The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-02-13
The Beam and the Mote.

A few months ago all the anti Catholic Press
was ringing with the treatment received by
the lunatic nun of Cracow. We have sad
pleasure in making them the present of an
other similar case, in hopes that they will use
1T also to point moral nearer home. III
within the last week or asocety, or brother
hood existed in large town. Now brother
hood is only another name for Il monastic assO-
citation, and, as SUCH is, of course, capable of
any crime.
The members of this society we'll off,
and needed not eXtraneous assistance. For u
long time nothing was breathed against the
fair fame of the house, and, even i'll the eyes of
censorious world, its members passed as good
livers.
to be rife of groans heard from Il certain ellar,
and tnally-though apparently not till after
long delay-notice was given to the police, and
two detectives were sent to examine the prem
ises: On entering and telling their errand, one
of the community admitted at that
brother lived in the cellar, and had been there
"about six years" He hal no objection to the
officers seeing the brother and they procesled to
the chamber which religious affection had. pro-
vided for his reception. The place was q lum-
ber-room, filled with broken coffee mills, chairs,
and other litter about two square yards being
open in the middle. There fire in the
CRATE. The bed was filthy tick, with dirty
horse rug and quilt for the sole bed clothes.
On plate on Il box was twopcncc worth of I'M
cooked liver. precisely what would he set for
the Of animal. On the bed sat u wretch
cd old man, hind, helpless mad, skiverng
WITH cbii, wrapping inc rag OF an ora toit
round him, and presented Il hide"us spectacle
of filth and misery. Such is the evidence of Il
police officer As to the facts this unfortunate
brother had become imlccilc. His father, see
ing his state, had, at his dcatll-whch hap
prnud Il long time a.o--brpu"Atltd to the Si;-
-pcrior for the support Of this poor lnnatic the
sum of fifteen shilling, Il wc"it, aud the "Ne"u-
tors of the will have ever since given the sum
regularly to the nrothrr superior. 50 far all
seemed straight BIothrr Samuel is stated III
evidence mot to be at al violent" there vas,
therefore, need to send him To AN asN iHm
aud the fifteen shiilings week in tn" hands of
Il ronsidcrItc community might very well sup
ply the old man wirlI such food and comforts
Il, he required. lint how is Brother .IH"HiH"
said to have fulfilled his natural religion, untN
AfId the lrgil obligation h" incurred 10y accept
ing TIA" weekly pension for the blind man
For Il long time nobody seems to have kunNii
or needed what he dad with him, yet Il" had
kept this writchrd victim OF opprra~iUu and
neglect in this miserable state and in this
cellar, for years All the time
trr .TUIt- those i'll his house must have heard his
pititu wailings from cold and loneliness, and
the want of proper food and cleanliness. We
must suppose that now and then he visited
him. and perhaps threw him the plate of dogs
meat. Every week, also, hc received the los,
which were the bruthcI'S property and which
it WAS his simple duty to spcnd on his behalf
Aud yet for sin years he went on III the >ayle-
COURSE and at the end OF them received the
officers Of Justice in the most easy aud friend
~ way and conducted them to he den below
stair, if il were the most cTcditahlc place iii
the world Wherein to lod .sc blind and aged
broth"r.
>uch are the hidrous details of an Cover true
tale For, irr s:rtr of religion and of human
ity we regret to bc obi, rd to chronicle 1t rs
truth. Willingly would deny it. il could,
but facts stubborn will brook no gainS:IN ing
One thing only t"mper> Our disgust. IN"
outrag" c"It unI% happened III CIV llIHcd hnd Iio-
trstant England, its pcrprtratar was Il broth
rr superior. It's scene brotherhood. Ih" Cra-
cox uliLra which WIS i,o outrage at Hil-dId
not occur amid tn" hoist"d CIVILIZATION of orr