The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-07-22
CIylNNARS SENSATION
The Remarkable Story Told By q
l.-..- Hospital Patient
HER BODY FILLED WITH NEEDLES.

She had Tsross Them fato Her Legs ana
Feet while an Occupant Of Q Convent.
as Punishment for onensss Committed.
Her Condition Critical.
CINCINNATI, July ga well dressed
lady applied at the Cincinnati Hospital
for admission Saturday afternoon. She
presented a letter from the mother supe-
rior Of the convent where the young lady
had resided. The letter said the bearer,
Miss Nellie Thomas, had been employed
at the convent for some time, and was
suffering from swollen legs and feet,
Nothing except the symptoms referred to
In the letter was found on the preliminary
examination, but later 1t was decided to
lance the feet. when IL was found the
limbs and feet were imbeded with pins
and needles. Forty. one needles were ex-
tricated from her body, and she was NOT
able till yesterday to endure further oper-
tions, when ten more were extricatsd, and
1t Is thought others will DO found. The
physicians fear blood poisoning will set
In, and that the case In any event may
prove hopeless.
The girl protested till after the opera
tions that she could not tell how her feet
and limbs became imbedded with these
needles, but finally she said that she had
been at the Convent Of the Good Shop.
herd for several years. She was an orphan
and alone in the world During her stay
there she had done wrong-not once alone,
but persistentiy. She had done that which
she knew was not right, and for every sin
she had committed she had done penance
by thrusting needle into one of her legs.
She explained that each operation had
han -. 49,
times was almost UNDESIRABLE, but she felt
that she must bear the pain as recon-
pense for the sin committed.
This mode of doing penancs, she said,
had covered more than two years. Her
wrong doings had been OF frequent occur
renee, and she was unable to estimate the
number Of needles she had placed in her
limbs. She said she and another girl in
the convent had become unnaturally In
fatuated with each other. They had acted
as lovers, and had together sinned against
God and nature. She said she had con-
fessed to q priest at tho convent, who was
greatly shocked at the confession she
made. The sisters were greatly surprised
at the statement made by the girl, and
could not understand how such condi-
lions could have existed in the institutio-
without their knowledge. They made no
attempt to deny the story, but were no
doubt in ignorance Of such relations exist
ing between any persons.
Sister Superior Mary Malone stated that
the outcome of the examination of MISC
Thomas was a startling revelation to hs-.
She had been aware Of the condition of
the patients legs and feet for several
months, but had no idea Of the cause On
Saturday Miss Thomas limbs were so
swollen and her condition SO serious that
the mother superior insisted upon her 60
ing to the hospital. As to that portion Of
her story regarding Miss Thomas infatua-
ton and intimacy with another female in
tho convent, Sister Malone declared she
knew nothing of 1t, and was surprised and
shocked beyond measure.
Miss Nellie is able to talk, but ia very
weak and suffering intense pain.