Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1877-02-01
A DEADNUN.
A Catholic Bishop Refuses to Surrender
the Body to the Relattves--A Brother
Of the Doad Nun InvOk cs the Ala or
the Law, and the Bishop Sur.
renders.
[From the Wheeling Intelligence.]

The death of Sister Mary Louise, which
took place at the Cathedral, on Wednesday,
was appropriately noticed in these columns
yesterday morning. Capt. Henry N. Brent,
a brother Of the deceased, arrived in this city
Yesterday, and called upon Bishop Kain and
stated that he desired to take the remains OF
his sister to their home at Winchester, Va,
for burial To his great surprise, the Bishop
refused to let him have the body, cOntendlng
that the dead Sister should be inferred in
consecrated ground, according to the rites OF
the Catholic Church, and that it was against
the rules Of the Church to permit the body OF
Sister to be buried under any other circum-
stances. The brother was greatly distressed
at this unexpected resistance to the wishes of
the family of deceased, and pleaded earnestly
for an hour or more with the Bishop to grant
the request. He even proposed, although
himself and family are Protestants, that III
case he would be permitted TO bury the re-
mains of his dead sister in the family ceme-
terry, to allow the Bishop and his clergy to
accompany the remains to Winchester, and
there conduct the funeral services as they
desired The Bishop being still obdurate,
Cart. Brent left the Cathedral in despair, and
calling at the law office OF II. nj. Russell,
ESQ, represented the case to that gentleman.
Mr. Russell informed him that to obtain pos
session of his sisters remains it would be
traitor. Acting upon this suggestion, he went
to the Court house, and, the Circuit Court
being then in session, was without delay
qualified as administrator Of Caroline NJ.
Brent. which was the name Of his sister be-
fore she became nun.
Mr.. Russell accompanied his client to the
rooms of Bishop Kain, in the Cathedral, and
notified him of the action he had taken. Rev.
Kahn, in answer, stated also that he had con-
suited an attorney, and was prepared to re-
sist any attempt that might be made to carry
off the remains Of the sister. MIR. Russell
then asked if he was to understand this as
the Bishops final decision, and upon receiv-
ing an answer in the affirmative, made known
his intention Of at once procuring habeas
corpus and have the body brought into open
court.
The Bishop upon this suggested confer
ence, with view of effecting compromise
and thus avoiding publicity. Mr.. Russell
consented, and the Bishop, Father Sullivan,
Vicar General of the Diocese, and their at
torneys, Messrs Daniel Lamb and James
Rogers, shortly afterward met at his office
for consultation. The clergymen and their
attorneys retired to private room, and after
q
informed Mr.. Russell that they had decided
to offer no further resistance to the wishes
of the brother of the deceased. The Bishop,
in making known his decision to the brother,
remarked that he had opposed the wishes
of the latter as long as he had the law upon
his side, because he thought he was doing
right and obeying the rules of the Catholic
Church. He concluded by requesting that
he be allowed the privilege of accompanying
the remains to Winchester and conducting
the funeral services. TO this the brother re-
piled that he would first consult his family
upon the subject, and advise the Bishop by
telegraph. Bishop Kain, however, concluded
to accompany Capt. Brent tt' Winchester,
and did so. Capt. Brent left on the $40 train
last evening for home with the remains of
his sister, and was accompanied by Bishop
Kain and sister, and Mother Magdalene.
Caroline NJ. Brent, the young woman over
whose remains this unseemly strife occurred,
was native of Winchester 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 pres
ence in this city we have already noticed,
succeeded him, and is at present occupying
that position. Caroline was bright, intelli-
gent girl, and possessed great personal charms.
Some two years ago, while Bishop Kain was
a priest at Winchester, Miss Brent, then a
girl of nineteen, was through his ministra-
tons converted to the Catholic faith. About
seven months since she came to this city, and
after short visit at Mt. de Chantal, became
a member of the Order of St. Joseph, and
was from that time known as Sister Mary
Louise. She was i'll only few days, and her
death was very unexpected to her associates.