Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-24
A Paris Convent,

The reigning scandal of the day is the affair
of the convent of Picpus. So highly reused has
public Indignation been by the supposed diScov-
cry of atrocities committed within those jealous
walls, that the people have been peremptorily
excluded until the Investigations of justice
shall be complete. managed, however, to
penetrate within the precincts by attaching my
self to the cortege of an English friend who was
ourneying thither, under special official orders,
to investigate the case of an English sister named
Garrett In the Rue de Picpus, near Mazas
prison, stand two large buildings, each sur
rounded by high walls, above which may be
seen green trees at intervals. The one is an eS-
tabishment of the Jesuits; the other the con-
vent of the White Nuns. The Jesuit brothers
escaped at the first sign of approaching danger,
bnt the sisters held their own until forced into
cabs andconveyed to the cells of st. Lazare,
there to await the results of judicial inquiry
into certain matters that are deemed suspi-
cious.
Arrived at the gate of the convent, we were
obliged to force our way through a crowd Of
angry people, who demanded instant permission
to enter, and who were as persistently swept
back by group of national guards-wc, how
ever, being admitted inside the door under cover
of the official pass and signatures. In the
courtyard, under the shade of some fine trees,
few guards were playing bowls, and making
up to one of them whose cap displayed tokens
of authority, we mentioned Gur business, and
begged permission TO see what was TO be seen.
Our friend was very civil, accepted cigar, and
marched us off to go the rounds. He pointed
out to us the fact of which there certainly could
| exist no kind of doubt, that the two buildings
communicated one with the other by means of
an old door which still exists at the back of
stable, as well as by other apertureS In the gar
den wall, which show signs of having been re-
Gently closed up. The Jesuits' garden is most
| beautiful one, occupying a space of some twelve
| acres, laid out with care, and furnished with
| fruit trees of every description, pruned and
| trained after the latest horticultural designs.
There are wondrously ingenious plans, too,
for irrigating the beds; forcing pits and hot.
houses, and long alleys with vines trained over
them. Through the old door aforementioned
we pass into the Sisters garden, equally large
and beautiful, though not kept with the same
care. In the center stands gymnasium. l
suppose for the use of the children brought up
under the Sisters care, and further on their
cemetery, a lovely spot, where, under the heavy
shade OF ancient expresses lie bearers of some
of the most ancient names in France. Some OF
the vaults have been opened, and many lead
coffins half-covered with rotting velvet and gold
lace, lie exposed to the light of day, awaiting
an examination at the hands of the Minister of
Justice At the extreme end of the garden
however, are the three little conical huts, side
byi side, resembling white ants nests, which
have been the cause Of so much excitement and
judicial inquiry.
When the convent was occupied by the ma
each by an old woman, enclosed in wooden
cage, like chickens pen, the three buildings
being similar in size and construction, six feet
square by seven in height, with slate roof,
through which daylight was visible while the
three old women were all hopeless idiots The
Lady Superior has kept her lips resolutely
closed up 10 the present time, but admitted,
when first questioned, that the three sufferers
had lived in their hideous position for nine years,
in an atmosphere OF sitting heat throughout the
summer, and half frozen with cold throughout
the winter; "but," she added "they were idiots
when they came" The conductor of the in
quiry replied that, if such were the case it was
illegal to have admitted them TO the convent at
all, and that even supposing them to have been
admitted, the place where they were found was
not fit dwelhng-place for dog. A key was
discovered among her papers, labelled "key to
the great vault;' but where this great vault
may be has not yet been found out. The supe-
rior and her nuns keep uniform and persistent
silence upon the point; excavations have been
made at different points in the garden, and I'M
der the high altar of the chapel, but hitherto
without effect.
At one end of the nuns garden stands an is
olated building, in which were found mattress
es furnished with straps and buckles, also two
iron corsets, skull-caps, and rack turned by
cog-wheel, evidently intended for bending back
the body with force. The superior explained
that these were orthopedic instrumental SUI
perficial falsehOod. The mattresses and STRAPS
struck me as being easily accounted for; | have
seen such things used in French midwifery and
in cases of violent delirium; but the rack and
its adjuncts are justly objects of grave suspi.
cion, for they imply use of brutal force which
no disease at present known would justify
On our way back through the gardens our
guide made detour in order to show us great
subterranean warehouse, where an enormous
quantity Of potatoes were stored, as well as bar
rels full of salt pork, while in the yard hard bv
lay grunting a fat pig. "Look at thisp cried
our national guard, Indignantly. 'Look at
these stores, which might have helped to feed
the starving poor of the ACCOMPLISHMENT during
our six months seige, and think that these peo-
pie were begging from door to door the whole
time for money to buy broken victuas for their
pensioners" Without showing the teast preiu-
dice in the matter, think can safely say that
the ladies now shut up at ST. Lazare will find it
no easy matter to clear themselves iof blame;
for, though there are doubtless many suspicious
circumstances that may be explained away
there are also hard facts that will remain hard
facts in spite of the most elaborate attempts at
rprU