South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-11-24
Death Of Miss Brent,
Daughter Of the late II. n. Brent, Of wiaehe.

Joseph, died at the Convent, in Wheel.
ing. this State, on the 14th inst, after
a brief illness. Of remittent fever. Miss
Brent, was from Winchester, sister of
Mr.. Henry NJ. Brent. cashier of the She.
nandoah Valley National Bank OF that
place. Miss Brent had been in the Con.
vent not quite year. Her age was 81
or ~ years, and she is spoken of in the
highest terms by those with whom she
has been, associated. Her brother, Mr..
Brent. arrived in Wheeling. on the 10th.
and, the Wheeling In'eli;ge,,cer says. call
ed upon Bishop Kahn & stated that he de.
sired to take the remain ms Of his sister to
their home at Winchester, Va, for buri-
al. To his great surprise, the Bishop
refused to let him have the body, con-
tending that the dead Sister should be
inferred in consecrated ground, accord
ing to the rites of the Catholic Church,
and that it was against the rules Of the
church to permit the body Of a Sister to
be buried under any other circumstan-
ccs. The brother was greatly distress.
ed ut this unexpected resistance to the
wishes of the family Of deceased, and
plead earnestly for an hour or more
with the Bishop to grant his request
He even proposed, although himself
and family are Protcstants, that in case
ha would IN ,orp,;,toJ ~ b,r,, tLo -.
mains of his dead sister in the family
cemetery. to allow the Bishop and his
clergy to accompany the remains to
Win chester, and there conduct the fun
eral services rs they desired. The Bish.
OPP still being obdurate, Captain Brent
left the Cathedral in despair, and call
ing ut the law Office of III. NJ. Russell,
Esq, represented the case to that gen.
tlcman. Mr. Russell informed him that
to obtain possession of his sisters re-
mains it would be necessary for him to
qualify as her administrator. Acting
upon this suggestion, lie went to the
Court House, and the Circuit Court DO.
ing then in session, was without dey
qualified as administrator of Caroline NJ.
Brent, which was tue name Of his sister
before she became nun.
MIR. Russell accompanied his client
to the rooms of Bishop Kahn in the Ca
thedral and notified him of the action he
had taken, Rev. kain, in answer, stated
he also had consulted an attorney, and
was prepared to resist any attempt that
might be made to carry off the remains
of the Sister. Mr.. Russell then asked
if he was TO understand this rs the Bsh-
ops final decision, and upon receiving
an answer in the affirmative, made known
his intention OF at once procuring q
ha5eas corpus and have the body brought
into open court.
The Bishop upon this suggested
conference, with n view OF ehecting
compromise aud thus avoiding publicity
Mr. Russell consented, and the Bishop,
Father Sullivan, Vicar General of the
Diocese, and their attorneys, MeSsrs.
Daniel Lsmb and James Rogers, short.
ly afterwards met at his Office for con-
| sultation. The clergymen and their
attorneys retired to private room, and
after \ few moments consultation re.
| turned and informed Mr.. Russell that
they had decided to offer no further re-
sistance to the wishes or the brother Of
the deceased. The Bishop, in making
known his decision to tho brother, re-
marked that he had opposed the wishes
OF the latter rs long as he had the law
upon his side, because he thought he
was doing right, and obcying the rules
OF the Catholic Church. lie concluded
by requesting that he be allowed the
privilege Of accompanying the remains
to Winchester, and conducting the flu
neral services. To this the brother re.
piled that he would first consult his fam
lily upon the subject, aud advise the
Bishop by telegraph. Bishop Kahn,
however, concluded to accompany Capt.
Brent to Winchester and did so. Capt.
Brent left on the 500 train last evening
for home, with the remains OF his sister,
and was accompanied bv Bishop Kahn
and sister. and Mother Magdalenc.
Caroline NJ. Brent, the yonng wo.
man over whose remains this unseemly
strife occurre |, was native Of Winches.
ter, Va, and of most excellent family.
Her father was for many years cashier
Of leading bank in that city. and at
his death his son Henry, whose presence
in this city we have already noticed,
succeeded him and is ut present occu.
pying that position. Caroline was a
bright, intelligent girl, and possessed
great personal charms. Some two years
ago, while Bishop Kahn was q priest at
Winchester. Miss Brent. then girl Of
nineteen, was through his ministrations
converted to the Catholic faith. About
seven months since she came TO this
city, and after visiting q short time at
Mt de Chantal became member OF
the Order Of st. Joseph, and was from
that time known "a Sister Mary Louise.
She was iii only few days, and her
death was very unexpected to her asso
cintcs."