The Portland daily press., 1883-04-04
A PECULIAR CASE,
The Suit of Lizzie M. Cannon VS..
Priest and an Archbishop.
The Effect Upon a ChiId's Mind by De-
priying Her Of Images.

BosroS, April 3.--Tbe first case taken up
phIore Judge Aldrich In the Superior Court
teday was that OF Lizzie M. Cannon, per pro
anli Y. the Rev. John III. Fleming and Tia Q
isight Reverend John j. Williams, Archbish-
Of ihe diocese. This case, which is one OF the
most peculiar ever tried in a court Of law, IL
one on which the plaintiff seeks TO recover
unlawful acts Of the defendants In deprving
her OF certain images TO which she was very
much attached. The plaintiff was represent
ca ss.,iy py Linus M. Child and the defendants by
as ], Gargan
The case was formally opened by Mr..
ghtlu, who at length made statement OF all
ths Facts and incidents which led TO this re-
mhfkable suit. After alluding to we'll
known principle OF common law "that for
every wrong there Ia remedy" and 20 the
iaet That II had been decided that IL wrong
could be established 1t was duty OF court
oi o., law and jury TO examine the case, Mr..
Shiin proceeded to give history of Lizzie
uannon and her connection with the defend
ants. In 1873, he said, she was ID years Of
age attended school regularly, where she was
hfst In her class, and her future gave great
promise OF comfort TO her parents and pleasure
% hesaelf Al about that time she was at
tackled with nervous disease thar made it
requisite that she should not 20 10 school and
exercise too strongly her mental qualities. AT
times she was insensible, and very soon her
mind seemed to dwell upon dead persons eg-
peclaily brofher who died two years previ-
Gus, TO whom she was very much attached.
Her condition was described by her family
and friends as trance, but it was not trance
IN the ordinary acceptance OF the word.
but was suspension OF part OF her mental
faculties. Soon after this condition OF things
commenced she took two little pieces OF paper
which looked like parchment but when they
were held up to the light they disclosed dimin-
ntive figures which looked like angels. She
told her mother that the angels came from
her brother, who told her 10 keep them with
the greatest care, and that by SO doing some
great good would come to her. We do not try
TO explain this, said Mr.. Child, but the little
images seemed to become the centre OF her
life. around which her life reyolved and her
mental faculties eiung. Her parents and rela-
tiyes were Roman Catholics, and 1t was decid-
ed % send for Rev. John III. Fleming of the
st. DANES Church, and after seeing the girl be
told her that he wanted her TO let him have
the images. The CHILD dssented but was per
suaded 90 let Mr.. Fleming have them on con-
dition that he would return them the next
night. When he returned he brought some
beads which he wanted her 10 exchange for
the images, and after good deal OF talk she
let him have them, on the condition that he
would take the best care Of them. He then
told her tnat If she went to-sleep in this way
he should prosecute the images, TO which she
replied, 20, no, you won't: that would be
murder and priest would not commit murder" :"
On another visit made by Father Fleming ha
found the girl in her peculiar condition, and
taking his knife he cut one OF the images. and ,
holding it up, told her that be had persecuted
her image. When she realized what had been
done she went into paroxysm Of grief, and
tainted. The mother felt that some great ca
lamity would befall her, and she accused Mr.
Fleming OF doing something he had no right TO
do. lie was requested 10 leave the images but
refused, and from that time II was impossible
for the child to sleep without her Images
Father Fleming frequently came to see her
and she would always ask for the images, and
he would reply that he had them all right and
would keep them for her. The family thought
she was going TO die, but one night after Faith
er Fleming had seen her alone she informed
the members of her family that she was not 90
ing to die, as Father Fleming had told her
50. From that time, which was in May,
1873, TO Christmas Of that year the paroxy SIMS
came ON once week. and Father Fleming
thought it was something miraculous. and by
his advice the girl often went to confession
and when she went he would show her the inn
ages. When she went iato trance she was
unable to speak until she had the images, aud
at Christmas time Father Fleming ceased his
visits and refused to como again. The family
had employed some of the best physicians In
Bostcns among whom was DR.. Hodges, who pr0-
nonnced the cade one of hygteria and although
na attached no importance to the images he
thought II might be beneficial IL she could
have tho images. The mind Of the girl had
fastened upon the images TO such an extent
that to Withhold them from her was just as dan
gerons as though an assault had been committed
upon heT. tGther Fleming was Informed of
the girls desire, but he persistently refused to
give up the images, and Archbishop Williams
was then applied to. When he beard the story
he said that the child ought TO have the images
restored, and that he would send an order TO
Father Fleming to give them up. Tfey did
not come however, and a second visit was
made 10 the Archbishop, who again said that
the child should have rte imates and lie would
attend to il the next week. Nothing was done
and from that time to this no explanation had
beea offered by Father Flemming or the Arch
bishop, and from April 1880, when this oc-
Cured to the present time, the child had not
spoken word. For months she had lain upon
her bed and her whole burden OF agony seemed
10 be her desire tv say to her father and moth
ar ftT want my aupals I want nv aooaier