The Express.
London, England, 1852-08-07 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

ROME CIRCUIT.-GUILDFORD, AUGUST S.

ch. 4. Imp cuff" JUITICI Juru AIM • lIIPICIAZ

JVkT.

TUE ROMAN CATHOLIC " CONVENT " SYSTEM.

GRIFFITHS V. De VESPINIIIISR AND ANOTIIIIII.

This caw, which was one of an extraordinary nature, sou
eommenced today, and, after occupying the court until
past six o'clock, it was adjourned.
Mr. M. Chambers, Q.C., Mr. Dawson, and Mr. Lush,
were for the plaintiff; Serjeant She', Mr. Bramwell, Q.C.,
and Mr. Willes, were for the defendant.
The declaration alleged that the plaintiff, who sued by
her next friend, ner uncle, being a young girl, bad been
placed in the charge of the defendants, who were the prin.
eirel and deputy lady superiors of a Roman catholic esta-
blishment at Norwood, and that they undertook to provide
her with proper food and nourishment, and other neces-
saries; end it then went on to allege that in breach of that
undertaking the defendants had neglected to provide
I proper food; that they had worked her beyond her
atreilt.h ; and that they had improperly confined and
otherwise ill-treated her, the consequence of which
was that she became very ill and distempered in
her body, and eventually lost the sight of one eye.
The defendant, pleaded first, not guilty ; secondly, that
they were not the managers of the tstablisbnient in ques-
tion • and also that the plaintiff had not been placed
in the establishment for the purpose and in the manner
mentioned in the declaration.

