New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-21
SISTER BARBARA.
TRAGIC STORY OF THE CARNIELlTE NUN OF
CRACOW.

Vienna. June l.
Sister Barbara Ubryk, the Carmelite nun,
who in the year 500 was the innocent cause
of the riots at Cracow, has just died in the lunatc
asylum of that city, where she spent the Iast
twenty-five years of her unhappy life. Sister
Barbara belonged TO q noble family who had
forced her TO enter religious orders. for the pur-
pose of preventing her from marrying young
officer of Lnncers with whom she was violently III
love. but who unfortunately had neither RANK
title or fortune On entering the grim old con-
vent OF Cracow she ceased all communications
with her famiy-by her express desire, as it was
believed at the timc-and it was not until
more than twenty years had elapsed
that one of her brothers, inqulring
from the religious authorities what had become OF
his beautiful sister, was given to understand that
she was no longer on the list of the living. Struck
by the stiffness of the answer, he PROCEEDED 10
the Archbishop OF CracOws Palace, ana throwing
himself at the venerable prelates feet, entfeated
him to find out if Sister Barbara were really
dead The Archbishop immediately took steps 10
discover the truth, but the Abbess or the Gar
rnelitc Convent in which Sister Barbara was sup
posed to have died not only refused to answer any
questions about the matter, but, awaiting herself
of the invioability Of converts, absolutely de-
clined TO allow any Government official TO pass the
portals thereof. Archbishop Galecke, who was
inst and enlightened man, thereupon secured the
assistance of the police, and, surrounded by bat
talon of gendarmes commanded by Count Spaur,
forced an entrance into the convent, in spite OF
the desperate resistance and invcctives of the In
furiated nuns The latter actually went so far
as TO arm themselves with stones, and the military
narrowly escaped being ANONYMOUSLY repulsed by
these holy women, against whom they dared not
draw their swords
After a long search the Archbishop and his
marty descended into the dungeons, fifteen feet
under the ground, where they heard low groans
and means which sounded more bestlal than hu-
man proceeding from a half-brcked-up cell
in narrow stone passage. In this living
tomb, seven PAGES long BY six PAGES
wide, they discovered by the light of the
torches they carried naked woman, with long
dishevelled hair crOuchng In corner of her iilthy
prison. At the unaccustomed sight Of light the
unfortunate creature began TO scream with terror,
and springing to her feet tore at the granite walls
with her talon-ille nails. With much trouble
the bricks, which more than half closed up the
entrance. were removed, and the ravng inmate OF
the cell was approached 1t was found that both
her feet and hands were loosely bound with steel
chains so as 70 avoid the remotcst possibility OF
escape on her part, and that hcI whole body was
covered with ulcers, whilst ler tangled tresses
were simply alive with vermtn This was Sister
Barbara Cbryk, insane and having lost the power
of speech in consequence Of her Incarceration o!
over nineteen years In this chamber of physical
and mental torture The Archbishop, horrliicd
beyond measure, had the Abbess brought before
him and frightened her into confessng TO him
that this barbarOus deed had been perpetrated by
her orders, and in punishment Of what she called
crime committed by Sister Barbara The
crime consisted in her having during the first
wear of her convent life kept up correspondence
with her former lover and OF her having consented
by letter eopc with him. This infraction of
convent rules was brought TO the notice OF the
Abbess by nun whom poor Barbara had been
forced to take into her confidence, and who was
glad to ingratate herself with her Mother Superior
by betraying her miserable companion. With
the help of this nun the Abbess conducted Sister
Barbara 70 the underground dungeon AT the dead of
| night bound her with chains, and with their own
delicate hands the two women built up the en-
trance Of the narrow prison with bricks, leaving
| only a square opening through which bread and
water were handed to her three times week. NO
one else was let into the dismal secret and as the
| dungeon was supposed 10 be haunted, the means
and cries of the prisoner, II ever heard by the
community, were attributed 10 supernatural Wis
| it0Fs and NOT one of the nuns ever dared to ap-
| proach the steps leading down to the subterra-
mean part of the great building. Archbishop
| Galecke whose indignation knew no bounds,
| placed the Abbess, together with her accOmpice,
| under arrest in a cell guarded by sentries until
| he could refer the matter 10 His Holiness the
| Pope. and then took Sister Barbara, who mean
| while had been clothed and fed TO the City Lu-
natic Asylum When the story became known to
| the people Of CracOw they collected around the
| convent where the Abbess was imprisoned and
| threatened to burn it down, as well as all the
| other converts with which the town ahounds.
The military had 10 be called ont, and the terrible
| riots which ensued lasted long ana caused much
| bloodshed Subsequently the Abbess and the nun
| who had been her conhdante and helpmate, are
said TO have been severely punished by the Pope.
although nothing wac known for certain about II.
| In the year 1876, whilst on visit to Cracow,
| the writer taken 70 see the lunatlc asylum
where Sister Barbara had been placed. The d.
| rector of the OSyums asked me whether / should
! like 10 see the heroine of the riots of 1869. To
| this readily acquiesced, apd | was soon ushered
| into large, sunny room, bnghtehed by flowers
| and Gaintily furnished. Near the window Sitting
in q large chintz-cOvercd armchair Sister Bar
| bara, her hands crossed in her lap and her large
blue eyes staring vacantly at cage full Of canarles
which stood on the wind0w-slll. Could this placid,
| white haired, MISUNDERSTANDING woman be the
| same who had but seven years before been rescued
! from an awful martyrdom, and who had been then
more like wild creature than human being !
| II was so. Gentle treatment and good care had
restored her health, but neither her reason nor
the power Of speech. Her attendants told me that
she seemed 10 have forgotten all her past tor
lures. She quiet. and apparently
| incapable of feeling any kind Of emotion Birds
| and flowers arrested her eve and sometimes
| brought faint smile 10 her still beautiful lips
but otherwise she was absolutely Oblivious Of her
surroundings. / spoke 10 her but she took no
| notice of what | said. and after a few minutes |
left her still gazing at the little imprisoned song
sters who perchance, reminded her Of the time
when she also was a captive. though in far more
| dreadful cage.