blessed, her rosary lost its blessing the minute it was bought, even in auction.
Palting, if he wanted a blessed rosary, had to have it blessed again after he had bought it in auction.
This little story shows how much many Chamorros prized their rosaries. It was sometimes put in the will who in the family would inherit it.
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