The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-08 00:00:00

T.TI

'ASE.

nie Qiteen's Bench was Still engaged on Saturday in
the case of "Saurin v. Starr," the action by a Sister of
Mercy against the Superioress of her convent.
At the sitting of the court, the Solicitor-General,
addressing the Lord Chief Justice, reminded his lordship
that on Friday he stated that an offer bad emanated from
the defendant's counsel tending to a settlement of the
case. He was in hopes that that offer might have been
acceptable to all parties, but obviously there were
interests involved on the other side which could not be
disregarded in any settlement that might be come to.
The Lord Chief Justice : I was quite sensible of that,

and therefore I was anxious that the fullest opportunity
should be allowed on Friday for coming to a just conclu-
sion.

Mr. Hawkins asked his lordship to be allowed to retire
from the court for a few minutes with his learned friends
to Confer with the bishop of the diocese as to the
possibility of coming to a settlement. He was quite
sure the time would not be thrown away. Counsel having
retired from the court, and remained in consultation for
about twenty minutes, Mr. Hawkins on his return
announced that as persons not in court must necessarily be
consulted before the terms of settlement suggested could
he accepted, the case must proceed.

The cross-examination of the plaintiff was thereupon
resumed. It was conducted by Mr. Hawkins, who went very
minutely into detail. But " Sister Scholastica" adhered
very firmly to the points made in her evidence in chief.
She illustrated her idea of propriety by expressing extreme
disgust at the conduct of one of the sisters, who had gone
out with a gentleman unattended. She had intended to
complain to the Superioress about it.
Mr. Hawkins : Then why did not you inform the
superior ?
Plaintiff : Because she was at Hull.

Mr. Hawkins : Was there no local superior?

Plaintiff: Yes. It was the local superior herself that
did it. (Loud laughter, in which the judge heartily
joined. There were some hisses, and it was some time
before the decorum of the court was restored).
The court was evidently in an excited state, for the
unusual bracketed phrase " applause " appears several
times after the remarks of the Lord Chief Justice. Miss
iaurin repeated her assertion that some passages in the
letters givert to her were obliterated repeatedly. Particu-
larly she referred to some letters from her sister.
Mr. Hawkins here remarked: You know she had the
right to do it.
Plaintiff : I am sure no sister of mine would have written
anything unfit for me to read.
The Lord Chief Justice : " Power " would be a better
word than " right." Right means a thing rightly done.
We are not inquiring into what power the superior has,
but whether she has exercised it honestly and faithfully,
or for the purposes of oppression, in order to drive this
lady out of the community. (Loud applause.) That is
the charge. The charge is what power had she by the
rules—and has she used it for the purpose of driving this
lady from the convent?

Mr. Hawkins : I will undertake to shew it was honestly
done.

The Lord Chief Justice : Power may be given for the
best of purposes, but it might be abused if it got into bad
hands. (Applause.)
Mr. Hawkins endeavoured in the rest of the examina-
tion to shew (from the plaintiff's own statement) that she
had habitually broken the rules of the coavent. The case
was adjourned.