Mr. Chambers in opening the ease to the jury said that
it was ono of no ordinary or trifling importance, and it
was very likely not only to excite tho sympathies but he
might also even my the prejudices of those who heard the
details he should have to lay bef ire them. He was not at
all desirous of @lying anything likely to errata or impart
prejudice against the defendants, but at the same time he
scald not shrink from the duty that devolved upon him of
stating the circumstances under which the present action
was brought, although he should endeavour to do so with
sincerity and fairness. The plaintiff was • young girl be-
tween 16 and 18 years old. Bhe was a Roman Catholic,
and her father and mother being dead the earn of her de-
volved upon her aunt, and It would appear that some time
in the year 1849. si,e was placed, by his Exisellenev Cardinal
Wiseman, in a Roman Catholic establishment or convent at
Norwood, of which the defendants were the lady superiors,
Madame de FF,spinuse being the principal, and the other
lady, Madame Theodoeie, being her assistant. The building
had formerly been known as the Park Hotel, but on its
ceasing to be used for that purpose it was converted ate a
ry, under the title of the Convent of Our Lady of
Norwood, sad was devoted to educational sod religious
purposes for young ladies of the Roman catholic persua-
sion • and it appeared that the establishment was under the
patronage of his excellency Cardinal Wiseman. By a pros
pintas that was issued from the convent by the defendaati,
it appeared that there were two classes of inmates—one
being young ladies who paid 301. a year for their board and
education, sod another which was called the orphanage
class, the members of which were received upon the pay-
ment of a much smaller amount. The plaintiff was placed
in the establishment by Cardinal Wiseman, as he had be-
fore stated, in the latter clam, and a sum of 121. was paid
for her far the first year. The establishment, as ha had
already stated, was presided over by a lady superior and
her assistant, but at the time the child was
placed there the situation of principal lady superior was
not filled by the present defendant but by another lady,
who coatinued there for a year and a half afterwards. The
assistant lady superior, however, Madame Theodosie, had
all aloes filled the same position, and she appeared to have
be as waive agent in those proceedings which now formed
the waleest of inquiry. He would now state the einem
steams seder which the complaint was made against the
defendants : That by omitting to provide proper nourishing
food, and other misconduct towards the plaintiff, they had
aura the serious injury to her fir which she sought eons-
pomation at the heads of the jury. First, with regard to
the bed. It appeared that the orphanage elms, as it was
ailed, had three meals per day—the breakfast consisted of
a met of soap made of pease and rim, the usual day
meal se dinner masistad of the same sort of materials,
and nemetlieg of the some kind was given them
for simper het emetimes, instead of the soup,
they
.had breed and sablesge. They wars all required
to nee at four o'clesk In the morning, and they
remised up until mina at night, and during the day, in
the intervals of instrwsliem the girls belonging to the
orpbasage class were ayilet in the household work of
the establishment. Every Monday the whole of the washing
ells inmates was peellermsd by them children, and on
Salm& they Moaned Ike Mess completely through. It
apeaeti Mot there were mime penames or ptaiahmeats
resealed
ate la OM estahlidement, nearof which were of
great sneaky and ameibp, and it wee one of the cm-
plaints on the pet of the *Mel on the present occasion,
that she hid ban solOested to these punishments veil im-
, and tint the vault was that she had sustained the
wep bas whisk she Sesegin compensation. Among these
pauses or pasishmeme was one which was called the
wild idea, sad walk emairted in the party subjected to it':
being platted in a you, der to a whitewashed wall, and',
compelled to sit with bee fare to the wall the whole of the
day without being persilied to speak to any penes or to I
mooexcept to take her meals. This 'psalm& 1
meat bad bees inhaled upon the unfortunate
plaintiff during a paha of eight or nine days, and auriag
that leas Na., except when WM took her meals, she was
eempoiledl to sit with her hie dose to the wall, and was
est allowed to speak to any eme while she was naderloing
MY omen passament. Wins the child Ant went to the
onsane is was quite wall, bat the hemostat she received
ass alistal bar health, and (manually she was esehteed to
ii my had elate indeed, a mob so Oat her life was el-
meat deepaind of, sod in the. resat oho oath* lea the
afilttef ewe ether etwa He wand sew meatien es net-
dad whish meld Gird some eine to the maw whisk
talks shaman shill being Weeded is this wan.
site was unde. the pof the trial
ahem, it appeared Oat isesl Wimp opened to
visit the eatablielimeah sad the plaintiff was rememi amen
Mr plan of exiiiiimmeah and me bid to be pospeeed to
