Year: 1868

An Abduction Case.


An interesting examination is now
going on before Justice Ingraham.
which promises to cause much ex-
citement between two religious de-
nominations. The facts are as fol-
lows In January last Mary Ann
Smith, who says that she is seven.
teen years of age, and who was
reared as a Catholic, joined the
South Market street church at New
ark, N. J. At that time she was
supporting herself. and lived with a
respectable Protestant family named
Fitzgerald. The action of the girl
ineensed her relatives very much.-z
About the first of April, word was
sent to the girl that the child of her
cousin, Mrs. Carrolton, was SICK.
and she was requested to visit her
cousins. Father Doane was sent
for.


After talking with the girl some
time, and learning that she was de.
termined to remain member of the
Methodist Church, Father Doane
advised Mrs. Carrolton to detain her
until her father could be summoned.
This was done, when Father Doane
advised Mr.. Smith, as the legal Gus
todian Of the girl, to send her to
the Convent of the good Shepherd
in this city on the ground that she
was losing her faith. The father
complied, as the girl testifes, and
asked her to enter the convent
She refused, saying that she had
been converted in the Methodist
church, and that she would not give
up her faith. The girl was finally
persuaded to visit the convent to
see what kind Of a place it was, her
father telling her that if she did not
like it she need not stay. Having
yielded, she says she was locked up
and refused permission to leave. -
At the request of the Rev. Mr..
Gilbert, pastor Of the church to
which the girl belongnd, Messrs
Lord and Skidmore Of this city,
early in June made an application to
Justice Ingraham for writ of Aa-
beass corpus to secure her release =
The application was granted, and


when the girl appeared in court &C
fcompanied by the Lady Superior.
Judge Ingraham said that it would
be proper to give Mr.. Smith notice
of the proceedings. The examina-
ton was accordingly adjourned, and


the request compiled with. At the


adjourned day, both the girl and her


father were present La reply to a
question of Judge Ingraham, the


father said he had placed the girl in


the convent to prevent her losing
faith.


Judge Ingraham then directed,
that testimony be taken in relation
to the character of the girl, and her
ability to take care of herself; and


also in relation to the character of
the convent, it having been alleged
that abandoned females were sent
to that place by the criminal magis.
trates of this city. Counsel accord
ingly began taking testimony, and
the girl has made q statement of the
facts connected with the case.
On Friday Mr.. O'Conor appeared
in Court and made a formal return to


the writ, and moved that the writ of
habeas corpus be dismissed. This


motion Judge Ingraham denied


He had been informed by the father
that the girl had been confined to
prevent her abandoning the Catho-
lie faith, but the evidence presented
was satisfactory to his mind that
the convent was not proper place
for young girl to be kept, and he
| would not return her to that place
until satisfactory proof was present
ed that it was proper home for
girl of her age.-N. 7. Post. .l...7