The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-29
BUT SHE TOLD OF HER LIFE.
z~7s-ssft s5-7ts.t az 49, . 9l1 h,sei@ ny, :
BEFORE ANA AFTER SHE WENT
TO THE HOUSE OF THE GOOD
SHEPHERD.
WAS THERE nd Rfflf m A1Nr OR NOT,
Jury Us GettfHg "a Mass of Conflict
ing Testimony as to That
- = ..,,s 90 Point. .

spread interest and packing Judge
BriIRs court room. took, the stand in
her own behalf yesterday. The fea-
ture of the days proceedings was the
cross examination OF the plaintiff by
Gen. Clapp. 1t occupied the greater
portion of the afternoon session. At
it's conclusion Mr.. Butts concluded his
redirect examination Until court ad-
journed. @e
The testimony of Miss CleWett fairly
bristled with contradiction. On her
direct examination she testified that
she was restrained of her liberty; that
after her escape from the institution in
May, 1896, she was forcibly brought
back, and that she was constantly
demanding her release, therefrom. On
cross-eXamination she said that she
returned to the House of the Good
Shepherd voluntarily, and that she
told the sisters and certain of the in
mates in August, 1896, that she wanted,
to remain in the institution until the
following spring, as she didn't. want to
work OUT in. the cold winter weather.
During the cross eXamination she first
told Gen. Clapp that she asked to be
released the day after she was first
taken to the ginstitutiOn. That was
a Sunday Then she said that she did
not make the request for release until
Monday. Later, in answer to Gen.
CIapp, Miss CIeWett declared that she
had been in the House of the Good
Shepherd for at least one year before
she asked to be- released. She also ad
nitted that She was given charge of
certain keys which would unlock doors
that permitted egress from the build
ing, but on the direct examination she
said she was entrusted with only one
key at a time and instructed to unlock
a certain door, While the sister giving
such order remained close at hand,
The cross examination likewise re-
vealed a portion of the plaintiffs past
history that more than satisfied the
craving Of the crowd for something
sensational. Miss Clewett admitted
that she had been the mother of two
children though she had never been
married. Mr., Butts objected strenu-
ously to the defense thus attacking
the PLAINTIFFS moral character, which
he contended had nothing to do with
the case, which was an action for
damages for false imprisonment. Her
want of chastity constituted no de-
Tense, argued Mp Butts. Neither
could it be shown for the purpose of
irpeaching her testimony or impairing
the credibility of the witness. But the
court overruled Mr.. Butts, and the de-
Tense continued to question the plain
tiff concerning the circumstances that
caused her to be taken to the House
of the Good Shepherd.
= Sister Mary of the Incarnation was
the f1rst.i witness called yesterday
morning. Describing the. House of
the Good Shepherd, she said that it
bad 100 or more rooms. There are
about thirty-five sisters, and part of
the main building is occupied by them.
Another part is occupied by the Mag
dalenes, about twenty in number, who
are reformed women, organized into
sort of association, or order, and who
wear a particular garb; they are en-
gaged in sewing. There are two re-
formatories. The first, in which there
are commonly forty or fifty inmates,
is devoted to machine sewing, and the
work is done by contract for certain
business establishments in st. Paul.
The second reformatory is general
laundry. where there are usually from
twenty-five to thirty-five inmates.
The work here is also mainly done by
contract; the girls wash and IRON.
There is also a children's department,
with eighteen occupants, whose ages
range from two to fifteen years: The
total population of the institution is
from $50 to 40
Then Mr.. Butts called the plaintiff
to the stand. Miss Clewett is very
deaf. so much 50 that counsel. when
questioning her, sat in close proximity
to the witness chair and spoke in LOUD
tones Miss CleWett's demeanor on
the stand was somewhat peculiar. At
times her answers were indistinct and
almost inaudible, while occasionally she
would reply to question With pet
ulant, angry outburst that could be
heard all over the court room. The
substance of her testimony in the
forenoon was as follows:
She is twenty-seven years old. and
was born in Little. Canada. She at
tended school about year, and had.
at an early age. become a domestic
servant. Mrs j. NJ Root, of White
Bear, had secured her place with
Mrs McDermott of Minneapolis. Mrs.
Root had also secured her place with
Mrs. Hand of Minneapolis Mrs. Hand
came to live in st. Paul, and witness
came with her. Witness received 81
a week wages. Mrs. Root had asked
her to go to church at the chapel Of
the House of the Good Shepherd. and
she had gone twice.
Mrs Root had been kind to her up
to the Good Shepherd episode COM
planned of. Witness had gone to the
House of the Good Shepherd in De-
cember 1894. Mrs. Root had come to
her and told her that she had a place
for her to stay for a while, if she was
ready to go, and 81 said yes
Mrs. Root stayed with me, and got
me ready to 60 she did not say where.
Mr.. and Mrs. J. M. Root went with me
in a hack at 8 o'clock. There was an
other man, who went, but it was dark,
and did not know him. We got there
late at night. Mrs. Root went inside
for few minutes, and then came out
to take me in. did not know what
place it was. Inside. I sat on chair
in the hall. The sisters were there.
Mrs. Root said she hoped 1 would be
a good girl. The sisters took me to
large room, andaa couple of girls took
me to where they were sleeping
Did you know that you were going
to the House of the Good Shepherd
that night?" = i
mo, SIR d
Did you ever ask to go out?"
81 asked Sister Zephyrine to go out.
I asked her two Of three times before
the time I went away. She said if 1
would be a good girl she would see
what time she would let me out.
About the last of April or in May she
said she would never let me out. I
had to speak to her privately in her
room The WORKING hours were from
8 to II a. m. and tof6 in the afternoon.
1 sometimes worked to 9 or $50 at
night We could talk from 1890 to 1
o'clock. with a. sister in the room
Could talk about work. l worked
every day"
Witness then, under the questions of
her attorney, recalled the time when
she ran away.
Il broke through a glass door in the
cloister hall. The door was locked.
We were at mass that morning. and I
came down the back way to the door
T ont nv right wrist"