Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1834-08-21
From tie Bssisa Duh .fdtvrfisrr. .fnyua ~.
BURNING ov rnk URSUilNE CONVENT
Al AWIESrOWN.

popular violence winch was ever pcrpctra-
ted IN this community. We announced IA 4
postscript TO our last paper, dated at quar-
ter past one O'Clock yesterday morning, that
the Ursuiine Convent at Chsrlestown, was
then In flames, having been set on FIRE by 4
mob assembled for the purpose. The Con-
vent IS situated on Mount Benedict, at the 1,
distance Of about n mile from the central
portion OF Chariestown, and two OF three
miles FROM the city. The principal building
was an edihce Of brick, about eighty feet IN
length, aud four stories high. Among the
other buildings were farm house and cot
tsge. The inmates Of tho convent were the /
Lady Superior. five or six nuns. three female !
attendants, and from fifty To sixty children, /
placed there by their friends, principally Pro- /,
testants, for he purpose OF instruction.
At a little alter eleven o'clock on Monday
night, an alarm Of fire was given "a this city
aud the ne F,hbourins towns, produced by the !
burning OF several Tar barrels IN the neigh
bourhood Of the convent. IL appears that
tins must have been preconcericI signal
for assembling, among the mass Of citizens
who would be collected, 4 large number Of
whom had entered into combination for the
dcstructioR OF the convent party Of fifty
to hundred persons, disguised by fantastic
dresses and painted faces, assembled before
the convent, and after warning tho inmates,
who had all retired TO rest, by loud noises
aud threats Of violence, to make their escape
proceeded TO make an actual assault upon
the house. The ladies Of the convent, alarm
ed by these threats Of violence, immediateI,
/ awoke the children under their charge and
with them retreated from the rear of the
house through the garden, and made their cs.
cape TO some Of the neishborins dwelling
The assailants pressed the evacuation Of the
house with such haste, that IL Is said they
laid violent hands the lady superior, To
hasten her movements The distress and
terror OF tho scene were heightened by the
solicftudc of theNuns for one Of their number,
who i confined 10 her bed by a disease from
which she Is not expected 10 recover.
The assailants forced open the doors and
Windows. Of the convent, carried most OF the
furniture, among which were three piano
fortes, a harp, and other music al Instrume nis
into the yard, aud then destroyed II. At a.
bout half past IL o'clock they set fire to the
building in the second story, and IN short
tiue II vas entirely destroyed.
A great number Of persons were assembled
at the spot, and were witnesses OF these
transactions. we are unable 10 account for
Il, that no Measures were taken 10 repress
them. We do not learn that any magistrate
or police officer came upon the ground Sc
Veral fire companies from this city, fgom
.hsricstown, and from Cambridge, repaired
TO the scene on the FIRST alarm, and when
they ascertained the cause Of the alarm, n
part of them returned bone number Of
the fire companies however were present dur
: ing the coniagration, and the efiectual mea-
sures which were taken to suppress IT, ap-
pear 10 have been oyerruled by the great
number Of persons assembled, many OF the m
evidently from distance, for the apparent
purpose Of encouraging and aiding the work
+ OF dcstruciion
Besides the nunnery several other build
, iDgs belonging to the establishment were also
l burnt. The FIRE was deliberately communi-
5 Gated TO the Chapel, TO the Bishops Lodge,
l the stables, and the Old Nunnery, large
wooden Building situated at n short distance
from the Others. II - asserted also, that the
cemetery was opened, and its contents taken
out and exposed TO view. The work Of de-
2 struction was continued until day light, " hen
the mob dispersed. OF tho pccuniary va
lue OF tho property thus destroyed, we can
not give any acurate estimate. 10 is suppos-
ed to have cost from 80 TO 100000 dollars.
II is stated that thete was insurance against
5 FIRE at the American Office on tho nunnery
for 10000, and on the furniture for $1,000
on policy however not protecting the pro-
perry against outrages Of this kind.
From he Boston Gazette.
2 The number of persons assembled rs actors
. IN this scene Of destruction, or spectators,
, has been computed at some thousands. But
no attempt was made 10 restrain tho mob in
their acts of violence. Not Magistrate nor
Police Officer was To he seen. Engines from
Charlestowb, Boston, aud believe froul
Cambridge, were on the spot, but no effort
? was made by the fremen TO eXtnguish the
, tire, although Col. Amory made several laud.
p able but fruitless attempts TO bring up the
fire engines, and stop the progress Of the
flames.
This act Of violence appear, TO have been
j. without excuse. u is said by Bishop Fen
Il wick, that there was no excuse Tor Tie ex-
= citcmeBt 10 Chariestown, which has pre-.
r. vailed for some time past, and which ha'
q been increasing, until this shocking result is
produced But even if there was cause fol
u the excitement, 10 should be recoIlected that
q we live IN a country of laws. where all cllssc.
Il Of citizens may find redress under oppression
Il And If an act of oppression and violence had
been committed by the Government RI the
Nunnery. on young and unprotected female
ample redresscOuld have been obtained with
out resOrting 20 an act Of violence, which
II has not been equallsd 10 New England sine,
a the establishment Of the Republic.
The Nuns, and those Of the pupils who's,
u relatives do not reside In the Deighborhood
IS are nov quariered with the Sisters Of charity
, IN Hamilton street. Mr.. Cutter, We under
= stand, gave an asylum To a large number o
them during the night. We are told this az
. teFnoon BY one Of the pupils that the onl,
y one Of their number who saved any clothing
- was little girl Of about i2years Of age. VIII
J. had picked up some dresses IN large hand
l. kerohief some time before the alarm wa. q
=, ven, supposing there might be trouble soone
or later, and carried them away IN safety -
" We cannot learn, indeed. that any of ih
m children were personally injured Of ihsulis
III N any manner
al From ne .ffiss
:, We understand that on Monday the ron
- vent was opened to '-hers. aod was thorough
% " examined from the belfry 10 tho cellar
.d that the lady superior has always been eiliin
a. 20 make every explanation 20 those Who cam
I'm 10 her IN suitable manner, and treated he
9th the cisilty due 10 her sex and station
!, From al We can learn, the violence was uttei
~ lyiwithoW cause. he institution was IN u
u very nature unpopular, and a strong feelin
rr existed against Il bot there was nothing