The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-14
THE LINNIE COMMON CASE.
The Girl Now With Her Fathers Friends
bishop Brondels Card.

Ths Girl Now With Her Fathers Friends
bishop Brondel's Card.
Tho parents Of Linnie Conner took hel
from the House OF the Good Shepherd yes,
terdAy and shs IL now with some friends or
tho west aide. Tho Sisters, while refusing
to deliver her to any save her lawful guar
dians. requested Mr.. Conner, II possible, &c
Ind some other refuge for the child. Il. ].
Walsh, Mr.. and Mrs. Conner. Judge Nc
Connell and q fsw others met at the insti-
button yesterday afternoon. III response tc
Tue call OF the Sisters. Mr.. Conner m lost
empnatically dsclAred no would not place
Aia hill N the care OF any of the people
VINO had threatened 10 get out 4 writ OF
habans corpus. He said, however, that II
e, to 9 friends house on Park avenue.
Ihs girl consented to this arrangement,
\ that ended the matter.
Bishop Brondsl, whose name has been
mentioned in connection with the affair.
sends HE INDEPENDENT tho following. in
reply TO criticisms upon tho House of the
Good Shepherd, as well as to criticisms upon
his action:
HELENA. April 13-To The INpEpENp-
ENT; Wishing to have the institution of
the Good Shepherd set right before the
public IL freed from the uncharitable
t6potHlOIlb OIL GIe JOuEnhl, / MAKE EDe fOl-
lowing statements:
l. There are no bars in that house.
=. The unnecessary parley were three sun-
cesaive appeals Of the doorkeepsr left I'M
answered by the three ladies who called at
$3.50 p. M. 3. The house is no prison.
4. Linnie Conner could not testify to a
sleepless night, AZ the journal which stated
perior did not talk legal process but stated
that she would not give the child to any
one but her natural parents. 8. The words
clerical bastile" is bitter irony Of course,
z. That the walls Of the institution will
come down if the girl be moi
8. LinnieC Conner rather wished to stay n,
the Good Shepherds than 20 with hel
parents. and when she stated that she was a
Christian the sisters told her they did no,
interfere with her religion. s. That the
skaters violated Christian charity BY admit.
saying Of q sana ~man. 10. The snying Of a
Chicago jurist, It + ne, is the same rs say
ing that it were better that every prison be
RACED to the ground. than that
one innocent mum be incarcer-
ated against his will. II. Tbs scene
described BY the loafer who climbed
the fence is a falsehood from beginning till
end. ~. Tho detective who stated that be
could obtain admission at the institution
only after eight days patient waiting told
q story, US he WAS admitted Immediately.
Is. II is very fortunate that the editor OF
the Journal is not the city OF Helena, other
wise reformatories for the fallen would be
done away with and shamelessness would
multiply. IL. The Journal states that I
have refused to exercise my authority and
order the discharge Of she girl from the in
stltutlon. In answer to that charge l send
this card to that paper:
Dear Sir: Allow mo q few words in
self defense. We are living in a
ity OF lnw-abiding citizens. You state that
injustice is done to Linnie Conner by be-
ing placed at the Good Shepherds by her
natural gardians, her own father and step
mother. If it be proven that these people
are not it to rule their offspring, the law of
the land is there to take those children
from them and appoint proper guardians.
'As far as the sisters are concerned, they
cannot reasonably nor legitimately give up
those under their charge, unless claimed by
those people who have a right to claim
them, the parent or the lawful guardian.
Am / expected to go against the natural
laws and the laws Of the land?
"a matter OF i'm Importance in his question
is the fact that this institution Of the Good
Shepherd is not merely . rsformatory to
reclaim the fallen but also a school OF
preservation to guard young people against
danger. Hence q child BY being at the
Good Shepherds is not declared TO belong
70 the class OF the fallen and no stain at
taches to her name. ne more than attaches
to one being placed under proper guardian
ship and discipline"
MIR. Editor. I thought We were too far ad-
vanced in this nineteenth century to see the
spirit Of persecution revived. But il comes
under the plea Of charity and other fine
names. In this instance, by appeals to law
%lessness, the peace of the community being
endangered, to avert greater evils I hnve
asked the sisters to send for the father and
friends of the gitl and return the child to
the parent. This was done to-day. But l
hereby protest publicly against the action
whereby the liberty of a father of a family
has been interfered with. As Mr.. Common
has not been declared by law unfit to rule
his household, no n had a right to inter-
fere between him and his child.
Yours truly,
s JOHN b. BRoNDEL.
Bishop of Helena.