Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-02
The Escaped NOVICE.

spirit are the subjects of universal disgust and
loathing.
The Escaped Novice.
The Frederick Examiner publishes the fol-
lowing extract from letter received by a
gentleman of Frederick from Miss Bunkley, the
novice who recently escaped from Emmits-
burg:
NoRFoLK, Nov. 20, 1854.
/ have my fathers permission to answer the
letter you addressed him. requesting statement Of
my escape from st. Josephs. would remark that
regret exceedingly that so many reports are in
circulation, and have thought OF making public
statement. With regard to my manner Of leaving
the convent, the circumstance speaks for itself
Could have had permission, or had been free to
leave when ,cished, would not have had recourse
to fight, and that in the still hour Of night.
escaped through a window near the chapel,
fronting the avenue, where there is no enclosure,
and ran or rather flew down the avenue as
the moon was shining SO brightly that feared
being discovered by the Waterman, who nightly
traverses the grounds around the building
When halfway down the avenue, heard noise,
and soon discovered that the man, who sleeps in
small house at the gate was up, and had raised the
window to see who was passing. hid myself, and
he did not perceive me, but he continued watching
at the window until four o'clock, when the stage
for Frederick passed, and was unable to reach
the stage, even pass the gate until he withdrew,
which was soon after the stage passed
feared to go to Emmitsburg, for many reasons.
walked in the opposite direction as far MS St.
Lazare's, when / became alarmed, and entered
side gate on the road, and remained until the an
gelus rung, which was six o'clock. then contin-
ued my journey on road ! never travelled, and
reached Creagerstown about nine o'clock, where
met friends who protected me until the arrival Of
my father
We should suppose that this positive state
ment of Miss Bunkley, particularly when sus-
tanned by the testimony of numerous persons
who saw her arrive at Creagerstown, in IA
tigued and frightened state, was amply suffici-
ent to convince tho most skeptical of the truth
of the facts heretofore spread before the public.
1t seems, however, that such is not the case
There are many persons, even in this commu-
nifty, whose minds are SO enslaved by supersti-
ton that they will believe nothing, no matter
how clearly proven, which exposes any mis-
conduct in the management of their religious
establishments. They are so satisfied that every
thing about them is perfect that they would
discredit even the evidence of their ewn senses
With this class ofpersons it is useless to employ
argument or present the most convincing array
of facts. They are deaf to the one and close
their eyes to the other.
1t is part Of the policy OF the heads of the
Catholic church in this country to say as little
as possible about any exposure of its secret
iniquities-wisely concluding that such a
course is most likely to allay any excitement
that exists in the public mind Accordingly
we find that no one connected Nth the En-
mitsburg ISisterhood has as yet made any de-
nial of Miss Bunkley's statement, or offered
any explanation of the alleged outrage
This fact is very significant They are I'M
willing to provoke searching investigation in
to what perhaps they find it most polite to
conceal. But prudence so discreet has not
been everywhere initiated. A champion has
sprung up in remote quarter Of the country,
and, with more zeal than discretion, pronoun-
COS the whole story a fabrication.
This impulsive individual is named 0'Don-
nell, is priest in the church, and a resident of
Portland, Maine. He addresses quite lengthy
communication to the Portland Advertiser, from
which we extract the following paragraph:
"Thc statement Of young lady nun is radically
false. A knowledge of the rules which govern the
house OF the Sisters Of Charity enables me TO make
this unqualified statement"
One would suppose that person living Ave
hundred miles from the place where the out
rage occurred, who undertook to pronounce a
positive statement Of facts radically false"
would be prepared to offer some evidence in
support Of his assertion. But not one title OF
proof Of any kind whatever does he furnish
not even denial on behalf Of those who were
charged with the offence
The rules which govern such institutions
were, in his estimation, full and sufficient ref.
utation of a statement supported by abundant
proof This may be logic among Jesuits, but
among men Of common sense, it is worse than
folly.
We expressed the hope, some time ago, that
this Emmtsburg affair would be made the sub
ject Of judicial investigation. In this way alone
can the truth be fully elected. Surely, neither
Mr.. 0'Donncll, nor any other reverend Father,
can object to course which, according to their
view, must oyerwhelm the accuser with shame
and confusion. The public would then have
an opportunity Of knowing how far the rules
of the Sisterhood necessarily demonstrate the
falsity Of Miss Bunkley's statement.
P. S.--Sincc the foregoing was written, our
attention has been called to a communication
in yesterdays Star, from which il appears that
the Lady Superioress of the Sisterhood posi-
lively denies the truth of Miss B. s statement.
Here, then, is a clear and distinct issue Of We
racity made between Miss Bunklcy and her
friends on the one hand, and the Sistcrhood on
tho other How is the real truth to be ascer-
tanned? In no other way, we are confident,
than by thorough legal investigation. Miss
Bunkley has brought very grave and serious
charge against those who have control Of the
institution, and 1t is duty which she owes to
herself and the public, to bring the matter be-
fore the proper legal tribunal In this way
only can the real facts be ascertained, and JUS
tice be rendered to all parties