It started out as a routine Tuesday night at the rectory of St. Benedict the African Catholic Church.
Rev. John Harvey, 40, was washing his laundry. Upstairs, Rev. James Martin, 48, switched off the television set and fell asleep.
Then came a few knocks on the back door.
”This guy asked to see a priest,” recalled Harvey, who has shared the rectory at 1818 W. 71st St. with Martin for the past 18 months. ”I checked to see if the other priest was expecting anyone. Then he forced his way in and pulled a knife on me. He told me to take him to where the safe was.”
In a few moments, the man had stolen more than $300.
Meanwhile, Martin had heard the commotion from upstairs.
”I could tell by Father Harvey`s voice that things were not well,” said Martin, who dialed police from the phone in his room.
”In 60 seconds,” Martin said, police arrived.
When the robber saw the plainclothes officers, he fled but was picked up about a block away, said Sgt. Ronald Palmer of the Brighton Park Area violent crimes unit. Police also recovered the money and a large butcher knife.
Charged on Wednesday with armed robbery and home invasion was Marcus Smith, 21, of 7019 S. Wood St., Palmer said.
It was not the first time Martin had experienced violence.
”I`ve been through some of this before when I was on the West Side,” he said. ”I had been tied up. That time I thought they were going to kill me. You try to keep yourself thinking clearly.”
