The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-05
WHEN MISS SELMA CLEWETT
WAS FIRST TAKEN TO THE HOUSE
OF THE GOOD SHEP-
HERD.
DEFENSE MAY CLOSE TODAY.
An Exncditfous Trial Is Promised
to the Chagrin of the Morbid
Crowds.

single SYLLABLE of the testimony OF the
witnesses in Selma Clewetts suit
against the House of the Good Shep-
herd. The defense did not finish yes
terday. as expected, owing to the
somewhat lengthy cross
of one of the witnesses for the de-
fense-Mother st. Zephrine.
Continuing her testimony from the
previous afternoon, under the direct
examination by Gen. Clapp, Mother
St Zephrine testified regarding the es-
cape of three or four of the plaintld
witnesses. and said any one of them
could have secured their release by
having asked for it. She also said that
the bars guarding the laundry WIN
dows, which the girls worked loose,
were known to be in that condition by
the sisters, who took no steps to make
them secure.
She denied that she had ever told the
girls the legal age law had been
changed, making women of age at
twenty-one instead of eighteen. She
said the idea must have arisen from a
chance conversation between herself
and one of the girls. The latter asked
the sister If she would be of age when
twenty-one. Witness told the girl she
doubted if she would be Of age when
she was forty-one." Concerning Sc
Hna's escape, the sister told Of how she
had been informed that the young wo-
man was going to escape by breaking
the window Of the chapel, and jumping
through. The sister set about to watch
Selma, and placed O. girl on guard. The
plan was betrayed by one Of the girls
who had been confided in by Selma.
The next morning Selma left the class
room and walked down toward the
window. at the end Of the cloister.
Selma. raised her hand in which she
held a. brick, and the sister then called
to the girls to prevent Selma from
breaking the window. The girls rush
ed forward and the sister told Selma
to take off her consecrated dress, and
she might go.
The time that Selma did get out, the
witness saw her as she was brought
back. and bound up her hand which
had been cut. Witness again told Sc
lima she could leave the house If she
desired That night Selma asked the
sisters pardon for trying to escape,
and was again assured that, If she
would make the proper application,
She WOulQ DC TSl6dSGQs OSllll6b dShSo
the sister If she thought the mother
superior was angry and would try and
prevent her entering the Magdalenes.
The sister told her no.
Witness went on to say that Selma
had told her she (plalntiff) ought
never to go outside, because she could
not take care of herself.
This testimony was objected to by
Nr Butts, but was allowed, Mr.. Butts
taking a. exception.
Witness said Jennie Purdy and Mai.
sic Roberts were both discharged on
letters of application from persons au-
thorized. The Anderson girl was re-
leased on the application of her moth
er, who told Sister Zephrine that two
girls had come to her and told her If
she ever wanted to get her daughter
out she better do it right away. The
sister says she then sent the girls up
stairs to get ready to leave. AS tie
Emma Cote, the girl had told the sis
ter that her father wanted her to stay
In the house until she was eighteen
years of age. Later she said she was
that old, and wanted the mother SUI
perior to get her q place to work
Not long after this the girl made her
escape, with Jennie Purdy and Jennie
Norman.
A few weeks later Katie Connolly
asked the sister for her discharge. The
sister says she told Katie: II was
waiting for you to ask me-" Soon
after this-perhaps q Week-the wit
ness allowed Katie to go. Katie had
confessed to having an ugly DISPOSE
ton. Nellie Drummy's mother once
visited her daughter and said she
wanted the girl to remain Sister
Zephrine told Mrs. Dummy that the
girl was over eighteen, and that she
had no authority to keep her after that
age, but she would try and induce the
girl to stay. Nellie refused. and was
allowed to go that day.
DO you know of any letters given
to you for mailing, by Jennie Purdy,
which were not mailed?" asked Mr.
Clapp.
II do not think of any," was the re-
ply.
She further testified that she fire.
quently gave the plaintiff her keys to
open or lock doors.
The witness, in answer to another
question, said Selma often had the
keys when no one was around.
What opportunity did the girls
have to communicate with the mother
directIy?"
They had an opportunity to do so
every time the mother came In"
What was the character Of the re-
lations?"
VERY friendly The girls surround
ed her and talked pleasantly
On commencing the cross examina-
ton, Mr.. Butts asked the witness to
remove her colored glasses, but wit
ness declined, saying the light hurt
her eyes.
The witness said the Magdalenes
were not allowed to n1ingle with the
nuns, although the doors between the
two departments were not locked No
two departments were allowed to have
unrestricted freedom with each other
Trivial offenses in the witness de-
partment were punished by herself,
but the more serious breaches of the
rules were referred to the mother SUI
per1or THESE serious offenses includ-
ed open rebellion, etc. In the summer
the girls arose at $50 in the morning.
During recreation hours the girls were
not supposed to tell their names or
histories to each other, but there was
nc rule concerning this. The girls
were not allowed to congregate in
crowds and converse. The witness
was directed to give every rule for
each day in the week.
Witness said that 1t was rarely that
the girls worked nights. The girls
had to do their own work In the laun-
dry Thursdays and Fridays. They
were compelled to make their own
beds and scrub the house from top to
bottom. The scrubbing was done
weekly.
Witness advised girls not to be whis-
pering in the corners.
well, now, these advices were prac-
tically commands, weren't they"
asked Mr.. Butts.
MY recommendations were usually
carried out"
Did you not have a rule that only
the English language, which you I'M
derstood, was to be spoken among the
girls''