The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-07
NEED OF An INQUIRY.
fhsrges Against House of Good
Shepherd.
srFlpAviT BY GIRL INMATE
,.asgnant Denial by the Mother supe-
rior The Girls sister Contra
diets Her Statements.

rx1ance. The instigator. who has FIRE.
sarnfEy sought TO get rumors published In
- post TnteIiigencer. has always hem
.dxi<ed 10 iay his testimony before tha
s-as<y authorities and have the sa.hsaes
rsestisated in trustworthy way so that
= injustice should be done. The daae4r
= sruxtsng to uncorroborated Statements
= character rejecting upon people or
sxitusions is generally recog ntzed. and
as danger increases when that Testimony,
= Altered BIZ irresponsible youue women
~hoea lives afford suspicion that they arc
vnfartunate IN their moral standards
ne story, however. has been published.
srd As matter of news cannot be ig-
-srsd Investigation must unCoufseoIv
salow--it should have preceded
Tbs good done by the women who Dr.
xess themselves to work OF charity ard
ss.laEfhropy cannot be doubted: but there
I strong prejudice ia this eountrv,
sxxsnss Institutions OF "a reforrnafnrv
rssraeter not under state control, There
some Justification for this. and fngtsttI-
.jons otherwise conducted must be subject
"a that public sentiment.
Thc fullest inquiry must be had, but il
gust be impartial and conducted by re-
s,onsble agencies. No harm can cous
Il Il, because II the charges are untrue
he Innocent viii he exonerated, and n
sksv arc true, no further excuse for the
investigation is needed.
So long as these Tumors were confined
b street talk, only rank injustice would
te done by aiding an attack upon what
i senerally believed 20 be worthy in
ssfufion. Yesterday, however, ". 4.
Games declared to Post-Inteiligencer
,eporfer that he had aftidavits 10 substan-
date some OF his charges. but he failed
b keep his promise TO produce them. The
sublicatlon OF the affidavit OF Amelia
peifier places the matter I'm different
Hxhs, and the authorities OF the House
ii the Good Shepherd must meet the
axtements contained therein.
Some OF the reports current, together
xtsh the affidavit, were shown 10 the
mother superior OF the institution last
night BY a Post-Inteliigencer reporter,
ana she denied most positively that there
vas any cruelty or immortality or wrong
ding In the place
The affidavit. as published, Is as fol-
bxs
Il entered the House Of the Good Shen-
herd about FIVE years ago and remained
there for about four years. During that
tine was compelled to work i'm the laan-
dry beginning work sometimes as early as
3oeiock in the morning. The food furn-
ixhed was very bad sometimes. Once there
was corn meal bread which had rat dirt
IN IL and other filthy stuff We the other
girls and myself. refused to eat H. and
xers refused any other bread for that
Gay. We did not see the corn bread again.
Sometimes I would be so tired with work
tia. could not 20 on. For this was pun
hhed BY being compelled to kneel on the
Aoor; at one time my hands were tied
behind me and | was forced TO kneel up
right until / was all tired out. almost a
whole day. At another time Mother Saint
Rose ordered two girls to hold me on the
aoer while she threw a tubful OF water
On me. / asked for dry clothing. but
vas refused. and compelled 10 wear my
vel clothing until they dried upon my
body. once I was held under the faucet
hy two girls under the orders OF Mother
Saint Rose.
@some OF the girls were made TO dance
before men. My sister Julia who was
pump girl. was one OF them. She was
dressed In very short skirta and the neck
Of the dress was very low. One OF the
priests, Father Cronln. once felt her
breasts. and said how nice she was. and
mld. You are not very high, but you
are broad out" Beer was given TO the
girls at such times | have had beer
enough at one time 10 make me almost
tuak These kind or dances were held
IN the evenings. and on Sunday there were
often dances.
"onca a sister, Mother Isabella. struck
ne on the breast with her fist. This was
n the sumer OF 1894. and the blow hurt
ms very much. | have had lump on my
chest ever since from the effects OF that
blow
When we went 10 work very early In
The morning. we did not get anything 20
cal until after mass, although we We're
Enetlmes very hungry. I was one of
the children Of Mary. and had 10 do IA
great deal of work. more than ! had
strength 10 do. and the sisters we're cruel
Il me when | could not work. Once Moth
sr Saint Theresa struck me on the head
With 4 bunch OF keys. ! wanted 10 get
out for a long time before | did get out
l6esired To get out because had to work
50 bard and had such poor food and was
ll-'reated
y had three sisters in the House Of the
Coed Shepherd but they are all out now
One Was thern three years. None of us
can read or write. as we never had any
chance TO learn anything In the House OF
ne Good shepherd only 10 work and
earce
"whne /. with the other girls. had TO
soTk every day in the laundry. We were
compelled 10 go a month without chang
iag our undertaking.
Besides working IN the laundry. | had
p'ten TO DO other work. During the win
Ter OF 1898 and 1894 had 20 saw cord wood
for Use IN the room OF the mother supc-
FsN-t HtNfti Il Nt4tif NNAA ~ Nt1&r + tt@
weather was very wet az that time and
ne clothing I had on--chemise one skirt
and a calico drcss--wouid soon he wet,
bur had 10 keep at work.
During the time | was In the house
iour years. never had a bath and never
saw any other girl have a bath during
that time
There are many things worse than
,nfse that I 40 not care 70 speak Of now,
tai Will some other time.
HER
Y AMELIA FELTtER.
MARK
ne mother superior declared that all
sse above charges were utterly without
tsAhuati0n. No babe has ever hDen buried