The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-06
THE VICTIMS CATHOLICS.
Mary A. Purtell and Catharine Duff!
the Unfortunates.
The hatron Of the lnebriats Asylum Hal
InVafiable Rules. . as3
Catholic Service During the Week and
s,s sr Protestant ON Sundays. .le
Statement Of the Women and the
, Je1sm hp Matron. ~ @oab

, J,1sm aa AS, Matron. ~ 49, 30
8eain. s---------. lt Is i1fq Is
COMMISSIONER STERN'S REPORT.
al When from barbaric Old World countries news
Of prosecutions on account OF religious opinions
y received the good people Of this free and en-
hghtened country hold up their hands in holy hor-
E0r and wonder how 1t IL that In this progressive
age Of the nineteenth century such bigotry can be
tolerated, little dreaming that the very same
thing is practsed within the very corporate Limits
Of this great city. is e
THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP
according to ones own dictates OF conscience Is
one OF the fundamental principles Of the constitu-
ton Of the United States, and should by no means
he abrogated in the slightest degree yet case Of
yhs kind has Just come to light, where two women,
committed to the care OF the Commissioners OF
Charities ana Correction were condemned to
plose custody on bread and water for refusing to
attend divine service under Protestant minister,
while they professed the Roman Catholic faith.
The developments OF this interesting affair hap
pened about the time the present Board Of Com
missioners OF Charities and Correction organized
permanently which occurred on the 10th ult, and
me particulars are as f0llows:-
Mary A. Purtell had been committed to the Work
house on Blackwel's Island and sent to the Inebri
ate Asylum, TO help Mrs. Kendrick, the matron, in
the routine labor OF the institution which she
presides. Cathartne Duny, another woman COM
United to the WOrkhouse on the same island was
also transferred to Mrs Kendrick for similar pur
pose. On the 18th Of May Q clerk in the Asylum
sent communication to the Commissioners stat
ing that these two above mentioned women had
been severely
II
HI8t 81 Egsf DIVINE SERVICE, FsIrE
and requested an investigation into the affair.
That being the last day Of the old Commissioners
0nhcial existence the consideration OF the docu-
ment was left as legacy to the new Board, ana on
the organization thereof the subject was referred
70 Mr.. Myer Stern, who has charge Of the various
prisons. MIR. Stern at once proceeded to Black
Wells Island and sent for the two women, each Of
whom he examined separately. The matrOn, Mrs.
Kendrick, was likewise questioned and her version
Of the affair elected.
Mary A. Purtell was first interrog gated. She
stated that on the 18th Of May she was committed
TO the W0rkh0use, and subsequently sent to the
mebriate Asylum to do general work, such as
6crubDlng, sewing, DC. On the sunday following
(the 1sth) she was ordered to attend to re igious
services In the chapel, and on lnquiring what the
were Of the Protestant persuasion she avowed
herselfa Catholic, and refused to attend, where
ORDERED INTO CLOSE CONFINEMENT,
where she was kept on bread and water for several
Gays; ,o n.y. 80, no. ou,,o, .,o u,,,.,
Purte being sent out OF the room, who stated that
she had been committed to the Almshouse January
with Mary Purtell, and repeated the same story OF
close Imprisonment for refusing to attend Profess
tant service, which her bringing up as Catholic
Mrs Kendrick was then called and asked for her
reasons in adopting such course with regard to
OF the women sent from the Workhouse to the In
ebriate Asylum. and made Il an invariable
tend divine service. During the week the Catholic
clergy hold SERVICE when all under her charge
are held, when she enforces the same authority.
The reason stated why these two women were
n Is was a mad plan
worship, and probably escape. This was the only
excuse onered for the 1851 eA
f HRIGrDITY OF THE PUNISHMENT,
but the matron had no other cause OF complaint
Commissioner Stern thereupon left, and in laying
the case before mis- colleagues Commissioners
q Laimbeer and Bowen) made the following report,
Which appears upon the minutes under date OF
REBRIATE AsYLUA-REPoRr OF COMMISSIONERS
NEW Yonx, May q, 1873
70 rnn COMMISSIONERS PUBLIC CHARIrEs 6oRREc-
1o sSe + s% Ne,
out delay e4sminsd into Inc natter and the following
S.Tnss On me Isl Ssy q this month Mary A. Pur.e
Ss q Il e, Island e
- NJ; :S l. ss1 .ssa' nns s n
s.ng 70 attend divine service She alleged as reason
accuomed 70 attend Protestant services and objects to
doIng ioune Der under the same punishment up to
SssssG- found Catherine Duny committed January
IlSss:s, ana Way :ss. he nsSSists
asHed her on Sunday MORNING last Il about nine
ss S
her on Se
nsR e the sf # ny hs s a.s s m
nss replica "
tnis require forty but 90 not always
i:s:.es y: :sgssaisns ne WIN her
s
enS n 4.ssrc 3 s Al my must
DaS formed plan to refuse
s meet IN cellar and psShaps an
,Ssn re Mssa s ~ .d that
An ARs!rRARY RULE now EXISTS. it 1T
Worship 70
Il would be superfuous for your committee to suggest
test such rule is contrary 20 the
ana y 70 one sve r.,
I :1s wSS
and liberal principle should susceptible Of the
Your so%mitsec beg leave to submit tn following reso
ksscved tina. rule q practice now in existence
snoss our are Pc to at
doctrine and belief be and u IL hereby abolished"
MEYER STERN, Commissioner.
The above report, rs win be seen by the caption,
was made on the 2lst ulr fifteen days ago, and yet
there has been no action had thereon.
Mrs. Kentlrick still remains MatrOn OF the Inebri-
ate Asylum, and the TACT Of Commissioner Stern's
resolution being still Enacted upon gives It quasi
endorsement Of her course, and places her
AUTHORITY ABOVE THAT OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
M This laay's explanation Of her conduct towards
the two unfortunate women above named ID, to
eay the least, very transparent. The idea Of her
being able to watch them from escaping, n they
feel 80 Inclined, during worship, may hold good;
but have these women no other 0pp0r tunity to get
away at any other but church timer
Since Mary Purtell and Catherine Duffy were re-
leased from durance vile by Commissioner Stern,
they have been transferred to other places than
the Workhouse. 1t is to be hoped that the Board
viii take some decided action tpou this highly I'm