The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-11-27
A Convent Scandal.

'A'oA0 correspondence manchester Examiner.
rather curious trial terminated last night
at the correctional tribunal of Rome. The
prosecutor was Prince Paolo Borgnese, who
mad brought an action for libel against the
editor and responsible agent of the Radical
journal, La Capit0le. It appears that for
some time past one of the doctors who assist
the sick at the hospital of Santo Spirito had
been rather too attentive to one Of the Sis
ters OF Charity, young and pretty French
gil. One tsne morning lin tie young nun had
disappeared. AS the Sisters Of Charity who
assist the sick in the hospital of Santo
Spirito are not allowed to leave the place
without special permission of the local
managers, people wondered how the young
girl could have made her escape. The
rumor was at once spread that the
Sister of Charity had fled with
the too courteous doctor. Prince
Borghese, young and handsome man, who,
though clerical, has been appointed to the
provincial council of Rome to superintend
the direction of the hospital, lost no time in
informing Slgnor Balls, the quester, or head
OF the Polce, of the disappearance of the
nun. Inc necessary inquiries were at once
made, and the police discovered the new
abode OF the nun. DR.. De Pedis, the as
slstant at the hospital, though married man
himself, had seduced the young Sister OF
charity, and had induced her to escape. AS
it was impossible for her to leave the con-
vent IN her costume, DR.. De Pedis contrived
to procure an elegant, worldly costume, in
which the nun only looked the better. Pre-
tending to be some lady who had come to
Santo Spirito to have tooth taken out. and
leaving the hospital lii the company of the
doctor, the young lady soon disappeared in a
private lodgings. The Capitale.
IN reporting the scandal, affirmed that
the young nun had been carried off by
Prince Borghese's orders, and that DR.. De
Pedis had only acted in accordance with
orders received from his chef. Prince Borg
hese lost no time in bringing an action for
libel against the Capitale, and the trial
ended last night with the condemnatian of
the editor of the journal to 500 lire of fine.
six months imprisonment, and the insertion
of the sentence in the columns of the CAM
tate. AS it was expected that the nun and
the new Don Giovanni, the enterprising
doctor, would appear in court, the hall was.
OF course, densely crowded. But no doctor
and no nun made their appearance. Prince
Paolo Borghese, who was first questioned by
the president, said that he only heard of the
case two days after it had taken place, and
had lost no time in informing the authorities
OF the matter. He had scarcely ever
seen the young Sister of Charity,
and could hardly believe that such
man as DR.. De Pedis, whom he
had known since childhood, would have
committed such thing. He learned from
the questor that the young lady had been
dining at restaurants away in the country,
and there could be no doubt as to the doctor
having seduced the poor girl. The commend
atore placidi, one of the members of the
board, was instructed by the prince to visit
The young girl, who appeared much grieyed |
Tor what she had done, and requested that |
she might be shut in some convent. Accord |
ing to her own desire, this unfortunate nun
was carried to the Lauretane. Her parents
IN France have been informed of the whole
vase, and an answer is expected from them.
Prince Borghese has proved himself inno-
,ent and may be satisfied with the fair
iealing Of the judge. He is not the first
Roman prince belonging to the clerical party
Who has applied to Italian courts for Justice |
md has obtained it. But public opinion is
low, and justly too, furious against the doc
or. Several journals ask whether it would |
lot be right to punish man who SO ruins
ne moral character of good girl. Young
girls may be induced by romantic freaks to
inter 9 monastic order. That same pas
lion for romantic adventure which has led
hem to enter an order that places them in
continuous contact with suffering humanity
nay even lead them to a1norous adyentnras.
But it is frightful to think that poor Girls
1''l 9. thus be exposed to seduction. The
'oung nun, weeping and sobbing, confessed
9 the commentators placidi that she would