Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-11
MRS. NEVA N. MOSS
FREED OF CHARGE
SeIf-StyIed Ex-Nun Cleared
CT False PretenSe After
Anti-CatholiC Talks.

| Ivy SIAN Correspondent nf The star.
COURTHOUSE, Arlington County,
Va. February l1.-Bcforc a record
crowd which frequently burst into
demonstrations In the face of stern dis
| approval of the court Mrs. NCva Miller
| Moss, sclf-Stylcd cX-nun of the Roman
Catholic Church, was acquitted this aft
| crnoon of charges of accepting money
| under false prctenses in connection
with anti-Catholic lectures which she
has been giving at Cierandon and Ball
| ston.
Judge Harry Thomas, without deliber-
alton following taking of lengthy testi-
mony, announced that the burden of
| proof that Mrs. Moss had not been Il
| sister of the house Of Good Shepherd
rested upon the commonwealth. and
| that Mrs. Moss straightforward. d.
rect testimony that She had been a
| member OF the order outWcighed the
evidence introduced to the contrary"
just before the judge announced his
decision, Sheriff Howard Fields warned
the nearly 500 persons who had damned
into the corridors and aisles that no
demonstration would be permitted, In
spite OF the warning, dozens OF mon
and women In the audience Slrgcd 10
the rail and shook hands with the
35-year-old blond lecturer and her at
torney. II. w. Dudley. At one point
during the proceedings Judge Thomas
ripping vainiy for order when the spec
tators cheered a declaration by Com
monwcalth Attorney William G.. Cloth
that he intended to prove this woman
is a fake" issued stern edict against
any further outbreak and said that he
would clear the courtroom II the order
was not needed.
The commonwealth depended prin-
cipaily on the testimony By William
Henscl Brown. 25-year old son Of former
Chief Justice Brown Of the Pennsylvania
Supreme Court. who testified that he
had examined the records Of the House
OF Good Shepherd In Detroit and at
Grand Rapids. and had found no rec
ord to show that Mrs. Moss ever had been
nun of the Order of Magdaienes, as
she claimed BsDwn declared further
more that the records Of the Juvenile
Court at Detroit showed that she was
arrested In 1910 for dlsordcr!y conduct
and committed to the House Of Good
Shepherd.
Calls Affidavit Lie.
Taking the stand In her own behalf.
and speaking IN iiiin decisive tones and
with flashing eyes. Mrs. Moss branded
as an outright lie" an affidavit by a
police lieutenant in Detroit stating
that she had been arrested on
June S, 1910. for disorderly conduct
ON the street, and declared that she had
never been arrested In Detroit at any
time She admitted having been taken
in charge by two police officers In De-
troit after she had jumped over fence
atthe House Of Good Shepherd there In
an effort TO escape. but declared that
she was not taken before any court,
but was Immediately turned over 10 sis
eIs OF the institution who came run
| ming from the front gate
Mrs. Moss declared that she took the
vow as nun III the Order Of Magda-
lenc before Bishop Schrims on July
%. 1918, and that she WAS known as
Sister Constance. She said she re-
manned nun until 1918 wnen she ran
away. She explained. under cross-ex-
animation. that she and all her family
were Professionals. but that she turned
Catholic while under commitment in
the House OF Good Shepherd at Grand
Rapids. because OF scheme she had
III mind Of escaping from what she
described as The tfightitl conditions. ="
she said by becoming Catholic she
could become houAckcepcr Tor n priest
1t. She said that her desire To BIZ n
nun had been based only Oh her child
hood wish OF being able To wear The
Ea!b OIL sister"
Tells of Experiences.
Mrs. Moss virtually gave To the court
parts OF her lectures, describing IN de-
tail her early experiences In n Catholic
boarding school aud Ia The converts
Ehe explained that she was FIRST put IN
boarding school by All aunt FOR educa-
tioilal purposes" when about or o
years old. II was While In this nch,,nl.
she said, that she expressed Il desire
OF becoming "A nan and that accordingly
she was transferred Ia the preservation
class at the House Of Good Shepherd
IN Detroit
She described alleged insanitaty and
abusive conditions lat this Institution
| ana III her several attempts 10 escape
IL was becaiihe OF one Ut these attempts
mat hhe was ptit III Il ''peniitnt class ="
which She explained was made ,ip OF
girls Who were lncotIlgbic or dihoi.e,ly
Thomas +. DolniI. jr.. local attorney,
VINO hWofe out the warrant for Mrs
Moss arrest last Wednesday night. les
tlfled that ht had paid 80 cents nd
mission to one of her lectures In the
he considered he had been defrntided
behaiiar he commended her claims to
iiatiuE been nun were false.
IL, H. DAILY. another Witness tor the
prosecution testified he had heard her
lecture and lac described the black robe
| which she wore
| MIS-, Moss raine Ia court sWathrd IN
| a large fur coat and wearing an at
| ifaotive black dress. with black braided
| hal to match Her youthful appearing
| husband sal beside titf Hhe h IA
\ give another lecture tonight IN tle
Junior Order III American Mechanics
Hail al i!aliAl1n. The courtroom
quickly elnptied after the verdict waa
handed dawn. 10 tho efnwda fingered
| nitlAide The courthouse aud were quite
dfmnnstrhtlpa tor s0ine half nn hour
aftafward Sheriff t'ieids aud other
police stood by and advised The demon
| btfatofa IN dispetse. There was nn
real disorder.
|