Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-06-06
The COnfessiOnal---TriaI and Con-
demnation of a Catholic Priest as
Turin for Thirty-Three Cases Of So
ducIiOn.

ductiOn.
From the London Post, May Is.
The Criminal Court of Turin has lately
| been occupied with the hearing of case
which has spread CONSERVATION and shame
through Hlany of the most respectfully con-
nected families in the Sandman capital, and
contributed not little to increase the feel
ings Of dislike growing up OF late towards
the Catholic clergy. When NJ. Michelet pub
fishes another edition of his celebrated work
On priests, Women and Families" he will
be enabled to enrich it with illustrations far
more telling and effective than the PROPOSE
tons which he has laid down--illustTations
to which il would be difficult to find paral-
lei, we will not say in real life, but even in
the darkest pages of romance. For the hon.
or of the Catholic priesthood, for the honor
of religion, nay for The honor Of human ma
ture itself, let us trust that The crimes just
laid bare to the gaze of avenging law and
justice are no less unwonted than appalling.
The trial which has excited such sensa-
ton in Turin was that of Don Gurlino, at
taehed, in the capacity Of second curate, first
TO the church Of San Carlo, afterwards to
that of the Cermelite Order. Amongst his
regular professional duties were of course
those connected with the confessional, and
these duties he violated ia a fozL and
dfrlcolis that no less than thirty three young girls
scouId appear TO hare ie1, Vietis 10 his system
thirty years of age. possessing singularly
handsome face and figure. Don Gnrlino com
bined with the natural influence welded over
the mind of the youthful penitent by spirit
ual guide. the influence, not less natural, of
his own personal attractions. Both inhu-
ences were skiifully brought to bear in the
exciting privacy Of the confessional. All
the opportunities which it affords of gradual
", yet surely, tainting the mind were en-
ployed, and employed with too fatal a sue
cess. The wretch was, it appears, in the
habit of accompanying his oral temptations
with the appliances and means OF obscene
books and lascivious prints. to heighten and
accelerate their effect Working on the pas
sions by graduated scale of literary and
pictorial excitement, the curate OF "St.
Charles" and the "Carmelites" could seize.
for his Internal ends, the exact moment when
the unsuspecting confidence of girlhood pre-
pared for him an easy prey.
Don Gurlino was at last detected by the
very means which he had employed. The re-
lations OF a young creature, one OF his latest
victims, found in her possession an obscene
print and insisted on her telling them from
whom she had procured it. The girl refused
for some time, but. yielding to their mena-
ces, stammeTed forth the name OF her con-
fessor She added that not she alone, but
likewise some Of her young friends, had re-
ceived from Don Gurlino immoral books and
prints, and, debauched by his arts, had yield
ed up their honor to their spiritual guide.
The relations at once communicated the facts
to. and deposited the print with, the district
police magistrate, who lOst no time in COM
muuicaiing with the higher law authorities,
and these latter at once instituted criminal
proceedings against the priest. Although
TIE trial was conducted with closed doors,
enough of the evidence transpired 10 fill all
Turin with horror and Indignation. The
guilty acts of the criminal appear to have
ex ended over "a term of several years. The
full extent of his debaucheries during all that
period cannot, Of course, re ascertained.
One fact, however. is beyond all doubt-that
on the trial itself thirty-three young girls
bore testimony to the adoption towards
themselves Of the wicked arts OF seduction
with which the criminal stood charged.
On this overwhelming mass of evidence
Don Gurlino was found guilty, and sentenced
by the criminal court of Turn TO seven years
solitary confinement The term of the sen
ience will probably be abridged by natural
causes. Shame, il not remorse, has already
worked such fearful ravages on the prisoner
that on the last day Of the trial he was hard
~ any longer recognizable.