Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-04-23
RoMIsH pRIEsTCRAFTIN FRANCE

From Galignani's Messenger, March 5th.
An extraordinary trial has, during the last
month, occupied the Court of Orleans. The
facts of it were these A Mile. Bulnois, who
was born in I772, inherits from her parents,
who were large landowners and manufacturers,
a very great fortune, and she increased it by
her economy, and by carrying on for some
years the manufactures which they had cstab-
lshed. Her education, however, was very
imperfect, and her intelligence by no means
great, and she was very superstitious. Some
priests and Sisters OF Charity worned them
selves into her confidence, and, under the
guise of religion, gained a complete ascendan-
cy over her. In 1918, having retired from
business, she, by their advice, removed her
residence from Sarcus, her native place, In
the department OF the Disc, TO Tours, which
then possessed the reputation of being a very
religious town.
She had two persons living with her-one a
sister of charity, the other the daughter OF a
man named Leveque, who acted as her stew
ard but after year or two another Sister of
Charity instilled herselfin the house. Shortly
after her arrival at Tours she purchased an old
NOttN cHI Va tilC duu toOh up utl ito-
idence in it. She was there constantly sur
rounded by priests, and they pleased her great
ly by saying mass in her chapel. She was al
SO frequent visitor at the convent tho Pc
tit Saint Martin, branch of the great house Of
Picpus at Paris; she moreover, after while,
charged Father PhiIibert chaplain of the con-
vent, who was her own confessor, with the
management of her property. In 1923, in
compliance with the recommendation of Father
Philibert, the nuns, the Sisters of Charity and
priests who surrounded her, she took up her
residence in the convent of the Petit Saint
Martin.
She then transferred TO priest who was the
representative of the Convent of Picpus, the
proprietorship of Les Feuillans, acknowledg
ing that she had essoid'' the place TO him for
10000 fr., though in reality, no such sum was,
nor any other, ever paid. Some time after he
executed deeds, by which she "sold'' for $780,
600 fr., to the Bishop of Chalcedonia, Superb
or of the convent of Picpus, valuable estate
at place called Mennevilliers,a and she acknow-
ledged having received the sum in question in
cash but not one farthing of it was ever re-
ally paid to her. In addition to this she gave
or sold to Leveque, her steward at Sarcus, all
the real property she possessed there but this
man was to certain extent, the pre.enom OF
the community of Picpus. Differences subse-
quently arose between him and the community
as to the manner in which the Sarcus property
should be divided between them, and these
differences came to the knowledge Of Madame
Balnois' family.
They were greatly surprised 10 learn that
she had made any disposition OF her property
at all, as they knew she had fallen into state
of imbecility, and as they had supposed that
the religious community In which she was al
Tours would, as her natural protector, have
prevented her from doing anything of the
kind. They instituted inquiries, and were as
founded to find that she had done away, not
only with the property at Sarcus, but With the
estate at Mennevilliers, and Les Feuillans at
Tours. They Immediately took proceedings
foi having her placed under interdiction, and
one OF the law courts, after making inquiries,
and subjecting her to interrogatories, declared
that she was undoubtedly so imbccile as TO be
incapable of managing her own affairs, and 1t
charged one Of her nephcws with the admins
tration of them. This was in January, 1647,
and in July, IS4s, the poor lady died. Her
nephews and nieces, as heirs at law. then took
proceedings before different courts to obtain
the restitution of her real property and the
result Of this mas that the Bishop of Chalcsdo-