The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-10-16
ANOTHER MoRrARA.

ANOTHER MORTARA.
A Jsvess Imprisonsd In IN italian Nun-
nery.
Some weeks ago, in the Piedmontese
town Of Mia Monterrato, a young Jew
ess, at the instieation of the nuns of the
notorious DON Bosco, disappeared from
her fathers house, and became an inmate
of the Conven of Mary the Auxiliaress, in
Turin. Her father brought the matter
before the Court of first instance, but was
non-suited, owing to his daughters decla-
ration that no pressure had been put upon
her. Since thst ruling, however, certain
facts have come to light which give the
affair q totally different complexion.
On the 25th ult., brother Of the young
Jewess, having occasion to come to Turin
on business, thought he would pay his i'm
INJURED sister visit; SO, repairing to the
convent, he was fortunate enough, in the
absence of Don Bosco and his alter ego,
Don Cagliere, 70 gain admittance, and TO
have a private interview. No sooner was
the girl alone with him than she burst in
to tears and implored MIN to obtain her
release from her cruel custody, giving
him at thesame time bit of paper on
which she had written in pencil an appeal
to the civil authorities for protection and
restitution to her home. Her brother,
ovejoyed to end her still true to the fam
lily faith, before fastening off with the
penciled document, was in the act of tax
ing affectionate leave Of her when up
came a priest, who had evidently been
made aware of the inter view. An
alteration ensued, in which the priest
de6ed the brother to do his utmost for his
sisters release. ASSURING him tina. she
had been inspired by the Madonna in the
step she had taken, and that before trying
to revoke it she must again pray to the
Virgin, and remain for the ensuing night
in supplication at the altar. It was in
vain the brother pleaded that she had as
sured him of her wish to leave
the convent and that her detention in it
was illegal: the girl was made to GO up
stairs to the next floor followed by the
priest, while a sentinel was placed at the
foot to prevent the brother from accom-
panyin9 her. In short time she came
down again still followed by the priest,
and, with terrified expression Of coun-
tenance, she told him that for the night
she must comply with the commands Of
the priest and Lady Superior, at the same
time continuing to whisper in his ear that
he must come back as soon as possible,
and pay no attention to any letter pur-
porting to be from her to her parents.
Next morning the brother, accompanied
| by friend, presented himself at the con-
| vent gate, but Knocked and knocked with
out attracting notice. At last louder
summons than the proceeding ones was
followed by partial opening Of the gate,
and behind it appeared a number Of do
mestics, the chief of whom told the youth
he need not expect to be admitted; and as
for his sister, she had that morning left
the convent at an early hour, and for an
unknown destination. The brother, how
ever, was not to be denied, and, inser ling
his foot between one of the folding doors
and the partially opened one, he tried to
force his way in against the combined
strength of the domestics. 1t might have
gone hard with him but for an Inspector
of Public Security, who, having been told
of the girl detention, had come up to as
certain the facts, and set her at liberty.
This functionary parleyed with the con-
vent people. but succeeded in extracting
nothing but tine young mans foot. file
was told it was useless to seek admittance
without an order from the Director of the
Oratory, and on applying to that dignitary,
he was again told that the girl had gone
away, and that his GRAND was an idle one.
And there for a time the matter rests, till
the Minister ofGrace and Justice institutes
fresh inquiry into it, and vindicates the
Il ,uy,ola h,lifx, of tbo cuh1ocf
Meanwhile information has been re-
ceived rs to the means practiced by Don
Rosco and his nuns to secure their prize.
Finding her unwilling to abjure her an.
cestral faith, they secluded her for many
hours at time in places where all access
i to her was denied, and where every let.
ter she wrote to her parents was intercept
ed and detained if it did not suit the fancy
of her custodlans. Then miracle play
was specially composed and performed for
her, entitled ''L'Eorea Convertita" 1.-THE
Jewess), in which the pains and penalties
her obduracv might incur, both here and
hereafter, were wildly represented. Dur
ing the performance land the unfortunate
girl was an enforced spcctatress of several
Of them. adapted from time to time for
her further edi6cation) priest sat by her
gesture. The climax Of the play was the
apotheosis Of the converted one. who pre-
ferred to see her old father die of grief
rather than renounce the new faith In
which she had been baptized.
This new Moitata case is much COM
mented on by the Italian press, and its
discussion before the Turin Assizes is
awaited with the keenest interest by all
classes.