maim him. It SINISISII that there was an Mussels. be pre-
sses Me essiinal lathe red, and it was the desire of the
lady main that he lima be led to believe that the robs
bad been nor far him by the girls in the orphan
dem and the plaintiff and the others in that
she were aid_ As sayso when they prorated
the yobs. Dr. Memos did come, and the robe was pre-
en**, bat It appeared that theilaisitiff did not make the
✓iTeSrlihlt, and thwas ilss gavoested t°
twoltftnee to t regard re sea the rat
wayrairx, and the moment Dr. Wiegman left she
mit=task to the trial elm. After this another de-
af punishment was indicted apes the uafertunate
by Rodin her to the kitchen to work. This kitchen,
en lie wie instreeted, was a very damp cold amps, and the
14=1;that the plavuotilp=t • severe sold, sad was
194ry in. Shemin to Madame Thanks*
but the answer she mai wee that it was all alintation.
The eye, the sight of whisk site eftersinis last entirely,
WY at this time very nosh ideeind, se mesh se as to be
visible to every one. and the dassdast, en her attest ion
being drawn to it, tad the plaintiff that if oho suilend am
amet mann it, sad that site was boas to maw. Ohs
withal be see the dater, bat was set allowed to de ea s and
alle In this Nate she west to anfeeden, end the
_lts, an bad doe wag is not obeying the mien of
the Illy superior with regard to the robe, sod that it
maid be sinful of her to make may empkiat or
mite to Cardinal Wiseman upon the @West After
this, as he was instrusted. the = pat soca
quaking a her ups a abjest be would
not further allude to, bat the Abet was that
the plaintiff determined sot to go spa to canfesedos.
Thipettesperior insisted that she shand di so ; and, on
her 'mg in her raked upon the pound that roper
questions bad bees put to le r, she was told that tiegime-
new were not improper, sad that they were only those
whisk were contained in her book of religious inetzuction,
and which were esnatiesed by it. She still refused, and
the consequence was that oho was n Vied mad kept
far eineen in the trial elm. As the plaintiff
obtained to see Mr. Chepum, medial gar
nen= naiad es the ensidienent, end he at awn sr
saved her moaned MA debilitated eneMso end mined
bar sourishiag hod eat malls& No alausties, how-
ever, was made la her illoi• ash hiclomgedi;•=ed to
the doctor she wee epee peinkini. it
this time was what was salad amd it
assisted in the *add heft le de with her
fain upon the posed for the of aa beer. The
learned counsel then proceeded to state that at len
the aunt of We plastid Interfered, and with a peat deal
of difilealty she obtained pernialos to take her
aisle to Dr. Abstainer the eekbrated onlist,
who at once pronemeed that the eight of one
of was completely gone, sad be believed the jury
wand set entertain any doubt that this malt had been
seasieard by the hamper and creel treatment the child
had relesived. These were the (acts spas whisk he should
ask be their verdict, bat he thought it right le lawn the
talas addition, that in easesqueues of she pints the dr
a had put upon the record, it was lemeldered abso-
lutely sememary that Cardinal Wesson sheet be celled to
prove who the parties were to wham he had Intrusted the
child, and under what elawastesses mad swathes she
was plated with Om. lifennihateadiss, however, that
every endeavour. had ban made to abysm him to at-
tend-, Cardinal Weenies meld set he fewed, and there
was no course then left but to apply to the defendants
themselves, and the clerk to the plaintiff's solicitor had
obtained from them a prospectus of the establishment, end
also an admission that they were the responsible parties.
The learned counsel having stated some ether facts, which
were afterwards proved in evidence, be concluded his ad-
dress by requesting the jury not to allow any religious feel-
ings to eater into the inquiry, but to treat the ease r
they would that of any other boarding school where a child
was alleged to have been treated improperly, and decide
thu ease solely upon the evidence that would be laid before
them on that point.
Henrietta Griffiths, the plaintiff, was then examined.
She was very plain looking, bat apparently a very intent
gent girl. She said—l am 15 years old. I was residing
lately in the establishment at Norwood, kept by the die
fondants. I tint weft there in October, 1849, and coati.
need there until last January. When I first went another
lady was the superior. Dr. Wiseman placed me in the esta-
blishment. The present superior way appointill in April,
1861. The other defendant was called Madame°. Theodore.
She was at the convent all the time I was there. Our diet
consisted of soup for breakfast. The soup was made of rice
and peas. For dinner we had soup of the mate descrip-
tion, and sometimes meat, and (Sr supper we had generally
vegetables, such as cabbage. We had meat about three
times a week. We need to get up at four in the morning
and went to bed at nine. I was sometimes engaged in
washing from six in the morning till six in the evenings.
We hail no extra food on those days. I also used to help to

