The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-08-19
GREAT EXCITEMENT IN POLAND.
The Strange Story Of Sister Barbara,
aNun who was Shut up for II years
Popular Demonstrations Against
the Jesuits-Pr0hable Termination
Of the COnc0rdat.

Popular Demonstrations Against
the JesuIts-PrOhable Termination
Of the COnc0rdat.
From an Austrian Correspondent of the New York
Times
July 27.-The Austrianpress is crowded
with the Incidents of horrible discovery
just made at Cracow. The event is one
which will powerfully inhuene the rela-
tions of Austria and Rome, and will
certainly make final end of the Con-
cordat, the principles Of which embodied
an unjust aggression on the civil power.
But now let me narrate the clrcum-
stances Of this discovery. The police
magistracy of Cracow lately received an
anonymous letter stating that nun has
been immured In neighboring cleister
since ls48, and begging that justice
might be done to her. The name Of the
nun Is Barbara Abryk. She was born In
1877. joined the cloister Of barefooted
Carmellte nuns in lS4i, whether as a
nun or as an extern is not yet iudiclally
ascertalned, and IN lS48 was confined In
the cell where she was found. The nun
merry where she was immured lies in one
OF the prettiest faubourgs Of Cracow,
near the Botanical Gardens, favorite
resort Of the citizens. Little did they
Fancy that within these cloisters scene
was being enacted which, If described
by one Of our sensational romance
writers, We should regard as the offspring
of diseased fancy, but which here was
frightful reality.
The magistracy being informed, i'm
mediateiy took active steps to ascertain
the truth. Whether they were bound
to apply to the Bishop to aid them, | do
not know. Under the Concordat they
would, but [ think scarcely now. How
ever, they thought it best to have his
aid, which was granted, while at the
same time he suggested that it might
prove mystiicatlon. With DR.. Geb
hardt, the representative of the magis-
tracy, he Sent also reverend prelate DR..
Spital. On arriving at the cloister they
had some difficulty inobtaining an en-
trance, but this was overcome by the
presence of the prelate and the sanction
of the Bishop to their admission, When
the magistrate informed the sister who
received them, that he had come here to
see and to speak with the nun Barbara
Abryk, she shrunk back, and replied
that 1t was not possible. She would
then have hastily retired with another
sister, but was prevented. DIR. Geb
hardt, the magistrate, ordered her,In the
name of law, not to move. Accompanied,
then, by the nuns, the commissioners
ascending to the upper corridor, where
betWlxt the dining room and the cloaca.
they were shown the cell OF the nun, with
its strongly fastened double door. On
entering the cell, spectacle met them
scarcely to be described, and yet it
ought to be told, for it shows what fear
ful wrongs may be perpetrated, If lndl-
viduals are handed over to the tender
mercieS Of Concordats, and to arbitrary,
irresponsible rule The cell was some
feet in length by six feet In breadth. The
window was walled up, and only through
narrow chlnk ray OF sunlight could
penetrate. There were no tables nor
chairs, and no stove to furnish heat In
the inclement winter. The stencil of
the cell was hardly supportable. In a
corner, lying on rcAen, sinking straw,
lay the poor crouehing creature, ''hatb
.Hensch, haib Thier, half human, Half a
brute, half savage, half mad, utterly
naked" her body filthy, for she had not
been washed for years. Her lean bones
hanging loose, her cheeks sunken, her
hair dishevelled and dirty-a fearful
being, whom even Dante, with his amaz
ing force, could not have portrayed.
This poor skeleton Of a woman at the
sight of her visitors, shook herself up,
and, folding her hands and bitterly weep
ing, SAID. Il am hungry, have pity on
me, give me food (jfeisch) and | will be
odedient. The magistrate immediate
ly sent for the Bishop, who, to do him
justice, showed as strong indignation as
any other. Let the name of Bishop
Guleski be honored for it. He called the
;sbbess, the nuns, and the father eonfes
sor into his presence, reproachlng
them with the utmost severity for their
unhuman conduct. The wretched abbess
he commanded, to conduct the nun Bar
bara into another cell, to be clothed and
cared for. As the poor nun retired she
asked if ''she was to be led to her grave
again. The abbess seemed quite un-
willing to obey the ecclesiastical order.
She evidently thought that In spariug
the nunnery scandal she had done
work pleasing to God. The father con-
fessor of the cloister ventured to say
that the immurlng of the nun had been
known by the Church authorities, which
both the Bishop and the prelate indig
nantly denied as an utter falsehood, and
the former suspended both him and the
abbess at once from their offices. The
nuns tried in their turn to excuse them
selves. with as little success. SIS this,
he said, '.your love Of your neighbor ?
VIII you reach heaven In this way, you
{ ftla1en, niclt aoetber) furies, not
women?" And when they attempted
to answer-''Be SILENT he thundered
out; Ego out of my sight, you who have
religion. Away with YOU.
The poor nun was asked why she had
been immured. She answered; i
have broken the vow of purity" but
then added, with a fearful gesture and
wild spring. ''Tkese nuns also are not
pure they are no angels. Then she
sprang on the confessor crying Thou
beast" The following day the nun was
visited by the medical authorities. In
their opinion she is rather 'oere0tldert," F"
become wild and savage, than deraBged,
and they hold out hopes of her recovery.
As to her confession of misconduct, it
still remains to be seen whether this be
not delusion of the BRAIN The abbess
does not seem to have accused her of
anything but madness, if We can, indeed,
count that an accusation.
Barbara, the nun, has since been taken
to an asylvm for the insane, and she
seemed little revived by the fresh air
but she trembled on entering the institu-
ton, and finding that she was to be
under the care of the Gray Sister
hood" The Vienna journals comment
on this extraordinary arrangements.
which perfectly astonistcs them, as
well it may.
Justice is now following its course, but
there are great imrediments thrown III
the way. The cause may be shipwreck-
ed by the obstacles made by the ecclesi-
astical authorities in regard to the testi-
mony of nuns The nuns wear thick
wells when examined by the magistrate,
60 thai he caunnt ten rphn is the slitness