Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-09-08
Tie Cracow Nun Case.

taken from the London Times, giving a
statement of THE Cracow Nun Case - and
now, at the request of Father Coady, we
publish the other side of the story" and
purporting to be the statement of the
Paris Uairers. The writer says:
''The Unirers of the 5th instant, gives some
information received by it from correspon-
dent who, when an inhabitant of Cracow,
had been acquainted with the unfortunate
nun whose case has been turned to such bad
account by the enemies Of Christianity. 1t
appears that she belongs to an honorable
family, and had received an excellent edu-
cation. Under the impression that she was
called to religious life, she first intended to
enter the Convent of he Visitation After
several trials, however, she was thought to
be mistaken as to her vocation Her piety
was fervent, and, in many respects, she
showed great merit but she was SO exces-
sively scrupulous that the Sisters feared she
would lose her senses. At a later date she
offered herself to the CarmeIites, and, by
this time her attacks Of scruples had become
less frequent, or more under control, for
she was received into their convent Her
mental infrmities, however, eventually re-
turned aud grew worse and worse, until
scrupuiosity ended In absolute madness.
There was no other cause whatever for her
becoming deranged, and there is not syl
liable of truth ia the filthy stories invented
on this occasion by liberal journalists, who
are incapable even of respecting the chaste
reputation of poor mad nun. When
daughter unhappily loses her senses, her
fsmiiy is filed with a natural repugnance TO
send her away from home to a mad house,
The good Carmelite Sisters of Cracow obey
ed the human feeling, and, under the Just
and kind idea that their insane sister would
fare better in their hands than under the
care of mad dcctor, they kept her in their
convent. It was heavy cross to them, but
the Carinelites only live TO carry the Cross.
Had they, on the other hand, sent her away
from them, they would inevitably have been
accused of want of sisterly charity. 1t is
asserted that she was i'll treated: and the
nuns are accused of endless atrocities to-
wards her. But is there any foundation for
these most unlikely stories? What man of
sense viii believe them, on the strength Of
newspaper paragraphs, picked up no one
knows where These writer's FIRST stated that
the poor mad woman had lived 2l years in a
hole so small and so filthy that strong man
would not have existed 2l days in it. They
have since been Gem .,elIed to acknowledge
that the ''fity hole is in fact a clean and
well room, and, in a word. so unobiec>
tionable chamber, that the authorities al
lowed her to remain IN it during the &c
hours Which elapsed between their first vis-
it and her removal The same journalists
have also admitted that j close examination
of the poor nuns body has disclosed no
traces of the torture she was at first said to
have suffered for p years. But these o9i-
Gus calumnies were invented for the pur
pose of exciting the people to riot, and,
by the help of the polish Jews, they were
successful The Austrian Government is
indebted to these worthless for having sup
Piled the long xpected rretext for attack
ing the religious bodies. 1t has been i'm
mediately laid held OF; and on the 29,h of
July, DR.. Giskra, the Minister of the Int,
rior, wrote to the chief of the Administra-
ton at Lemburg, to inquire whether any
motive could be suggested for delaying the
withdrawal of the yearly allowance of 500
which had previously been granted to the
convent, and also whether the Bishop OF
Cracow Mgr. GaleckD or the administrator
the convent itself should be prolonged. The
reason given ia this letter Is simply the ex-
element occasioned by the Carmelite affair,
together with the revolving facts of the
case; and this without any Inquiry into the
/ truth of the story, and without any oppor.
tunity of defence being allowed to the Sis
tiers. 1t appears to the Unigers, in conclu.
sion, that there is not the shadow of proof
against the Carmelite Sisters of Cracow
and that they have been made the victim:
of an abominable combination of intrie ue
! ing Jews, Protestants, and free thinkers
with the completely, if not under the direct
inspiration, of the Austrian Ministry
Coon BYE-It is a hard word to speak
Some may laugh that it should be, but le
them. Icy hearts are never kind. 1t is ;
| word that has ehoked many an utterance
and started many tear. The hand i
clasped, the word spoken, we part and ar;
out upon the ocean of time-we go to NEE,
again, where, God only knows. 1t may b