Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-08-22
THE RIOT AT CHARLEsTowN.

es the following interesting account OF the cause
ofthe late mobs at Charlestown, and ofthe escape
of the Nun and her return to the Ursuline Con-
vent Most of the facts have not before appear
ed in print
We stated in our last paper our determina-
ton to lay before the public full, complete ana
accurate statement OF the escape of the Nun,
Maru Harrison or Mary ST. John Harrison, from
the Ursuline Convent in this town. and OF Inc
excitement growing out OF that affair Inc
facts i'm the case, as we are informed, are tneSe:
the Young lady referred to belongs TO New 1 ork,
(wbere her father resides) and she has bro
Their at Boston, employed with Bowen, an engIaV.
er. She has been an inmate OF the Convent at
Boston and after its removal to this town, for
the space of thirteen years. Ii appears that on
the afternoon OF Monday 2Sth ult., the young
lady. who had previously been indisposed and
had been attended by DR.. Thompson, made her
escape to the house oil MIR Edward CutteT' near
the Convent. Soon after entering this house,
.he commencing running her fingers over Inc
Piano Forte She informed Mr.. Cutter that she
had escaped from the convent; was unhappy In
her situation. and wished to be carried to the
house of Mr.. Getting, Baker, in west Cam
bridge, who had two daughters at the lnsntutlon.
She was carried to West Cambridge, py MT.
Runey one of the Seectmen, who resides near
the Nunnery, accompanied by his wife, and the
daughter of Mr. Cutter. We do not understand
that she complained of any bad treatment at
the Convent, but only that she was unhappy
It is stated that the Superior notified the blsh-
Old of the escape Of the Nun, being informed oy
MIR. Runey of the place of her refuge. Tins was
at 9 O'Clock; at 10 o'clock, the same evening,
the Bishop visited the Nun at West Cambridge
The next morning, the Bishop and her brother
repaired to West Cambridge, and to them, at
this time she expressed her willingness to return
first requiring the privilege Of room, free inter-
course with her friends, not to take again the
black ven, and at the expiration OF three weeks,
if she desired it, was to have an honorable as
charge 1t is stated that she then returned TO
the Convent and was from that time contenIed.
willing and DESTROYS 20 stay.
The cause of her wishing to leave and of her
escape is said to be arrangement OF mind
She was weakened by disease and the opera
ton of medicine; affected by recent mlsiortunes
of her father; also by being limited, with all the
other inmates, to one room, while the interior
of the building was being painted; and under
these complicated circumstances it is said, that
temporary alienation of mind enSued, and leo
to her determination TO escape.
These are said to be the facts which gave rise 10
various reports in the community, generally IN
correct or very much exaggerated and colored.
The general impression on the MINDS OF the
~ rnJuutcrou~ prSifcatiesfs or rf;e mercantile
Journal published and pronounced very ma
terially Incorrect in our last) was that he
young lady mad been badly treated; had been
forced or over-persuaded 20 return; was res
trained in ner liberty and was III danger u -ar
life. 1t was further stated, 5s rom her oWu
mouth, that if she did not come ouI at the END
of three weeks, her friends must inve~tE = inc
case and search for her. Ii was also raa0rIe1
that she was dead; that MesSrs Gutter NTnoy
and others, had been refused adhesion t. ;te
Convent, and that another fems!e had beCG sro-
stituted for her These reports, as nfav be well
lop f.Nr ha
der of the week, in It stale of great excitement
more especially at Boston, the Cambridges
Medford, SC. &c. where the facts were not
known. On Friday evening" the exciting PARA
graph appeared in the Journal, and on Satur-
day morning in the other Boston papers In
the Transcript of the same evening. the story
was commented on, and statement from the
Bishop intmated or promised, the following
Monday This statement, however, uHfortu-
nately did not appear on Monday morning as
expected.
We may as well state here, that on the Mon
day following the escape of the Nun, at the
monthly meeting of he Board Of Seectmen,
committee consisting of Messrs. Runey and
Poor, was appointed to inquire into the affair,
take legal advice, as 10 their powers in the mat
ter, and call a meeting of the Board if deemed
necessary. This committee required the advice
of Esq. fults, and came to the conclusion that
they had no authority to interfere; and there
fore did not call the Board together. But on
Sunday last, one of this committee, Mr.. Samuel
Poor, at the request of Mr.. Runey, visited the
Convent and went over and examined the
whole building, and saw and conversed with the
young lady referred to. She assured him that
she was perfectly contented entirely unrestrain-
ed, and had no wish to leave the Institution.
MIR. Poor states that his prejudices against the
Convent were very strong; and that those pre-
JUDGES were entirely removed by his intercourse
with the Superior, and his examination of the
establishment. He came away convinced that
no improper measures had been taken with the
Nun, and that her escape must have been enact
ed while in deranged state of mind, as she de-
declared that "the whole affair seemed to her
like dream" Mr.. Poor made an arrangement
with the Superior, by which the whole Board of
Selectmen were to visit the establishment on
Monday afternoon at 3, p Nj.
On Monday morning. the Bishops statement
did not appear, as expected. In the evening |
paper it was stated that he had declined offering
any to the public, preferring to leave it to Mr.. |
Gutter, who might be considered more impair
fial and diSinterested as he understood Mr. q