The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-10 00:00:00

THE CONVE3T CASE.

The Hull Convent Case is becoming quite an " institn-
' tio4 " at Westminster. Both from eastward and westward
visitors stroll down to the old hall for nothing else but to
learn how the hearing is proceeding, for from after about
nine there is not the remotest chance of getting into
court. Should the view taken by Mr. Hawkins of the
length which the defence will occupy—viz., at least six
days—be correct, it may be expected that the crowd
attracted within the legal precincts will be quite as great
as that which waits the advent of the Lord Mayor when
he pays the judges a visit. The interest in cases of this
kind:naturally increases as the time approaches for the jury
to act their part upon the stage. The business of yester-
day, the sixth day of the trial, was commenced with the
cross-examination of Father Matthews, who, in answer to
questions put by Mr. Hawkins, said : I do not consider
the diocesan bishop has power to absolve from all vows
except those of chastity, or that he has power to expel. In
Oct 1865, in my interview with the bishop, I thought he
read to me at length the statements he had received from
the sisters, and that they were the charges from which the
digest was made. There was a document read at
the commencement of the proceedings, to the following
effect, so far as I can remember. It was a letter
from the bishop, admonishing the commission
not to do or permit anything that would render
themselves liable to any action for libel or civil process.
They were to read the history of the charges, with evi-
dence, and then send for the accused, and have the charges
severally read to her. She was to be allowed to reply to
each in detail in any way that best suited her. No com-
munication was to be made in her presence. She
would then retire, when the commission would confer
together, and if four-fifths were of one opinion the charges
were to be considered proved. Each commissioner was to
give in writing, briefly, the reasons on which he based his
opinion ; they were then to be read over again and con-
sidered, and a report drawn up and forwarded to the
bishop. Dr. O'Hanlan did not raise any objection to the
commission going into counter charges against sisters.
The papers produced are not those from which the bishop
read to me. When the bishop read over the statements, I
said it appeared to me that one mind had inspired- the
whole. I made no counter charges against any of the
sisters, but I asked my niece for explanations. I was
prevented from fully examining her.
The Lord Chief Justice: I don't think it matters a rush
whether Dr. O'Hanlan refused to take any counter
charges.
Mr. Hawkins : He was there as the plaintiff's advocate?
Witness : No.
The Lord Chief Justice : No one had any business to be
there as such.