alma the establishment. The writing was only es eme day
in the week. We had same& moat as we could eat. There
was a trial class, which was for punishment. We used to
get up at the usual time, and were placed on a low stool
and placed closed to the wall and not allowed to look round
or speak. This was continued (ism four in the morning
till nine at night. It was a whitewashed wall we had to
look at. The punishment continued for eight days, and if
we looked round we had to begin the eight days again. I
had: been placed in the trial class by Madame Theodore
before the present lady superior came. Before this I had
asked if I might write to my aunt, and I was told my aunt
had nothing to do with me, I was the cardinal's child and
he paid for me. I heard the cardinal was coming to visit
the establishment, and the defendant said she would pardon
me on condition that I was cheerful before him. A short
time before Dr. Wiseman cams I was told I was to present
a robe to bins with some of my companions, and she told
me if he asked whether I bad dens any of it I was
to say yes. I had never seen the robe before. The
car-inal did ask me the question, and I began to cry, and
he said, "Are you nut good ?" I made no repl), and
Father Beek, who was by, said, "Yes, my lord, she is •
very good girl." The cardinal then said at was cheilish-
nem A " mark" was given me, to showelley were pleased
with me. and Father Beck told the doctor to leek at her
shoulder and see the mark. When the cardinal left, Ma-
dame Theodore came up and said that I had nut be-
haved well, and she was very displeased with my conduct
before the cardinal, and I must be placed in the kitchen. I
was the Brat who was pl..ced in the kitchen for punishment.
The lady superior came to me the day after she arrived.
My eyes were very bad at the time. She asked me why I
looked so ill, and I told her that this work had overpowered
me. Madame Theodore said I had been a sicked girl,
sad when I asked to see a doctor, she told me I Wei under
her charge, and she would do what she pleased with me.
I was in the school-room at the time, and the superior said
if she heard any more murmuring she would place me in
the trial class room. I repeatedly asked Madame FE
Theodore to let me ire the doctor, Mr. Chapman, and she
said it was all affectation. Madame Louis said this.
The superior told me I ought to have told Dr. Wiseman.
what I was requested about the robe, and I said it was
against my conscience to tell a lie. She said I ought to
have done it, as the doctor was very good to me. I after-
wards went to confession. Dr. Beck was the father con-
fessor. I asked hiss some questions.
Serjeant Mee objected to anything that was said at con-
fession being used in evidence.
Examination continued—The superior asked me after-
wards why I did not go to confisaioa, and I told her
the priest had asked me questions not fit to be
asked, and she said the questions that wire to be asked
were so many books and were proper ones, and
if I did not go to confession I should be placed in the trial
class room again. I had the book in my hand at the time.
I think it is called the " Daily Confession," said it was in
common use in the convent. It is the book now pro-
duced. After this had happened, and when 1 bad seen Dr.
Chapman, I was very much worse, and when the doctor
made some observation about it, they said I had not taken
my medicine. The doctor asked me if it was true, and I
said I always took it when it was given to me, and when
the doctor left the defendant said, that in coosequence of
what I told the doctor I should be confined, end I had to
undergo the punishment of prostration. Prostration con-
Sits in lying on the Boor on your face. Before this I had
been kept by myself in a room, with a nun to watch me.
This generally lasted for an hour, and I had to lie straight
on the ground on my face. I was compelled to do this on
one day, and then I was confined in a small closet. I was
nut looked up, but I was compelled to stay in, sal thought
that if I attempted to go out I should be placed in the doss
of trial. A child passed by, and I spoke to her, and one of
the nuns told the superior that i had done so, and I was
ordered to be locked in. I was kept in the closet for three
weeks from four in the morning till nine at night, and I
was not allowed to go out for any purpose. My food was
brought to me. The closet was only large enough to con-
tain a chair and a table, but neither one nor the other was
in it, and I was übliged to lie on the floor. No light was
allowed me. There was a window, bat it was closed, and
I was in darkness all the time. Upon one ocemion I was
kept in the closet all night, and the next morning they
told me they had forgotten me. They also forgot to give me
my food on this day. When I refused to go to confession I
was placed in the trial class room. Madame Theodore asked
me if I still persisted in refusing to go to confession, and gave
me two days to consider of it, and, if I refused, I should
be placed in the trial clue. When the time expired also
put the same q cation to me, and on my persisting ire re-
fusing she ordered me into the trial class room. I wished
to be placed in the kitchen, and told her I was sure I
should die • but she said I must suffer, and with that I
might react; H .. I was kept there for six days. I
begged to see the doctor, and after 10104 i time I was allowed
to do me. I was taken to the young ladies' room to see
him. My eye was very bad at this acme, but I could see a
little out of it. I have since lost the sight of it. The doe-
tor said my eye was gone the moment I saw him, and he
wished to know why I bad not been shown to him before,
and the lady said it bad come so very suddenly. It had
been bad seven weeks at this time. It first began by debi-
lity, and then I was very ill. I was ill after I had been in
the convent a month. They did nothing for me to relieve
me. The doctor said I had a very delicate constitution,
and I was to have beer and meat twice a day, and be kept
in a dark place and do no hard work. The moment the
doctor was gone I was taken back to the clam of trial. I
