Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-06-20
CHARGE AGAINST CONVENT.

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Surprising allegations regarding a
Church of Eogland convent were made
in the Probate Court in London yester-
day during the hearing of an action to
set aside the will of Miss Florence Too
good, late of the Convent of st. Mary
of the Cross, in Market street, Shore
ditch.
Miss ToogoOd left all her property,
amounting to $95, 900, to Miss Hannah
Skinner, the mother superior OF the
convent. 1t was alleged, however, that
the will was obtained by the undue in
luence Of Miss Skinner and Rev. Henry
Daniel Nihill, the spiritual director and
coufessor of the convent, who was form
erly vicar of St. Michsels, Shoreditch,
| bat now lives at Hythe.
There we're q number of nuns in
court when the case began. Mr.. Bar
nard, K. c., explained that it was
brought by two sisters Of Miss Toogood
against three ladies who had obtained
probate of the will.
Miss Toogood, who died in 1895, was,
he said, entitled to property under her
fathers and grandfather's wills on the
death of her mother. Her mother lived
until February, 1906, and ber will could
not be contested before the date.
At the end of 1875 Rev. Mr.. Nihill
went to Torquay, where Miss Toogood
was living with her mother and sisters,
to hold a retreat. Miss ToOgood entered
the retreat and remained three days,
On her return home she stated that
she desired to lin sisterhood which
Mr.. Nihill and Miss Skinner had started
some years before. Her mother object
ed, but afte. the retreat two members Of
the sisterhood went to Torquay and saw
Miss Toogood, with the result that she
came to London and entered convent
at Hagerston. In the following year she
entered the convent founded by Mr..
Nihill at Shoreditch.
There were three grades in the order,
Mr.. Barnard explained-postulants, poy-
ices and pfofessed sisters. Miss Too
coed became pOstulant, and undertook,
among other things:
To render absolute obedience to the
mother superior.
To submit to the sister in whose charge
she was placed.
To apply herself diligently to the
study of the principles Of religious life
and the written and unwritten rules OF
the sisterhood.
60 keep silence in the presence of
strangers unless invited to speak By the
mother superior.
To use none of her own money.
Not to 90 home or visi. her friends.
Not to see them at the convent unless
with the mother superior's permission.
To receive 10 letters except through
the mother superior.
To confess to the mother superior every
night, or to the sister in whose care she
was committed, any breaches Of rules
committed during the day, and to receive
penance if necessary.
To make q sscramental confession
once week.
"Before entering the ORDER" Mr.. Bar
nard stated, "this young lady desired 70
divide her property among her sisters,
but afterwards, much to the surprise of
her family, she wrote asking that her few
possessions should be sent to her, because
she had come to the conclusion that she
was rubbing God
"You will see that that letter was not
written by her of her own accord, but in
consequence of rules and restrictions put
on her.
Ltter Miss Toogood became a novice,
aud was given the name of Sister Mary
Gabriel Joseph. The rules for novices
are such that no person who is subject
to them can be free agent"
There we're nearly so pages of these
rules, from which the following extracts
we're read
The voice of thy superior is the voice
OF God.
Listen on the knees in Perfect silence,
and defend not thyself.
Let no sister keep anything locked up
from other sisters.
lie; no sister take food or drink ex-
cept at the proper time. Let her not
take food outside the convent, nor
medicine without leave.
Let no sister write to those outside
about what has happened in the con.
vent.
When an inferior is reproved by su-
perior, let her listen with respect and
without interruption.
Let no sister seek the advice of any
expert without the superior's leave.
"Can anyone be free agent under
such rules" asked counsel Indignantly.
The evidence of former sister, Miss
Mary Ann Allcard, of Bournemouth,
which had been taken on commission,
was then read. She stated that Mother
Monica and Rev. Mr.. Nihill went for 8
hol day every summer, taking one OF
the sisters with them. Sometimes they
went abroad to Switzerland. All the
mental work was done by the sisters, in
cludiug the washing and scrub6ing.
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