Cross-examination continued : No application was
made to me for her admission into the Drogheda
convent. I considered she had a right to
remain where she was. The reverend mother at Drog-
heda expressed her regret that I had not applied to her.
It is the same kind of establishment. My niece is still
desirous of entering another establishment of the same
kind. She has not been taken to the Drogheda convent,
because every convent would naturally have an objection
to receive her with such a stigma resting on her.
Re-examined : I assume the bishop read correctly the
charges to me. I heard certain portions of them read also
at the commission. I cannot recollect if they differed.
By the Lord Chief Justice: I left Mrs. Starr's letters
to Mr.s Saurin with the bishop, and shewed him how
recent and sudden her change of opinion with reference to
my niece must have been.
Mr. Patrick Saurin, examined by Mr. Digby Sey-
mour : I saw my sister several times at Clif-
ford previous' to 1862, and she appeared happy and
comfortable. I accompanied my mother to Clifford in
1862. I saw Mrs. M'Owne there, the local superior. We
saw my sister. I left my mother and sister alone, and
they had some conversation together. In January 1866
I went to Hull and saw my sister. A nun came in and dusted
the furniture in the reception-room whilst we were there.
She came in and out frequently, and kept nearus. We spoke
low to avoid her hearing. I thought she wanted to over-
hear our conversation. This was after the commission. I
• saw• her again on the 13th March, 1866, in consequence of
- -.receiving a letter from her, dated the 26th February. I
had to wait in the reception-room some time before I saw
her. Mrs. Dawson came into the room whilst I
was waiting, and locked up the wardrobe. My
sister came in afterwards. I kissed her cheek.
It was as cold as marble. I was so much distressed at
her appearance that I could not speak to her for some
minutes. She appeared weak and tottering, and was
badly clothed. Her appearance gave me great pain. Her
hair was cut, and she wore a rag of a cap on her head. I
thought in her then state she could not live long. I had
taken pen and ink with me, 'and at my dictation she wrote
a letter to the superior. It stated that she would never
leave the convent of her free will, but that if the superior
wished to put her out she was to do it then, as I would
take charge of her. I asked to see Mrs. Starr. She and
Mrs. Kennedy came in. Mrs. Starr did not acknowledge
me, and I introduced myself to her. I was very much
affected, and I asked her if she had any womanly or
Christian feeling. I told her I thought she could not be
devoid of these, and asked her to look at the state to
which she had reduced my poor sister. She turned
round to Mrs. Kennedy, and very sarcastically
smiled at my remark. Mrs. Starr said my sister did not
belong to the order, and she might go. I saki, " Very
well ; give her to me." I took her by the hand and said I
would protect her. Mrs. Starr would not hand her to me,
because she said she did not wish to implicate herself.
They then left the room, and I remained a short
time with my sister, and afterwards I left. As I
left the hall a nun came and bowed my
sister upstairs. On the Ist of May 1866 I
again visited my sister, having previously received
a letter from her asking me to come over. It stated
she was ill, and did not expect to leave the convent except
in her coffin. Her appearance was so changed that I saw
Sir Henry Cooper, our convent medical man, at Hull.
Mrs. Starr said I might take my sister to him. She was
too ill to go, and I saw Sir Henry again and explained to
him, and he went with me and saw my sister the next
morning. She came into the room followed by two nuns.
I left the room, but before doing so I asked the nuns to
retire also, but they declined. I returned and asked Sir
Henry if he did not wish to see my sister alone. He said,
" Never mind, Mr. Saurin." I asked them secondly to retire,
but they would not. It was a large room, but they took
up a position near Sir Henry and my sister. After Sir
Henry came out she informed me and him that she had not
told him all, because the sisters were present. From
what Sir Henry said I considered it necessary at
once to remove my sister. I went the following day
with a cab. Mrs. Starr was all politeness, and I was
shewn into a room with a fire. She retired, and returned
with Mr. Collins and Mrs. Kennedy. He commenced
conversing with me upon the subject, but I considered it
a piece of impudence on his part to interfere, and I
declined to have anything to say to him. I asked for my
sister. Mr. Collins said he belonged to a paper, and
could expose- the matter. I told him not to insult me. I
left the room, and went into the reception-room, where. I
saw Mrs. Starr and Mrs. Kennedy. My sister was given
over to me, and I took her away.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mellish : Mrs. Starr did not
say on the 13th March she earnestly wished my sister to
leave, and that the doors and windows were open. I did
not say to her, " Well, you must put your hand to her,
and give her to me." Mrs. Starr did not say I wanted
her to use force.
By the Lord Chief Justice : I wanted thcm to expel
her.

Mr. Mellish : It is a pity they did not do so. .
Witness : Mrs. Starr told me on the 13th March my
sister might leave. Mrs. Starr did not tell me she had
provided a secular dress for my sister. I don't remember
her saying " I wonder you keep your sister here ; vou
know the bishop has sent her three orders to leave."
Mr. Michael Saurin, plaintiff's brother : I saw my sister
in the Hull convent in 1863. She was with me a short
time. The bell rang. She said, " That is for me. I must
go." I said, " You shall not." She said she must, and
went. I went on the following day, and after
remaining half an hour I was told I could not
see my sister. It was against the rules for her
•t 4 be seen oftener than once a month. I asked
to see Mrs. Starr, but she was denied ; so I said I would
see her, and I determined I would go to a magistrate if
necessary. I saw Father Frappes and Father Mottler.
The latter went to the convent, but I was unable to see
my sister. I went to Leeds to see the bishop instead of
going to a magistrate. I could not see him. I was
obliged to go to Ireland without seeing her.
The witness was not cross-examined.
[The Solicitor-General then put in two letters written
kbout this time. One was from the bishop to Mrs. Starr
dated July 7, 1864. It stated that his lordship had
just
heard that he had refused Mr. Saurin to see
his sister a
second time, which he considered was a
great error of
judgment. She should have taken into
cons consideration
that be could have compelled her to have
ranted
hi*: request. She should not have run
thge risk,
vas to get herself out of the difficulty she Was to write to Mr. Saurin and inform him that sh
bad now the permission lie sought, and she was not to
raise any reasonable objection to a brother seeing a sister°
o that Mrs. Starr replied that his lordship
must not.
T
imagine that her confidence was shaken in his
decision in reference to Mr. Saurin. sister
Scholastica's presence was a very heavy cross, and
produced feelings of uneasiness. They all felt that she
was not one of them, but that she was an enemy amongst
them. She disliked the superior and the novices, and the
community could not enjoy peace and happiness as a
community, and they longed for the day when she might
119 01019 figncl Sister, licholitatiC4 IJACk to Dublin. SIN