complained continually that my eye was getting worse, and
they told me that I wasted to suffer. No alteration was
made in my food. I stayed altogether in the trial class
room for sixteen days. The time was lengthened because
I complained to some of the nuns, and staid it was unjust to
punish me in the state in which I was. Dr. Chapman
came to see me every day, and I was taken out of the class .
room to see him. I got worse' and he asked if I had what .
be ordered, and they told him I had, but I would not take
the medicine that was sent for me. This was
not true. The doctor asked me to tell him truly if I
took the medicine, and I said I always did whoa it wee
given to me, and for saying this I was punished in the way
described. I complained to the lady superiors that I could
not eat the food that was given to me. I bad beer some-
times, but it was half water. I repeatedly asked to be
allowed to write to my aunt, sad at length one of the
orphans wrote, and I saw my aunt about eight days
afterwards, but a nun was present at the interview, and I
only saw her through a grating. After this I was taken to
Dr. Alexander. My aunt was very much shocked at my
appearance, and made some inquiry of the lady superior,
and she said she did not allow any one to interfere is cases
of illness. My aunt wished to take me to an oculist; but
they refused to allow her, and my aunt threatened to apply
to a magistrate, and at length: my aunt was allowed to take
me away on condition that I should be brought back the
next day. I was then allowed to accompany my aunt to
Dr. Alexander. No priest accompanied me on this me-
dial. I was taken back to the convent on the following di y,
sad the defendants were told that Dr. Alexander said that
my life depended on the way I was treated, and that he had
ordered me meat and beer. My aunt offered to send
me some stout; but the superior said she would not
allow it. No alteration was made in my treatment
after this, but I was placed in the closet again. I went a
sewed time to Dr. Alexander, accompand by my aunt
and one of the young lady boarders. My aunt took me into
a coffee-shop and gave me some refreshment, but I was too
faint to eat smirking. The lady superior had given me as
a reward a " mark of the Child of Mercy." The second
time I went to see Dr. Alexander I and ono of the priests
aria young lady boarder west tegether in a cab from Ken-
niagtataitate, and we got out near the residence of Cardinal
Whereas, in Guides-square, and we all went together to
Mr. Alexander's. Imes my aunt there, and she stayed in the
waltiarroom. The priest went with me into the room,
and he leek se beak le the eonveat. The cardinal was at
the invent ea this day. Dr. Great, the Bishop of Lam-
beth, wee also premed. (A laugh.) I was crying and he
asked me some
.qesetions aced I answered them, and he
Balled the superior out and asked sae why I wise° unhappy,
sad abs said I was not • good girl, and Dr. Great made her
praise that ohs would treat me well ; and after this they
did treat me better, and gave me more beer and meat.
Before I went away the assistant superior told me that if I
said anything about what happened in the conveut,l shonld
be damned and never be saved. While I was in the trial
roam I was not allowed to perform any of the offices of
nature until we all required to de so. This was part of
our panishmant. When I left the convent I went to live
with my aunt. My uncle was formerly a butler in a gen-
tleman's family. I saw my sant is Load= two days ago
before I came down to Guildford, and I expected she would
have been hers to give her evidence. Before I came away
a person, whom I believe from his deer to be a priest, came
to our house, and he bad an interview with my aunt. I
don't know what he said to her, bestow I was not present
at their biteiview.
The witness underwent a long and severs eross-examins-
ties by Berjeant Shero—Shis Mid, in answer to the quee.
lions put to her, that before she went to the convent
at Norwood she had been in two other similar eets-
bib/iamb, one at Somers-tows sad the other at
Tottenham. A man named Waghorn formerly lived
is the Same house with her aunt, but she did
me hew that they lived es maa and wife, but she had
Mod her gnat called by the name of Waghorn. She had
aim Memel het called Mrs. O'Grady. The name of her pre-
Mat hesheed was Conty. The bishop of the district recom-
mended her for admission to the Tottenham establishment.
She wee in a similar religious establishment in France.
and cameo bath to England in 1847. Her real name
was Griffith,. and she was told that Dr. Griffiths was
her father. The bishop got her admitted to the establish-
ment at Norwood in the name of Griffiths. He knew she
was the same person be had befriended before in another
name. The aunt at Somers-town always called her
O'Grady. When she went to the Norwood establishment she
was not very weak and sickly, and she was not aware that '
her breath smelt offensively. The orphanage portion of the
convent and that of the lady boarders were separate.
The Wile paid for their board, but the orphans were kept
them by charitable persons. While she was in the convent
she wore the duet of the orphan inmates, and was in-
structed in French. geography, reading and writing, needle
work, washing, and ironing. She went to the establish-
ment in July, and she was not punished until the month of
October following. They were allowed two hours for re-
creation every day. In winter time they got up at half-
' past four in the morning, and is summer at four, and
they went to bed at nine. All the girls in the
orphanage class rose at the same hour. The
soup they had seemed to her to be made of oil. They dirt
I not always have bread, and sometimes they had nothing
but rice in the soup. Thep did not always have
Sunday. Site did not recollect ever having any ro at:
On Friday, which was the fast day, they had rice
lead vegetables. Dr. Chapman, the medical gentlest he. •
loegieg to the establishment, attended her before ..her eyes
were bad, but it was not on Recount of her noseemielliag
offensively. When the doctor attended her, It, designed
her to have roast twat twice a day and porter..hut mine

I

A
ea