The Irish standard., 1908-05-02
A BASE FALsEH00D
Sample Of the Literary Break
fast Food That is
Served in Many Homes by the
Daily Newspaper.

licious morsel" to be rolled in the
mouth, and which would make the
''unco guild" roll their heads and re-
proach those forrid Catholics and
worst of all those horrid sisterhoods
The sensational reporter in Omaha
got hold of good thing-it was a
scandal and base lie, but no matter
| it would serve a purpose and that is
ALL
The runaway nun and the gay lover
were duly presented on the stage. Here
is the story as taken from the Cleve-
land Catholic Universe:
Sensationalism in the Press.
The Church suffers from sensation
alism in the daily press. Any hint at
dereliction is accepted as gospel proof
and is Featured" "set out" magni-
fled and spiced so as to appeal to the
tastes and desires of the bigoted and
depraved. Readers of the daily news
papers the world over can testify that
this picture does not reach the actual
climax of the reality.
Cleveland has had a number of OBJ
ject lessons along these lines. One of
the latest, set out in faring headlines,
was given to its readers by the Plain
Dealer last Friday. That was Good
Friday and the story crucified the feel
ings of Catholics by the shocking re-
cital Of false charge against a con-
vent-a Good Shepherd Convent in
Omaha.
The special wire purported to
start it's story in Des Moines, Ia, but
placed the scene in the Nebraska city.
The sensational narrative had for most
Catholics all the earmarks of false
hood. But for non-Catholics it must
have been delicious, romantic and up
to-date. run in by the special wire
route.
What was the story? We would not
contaminate our columns by ver-
batim copy Of the story published in
the Plain Dealey IA synopsis, how
ever, is necessary to show the liter
ary breakfast food that is served ip
many homes.
The article was displayed at the
head of the first column on the second
page. The fla,ing headlines declared
Nun is Converted by Daring Lover
Young Man Wears Garb of Sisterhood
and Wins Pretty, Wife,
The nuns name was given as Flor
ence Tinsley. aged eighteen. "A young
man of twenty-five was employed in
the laundry" His name was Maxwell
Hirsch. He sent love letters "in the
laundry bundles" to the Sister, "who
bent over the elevator shaft to adj
miro Hirsch. Hirsch basked in her
smiles. Then d nuns garb was drop
ped down to Hirsch. "a mans garb
was sent up to her." Then all was
easy But sad to state, "Sister Flor
ence" had to take her daily air "in the
open court in silence under guard OF
the superior" Then came the "habeas
corpus and Florence was freed. There
was much more in the article, but that
is enough about the fable. Now for
the fact.
Last Sunday night we sent the fol
lowing dispatch:
"Rt. Rev. Richard Scannell, Omaha
Scandalous story printed here about
clopement of Good Shepherd nun in
| Omaha. Information wanted by Cath
olic Universe. William Mcmahon"
The next morning we received in
answer to the above the following:
Omaha, April 20.
REV. William Mcmahon, Editor
Catholic Universe, Cleveland, O. No
truth whatever in Good Shepherd Sis
ter story. Have written.
| "A. NJ. colaneri " c."
| The letter referred to reached us last
"Wednesday and is as follows:
"Omaha, Neb., April 20, 1908.
"Catholic Universe, Cleveland, o.
"Gentlemen--In the absence OF
Bishop Scannell, Msgr Colaneri directs
me to answer your telegram of tho
18th inst. I have not seen the scan
dalous story you refer to, but I can
give you the details of the case that
l presume furnished the basis for it.
Last Thursday an A. P. A. attorney
of this city, at the instance of a dis.
charged employc of the Good Shep.
herd Convent. secured writ of ha-
beas corpus for the release of an in
mate of the reformatory-a nom Cath
olic girl. The case was not contested,
Of course, and the Mother Superior
made no objection to the girls leav-
ing. That is all there is to the story.
"The attorney-inspired by what
motives l am unable to say-gave out
to the reporters supposedly roman