The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-05-01

ANTI-cATHoLIC PAPER FORCES
AFFlDAVITS TO SUPPORT AT
TACK ON HOUSE OF THE GOOD
SHEPHERD.

| SHEPHERD.
With the intention of impressing
upon the ignorant the necessity of de-
handing the passage of Convent In
spection Law in every state of the
Union, the Menace" at opportune
times discovers a victim of "inyolun-
tary servitude, escaped or taken
from some Catholic institution, notab-
ly House of the Good Shepherd, says
a Press Bulletin of the Central Verein.
Although probably realizing that girls,
or young women, sent to institutions
of this kind lack certain essentials
of character and may therefore be
easily induced to give any kind of tes-
timony, the vile sheet continues to
place complete faith in statements Of
this nature, in spite of former expo
Sures.
In one of its recent issues the Men
ace contained the supposed story of
one Catherine Egan, who had passed
Seven years in Slavery to Rome" as
the headline Of the exposure" states.
Supported by two affidavits, purported
to have been sworn to by James Egan,
GATHERINGS father, and the girl herself,
the story might seem true enough to
one accustomed to feed on the dope
prepared by the Menace" On the
other hand, no one acquainted with
the Sisters of the Good Shepherd,
their methods, ETC.. would, in spite of
| ~
fidence in the statements adduced, the
purpose of their publication being all
too apparent, one of the many titles
reading: Slavery Practiced by OPP
ponents of Inspection Bill"
That the story is a faxed one from
A to z, the affidavits included, is now
proven by a letter written to the
Morning World-Herald'' of Omaha, by
the father of Catherine Egan, James
Egan, who refutes entirely every
statement, upon which the Menace has
| built it's wild headlines. In it's issue
of the 14th of April the Omaha paper
| publishes what Mr.. Egan has to say
under the caption: ITO Correct an
Injustice" the letter reading as fol-
! lows:
South Omaha, April II.
To the Editor of the World-Herald:
have always known the World
Herald as a fair and liberal paper
and l hope you will publish this
letter and help correct an in
justice that has been done to
others and myself. The Sunday be-
fore the primary election thousands of
copies of a sensational Lincoln
paper were circulated in Omaha. This
paper had a story supposed to be writ
ten by my daughter, Catherine Egan,
and myself, relating her experiences
while imprisoned in the House of
Good Shepherd at Fortieth and Jones.
This article was an absolute fake
and was never seen by Catherine
Egan or myself until it appeared in
the paper. We never made the aft
davits published, or any others like
them. Catherine was not held there
against her will and was not mistreat-
ed in any way by the Sisters in
charge. Neither did she ask any girl
to get her released She went there
voluntarily and could have left at any
time just as many other girls that she
knew did. Part of her duties were in
| the outside Office and there was no
one near to prevent her leaving had
she wished to do So The sisters did
not object to her leaving with me
and no legal action was necessary.
This story was copied in Missouri
paper of the same type, and we have
both been greatly bothered by people
who read it and thought it true. / am
working man and this matter has
worried me greatly, as l have great
respect for the Sisters of the Good
Shepherd home and know that they
are doing a great and good work.
do not want to be bothered any more
by the people who read these papers
and by lecturers who want us to ap-
pear with them in public. So | ask
you to please publish this letter in
the Public Pulse" and greatly
oblige
JAMES EGAN,
| 2517 N Street, South Omaha.
This case proves once more how
foul the means are to which the
/ tsAIonape" and ofhnr shoots IF thp