The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-05-25
Important from the Vest-Outragc commit
ted by N Ciergymam-Public and Private

Indiana Of most shocking outrage committed bv
a clergyman, that Will make every mans blood boil
q. years we have seen great moral degener-
acy in the educated, fashionable, and financial
classes, but perhaps among none have so many
iafses taken place as among The clergy of the old,
respectable, rich and highly educated secs of reli
gion. II poor Mormon were TO commit such an
act, how il would be blazoned through the country.
Read and be wise.
tFron the Evansville. (lnd.) Journal, May r.
UNPARALLELED OUTRAGE or a PSIssI-GaEAr EXCITE.
arsr ~ EVANSVILLE Nr liN,Wc feel it our unpleasant
duty TO give TO the public he particularsso far
nay with decorumof outrage alleged to have been
committed in town last week. certainly of the
revolving character that be conceived Of by the mind
of man. We have olten-and who has not-re2d Of sim
lar outrages charged upon the high unconares of the
Catholic Church in all ages OF its history and have be-
Deved them ii al all to be exaggerated and hgly coored
statements prompted in many instances perhaps BY the
jealouses ofopposng sects But in this instance
lief has been tahen it by storm, the evidence pro-
duccd upon the examination being of such nature to
compel TO the conviction OF the entire truth of the
charge. Other, and serious complaints, understand
made against Mr.. Wenz apHein the person al
uded above, but with these have nothing to do
such an outrage committed by father confessor within
The very walls Of his Church. upon weak and conding
pcnitent kneelng before him. could be increased in
horror by any additional charge 1t may be proper
for us, and we shall not attempt to express the indgna
ton we feel in common with the whole community If
the bail given by the defendant be sufficient his
attendance at the next term of Circuit Court (Which
oil disposed to doubt)
the charge will undergo ajudcia investigation, and
should not as journalists attempt 10 prejudice public OPT
Mon in advance. Our only object shall be give fair
statement OF the and the evidence, far went
already public III community.
Late on Friday last citizens were asounded with
the intelligence that the Catholic Priest resident here
had been arrested upon the charge Of committing
of violence of the most revolving character upon female
penitent the wife OF Mr. Schmall highly respec table
German citizen, and herself of good family and well
pected-young han lsome, and but recently married
while the confessional for the purpose of obtaining alb
fnr hars Ihan rand lEo
ton and Immediately upon the prisoner appearing
Magistrates office it was bceged by such concourse
Of people that his honor compelled to adjourn the
Court House which also found inc apabe
tanning the highly excited crowd that poured into it.
Nothing however done with the this
ng the counsel for the defendant moving for postpone
ment until morning, stating their intention to ask for
change of venue the ground that the Magistrate be-
lore whom the process had been returned Minister
OF Protestant Church The Magistrate required bail in
the sum OF $1,000 which readily given, and the
adjourned until o'clock the morning whena change
of venue granted and the referred the deci
sion of Squire Rowley at s. O'Clock, Monday morning.
and the bail inc reased to $1,000.
On Monday the crowd greater than ever having
been sweled by numbers of Irish and German Catholics
and others, from the country Indeed, such was the
into tho courthouse that fears entertained that
the weight would crush its walls, and n number of
more prudent citizens this withdrew more
highly excited state Of feeling also plainly visible al
though perfect order maintained. The Court,
Squircs Rowley and Mills having taken their seats the
prisoner appeared attended by his counsel cssrs Jones'
OF tins place and MIR Thomas member OF the bar of
the Catholic Church, from Vncennes The Rev. Mr..
Shaw Catholic priest from Vincennes was also in at
tendance.
The only witnesses produced by the prosec were
the lady upon whom the outrage was committed and her
husband upon motion Of the defendants counsel the
Court ordered that all the witnesses either side should
withdraw from the room except the one who should be
under examination. The prisoners counsel also reques.
ted that the female witness might be according to
the forms of the Catholic Church used in the country
from which she to which request the lady prompt
y acceded, stating through her counsel that she had
wish to be sworn in any other way. cruciiix he
used at the church beleve consequently brought
in and placed between two lighted candles and the lady
standing in this presence 0hrough interpreer)
sworn to speak the truth the whole truth and nothing
but the truth" We have heard the court consured by
OF our citizens for permitting what they looked upon
attempt to intmidate the witness, but good
objection to the adoption of that form of oath in every
stance which is binding upon the concence OF the
witness Indeed such is the requirement OF the law But
II this form made Of for the purpose of ntimda-
ton which we do not believe il certainly failed most g.
nsy to effect it, for venture to that there
not single unpreudiced individual who heard her
mony and her that not ed that
spoke not one word more less than the truth Mr..
Schma was also sworn and in pursuance of the order
OF the court withdrew from the ROOM his wife being
course the first witness to be examined We took full
notes OF the testimony but as delivered through
interpreter necessarily too prox (besdes being
otherwise oeectionahe) for our columns shall there
fore attempt to give either in the language order
IN which 1t fell from the witness Her simple story in
substance and as near as we can give her language
follows She is native OF Rhinsh Bavaria, where she
lived until she about 10, when she removed the
United States with her father and the of his family
She will be u years old the Iih of June next Her
parents well her brothers and sisters all Roman
Catholics, and such she chrstened and educated
cothoi; Shon -, h;h she ,.n ,hroa nren III
mare herself Sor bsr cnnGrmatior Shn 10: oa;tP %
tIr scbmau ~, las, Sa'. Waar,s aa o;,S, in. 80
which time sbo bad ,onn 70 confas;r ga az, Nv. @
again nn,u WsJ,a ss5,' han La';, u ; Wv, .o' ~
forneJ her bushanI oS b.r r,en,on sh , -, 2 h
sins fory;ven When sbc entered tho Cbnrcb srh;ch
was b.sTccn i've a,d s;x ocloct in Tho eren;n, son
other person asi The confes;ona and che ;,S IN
hat berson went owav ncrbans thee omartrs Of an
hour when there being no other ner.on in ,ha
Church she ucnt into ,hc corf.ss;onssI rrh;s -.
the witness describci il is sort of how oman o., tbs
side, and divided into two APARTMENTS each large
enough 10 contain only ono nerson in ono If rh;eh
the priest sit. md in The other tS nn;tent I % o
stool the communication between them heinz tbmroh
a window of lattice work in the parttonA Having con.
l,sscd her sins 10 the pries no ;mnos.d non ~
before she undertook which she wanted 10 nrav as m ,b.
custom of her country hut She cond no, nrav he nras,
then asked her IL sbs helievcd IN ho;,, ,.,ar,
Squire and followed this question with others Of ;h
most lewd and indecent nature relative 10 ber
[At This time il was so dark in Tho Cbrb h
could scare civ see TO read her nrover These
she for some time refused TO answ Int no insis,ed mn