The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-18
AN rNTERnsrINe coNTRoYERsY

ANelsANANs4
just now Is the trouble that has arisen
the Unuline Convent over the dspoain
Of Madame Alphonse, an aged Frenc
woman ofnoble birth, who was one OF tn
founders Of the order in This country an
who, until recently, has been at the hsa
Of the Pittsburgh institution. The propel
Ly owned by the order in Pittsburgh
valued at $500. 600. 1t is situated in Osl
land and is beautiinl and valuable. Tn
order when originally established in Pitt
burgh, was done 80 with the private fund
Of the few sisteIa who started the convsr
and nearly all OF whom came from France
The present property was acquired wit
their funds and the money they secure
by their work and teaching. Since tn
trouble the sisters have placed the pro
perty in tho hands Of 8 real estate sgenc
to be sold for $3.50. 900, and with tho pre-
Ceeds intend returning to France.
Yesterdays Pittsburgh papers containel
on interview with Madame Alphouse
which was obtained after much trouble, q
closely guarded Is the old lady.
According 10 the advice Of a gentleman
who Is we'll acquainted with the manner o
life in the Convent, application for admit
lance WIS made at 9 side door instead OF a
themRir entrance, MADAME AlphorseI
apartments are in that part OF the build
ing" he said, land you will be very much
more likely to meet one OF her follower
there. II you apply at the main entrance
you will almost certainly be refused. The
last time went there TO zee Madame Al
phonae l had q great deal Of trouble Ii
gaining admittauce TO her presence, anC
had che not opportunity appeared would
in oil probability have had to leave with
out seeing her."
Another gentleman gave the game ad
vice. From him the'Ieporter bore letter
Of introduction to Madame Alphonse.
The letter was given with the words
"See that you do not permit that letter Il
leave your hsnds until you hand It Ia
Madame Alphonss herself. II you give Il
mp at the door it ia question whether II
will ever reach its destination. Inalnt or
your right to deliver the letter In person
and you may possibly succeed, but the
chance are very much against you"
Msdame Alphonse said: "BiRhop Phelan
took upon himself authority for which he
had neither right nor precedence. He
alone Ia responsible for the breaking up oil
the academy, l want you to notice dis.
tinc!ly that we arc MOI antsgonizing the
Church. In all things spiritual We bow to
the authority Of the Church, but In things
temporal 1t has no rights.
"The Church has no moro right to OF.
To oonNy0l INV tnonpna kha,, 20 haS
the income Of any private individual
continued Madame Alphonss. "0ur in.
come ia not drawn from the Church. In
some orders where large part Of their
support comes from the Church, 1t has ita
right. But in cases like ours where the
financial matters are altogether apart from
the Church 1t has no right to interfere,
The Biahop wants to gain possession Of
our property for the Church. This is the
cause Of the trouble. The very frat time
he ever visited Us be came to Bppoint
Madame st. Gertrude as Mother Superior
This was exceeding his authority. We
have free elections, and no one is author.
izod TO make any appointments whatever.
He claimed that he had the authority
from Rome, but when We demanded to see
1t he failed to produce the pRpere. Such
q thing has never before happOned in the
whole history Of our order.
sour constitution has existed for 400
years and Rome has never made an at.
Tempt TO interfere with our temporal az
fairs. He then said that we needed q new
constitution and by-laws."
1.-THE ides," continued Madame AL
pbonRe, "thRt we would accept any re-
vision OF our constitution and bylaws
We will never sign any such document
The Blahop even wanted 10 make the Lsy.
Sisters equal with ne, which would be OBJ.
solutely impossible, They are not compe'
tent to teach. In appointing Madam St
Gertrude as Mother Superior, he was plac,
ing at the head Of the institution one alb.
solutely incapable Of governing. Every
conceivable msans was taken to make me
submit to the new rule. was allowed
only one apartment, visitors were denied
me, my nail was withheld; but ! do not
care 10 talk about this. This institution
Ia q chartered corporation and / am still
President Of the Board Of Trustees. Our
elections are for three years and my pres.
emit term "a Mother Superior will not ex.
prie until next August, Myself, and the
eight charter atsters compose the Board oil
Trustees. Six Of them are with me and
/, and only, have right to sell the prop.
erty. There Is no doubt Of this right"
Mesdames Angel, Gonzague, Emanuel
and Gustavs Joined with Madame Al
phonae in saying that they were practi
cally under surveillance and restraint
They were restricted to q certain portion
OF the building and declared from the use
OF the paHlors. Covert Sights had beer
their lot since Madame Alphonse was de
posed, even the Lay Sisters being disre
spectiul to the Mother whom hitherto
they had appeared TO revere and almos
gorhip. The keys Of their private apart
ments had been taken away and they
we're without privacy.
II was seventeen years ago that nine
chair nuns came from France to Pitts
burRh. Madame Alphonse was Of the
head and the olhers were MesdRmes An
cell, Gonzaque, Emanuel, Gustave, Ger
trade, Metilde, Francois and one othsl
who Is dead. They took out certificate
Of incorporation from the State and II
them 10 vested sill the right TO the property
The adhsrents Of Madame Alphonse SAY
that the present trouble dated from BiBhoI
Tulgg, who attempted to compel them t.
nav Tor the property second time. They
appealed from his decision to Rome ant
were sustained.
One Of the sisters said: SIT seemn yer!
sad that after II years Of hard lRbol
Bishop Phelan should intervene to breal
up such an institution ss this has beer
sad in our old age to be thrown out ate
spending so long o period Of our lives Il
attain approximate periecti6ni TO have Il
relinouiBh our home and return to GU
native country. We had thought to diu
where We have lived go many yeArs .,
pleasantly, but 1t 10 to be otherwise.
1.-THE charge has been made that Aothe
Alphonse Is ambitious. It Is incorrect. shl
has never been ambitions except for tn
welfare Of our institution. This Is tn
resson given for her removal, but 1t 10 no
founded on fact.
"Eh i haYS you not appealed to tn
GBecause such action would place d