Another Slander Nailed

New Zealand Tablet, 15 July 1909, Page 1089

Another Slander Nailed

It is well to make the path of the libeller hard, as well as that of the magsman and the ' crook.' Hence we rejoice in the poetic justice that recently overtook a slanderer of convents some weeks ago in Plymouth, Englaad. And, as the slander is likely to reach, our shores in duo course, we here place it and its exposure upon record. We quote from an editorial paragraph in a recent issue of the Catholic Times: ' When Dr. Horton complained Urbi et Orbi that the journalists on the daily press do not, as they should, suppress information as to the progress of tho Catholic Church and that they look with suspicion on coatributions assailing and belittling her, Mr. Chesterton replied that the Fleet street sub-editors are gentlemen of experience, who know what they are about; that they have had to deal with too many attacks on " Rome " which were mere fictions and libels; and that that is why the stories about monks and nuns and the rest of the stock-in-

trade of the regular Protestant controversialist are regarded with distrust. Mr. Chesterton evidently wrote as one familiar with what has taken place in newspaper offices again and again. There are journalists in Plymouth who have just been keenly regretting that they did not before now learn and take to heart the rule of caution adopted by their Fleet street colleagues. Miss Elsie Sander, " Deputation Secretary, Women's Protestant Union," wrote to the Western Daily Mercury a letter mi whicli various hints and insinuations were thrown out about immorality in convents. In one case, unfortunately for herself, she descended to specific particulars. She affirmed that the Belfast Evening Telegraph of November 15, 1905, reported " the inquest on a baby taken by a Mrs. Hanna (who, unlicensed, received inconvenient infants) from the Ballynafeigh convent." Miss Sander added: "The agreement stated that the Rev. Mother of the convent would pay for it weekly. The accused woman Hanna stated that two years previously she had received one other infa.it from the Mother Superior." The sequel to this charge* appeared in a subsequent issue of the Western Daily Mercury. The editor humbly apologised for having admitted Miss Sander's letter into his columns, declared that ro report of the kind mentioned had appeared in the Belfast paper, and said there was a very simple explanation (,t the evidence given at the inquest. The child was that of a servant who took it to the Sisters of the convent to care for in their orphanage. As it was too young to be managed in the orphanage it was sent out to nurse, and died while in charge of Mrs. Hanna. "There was no reflection whatever upon the convent and no suggestion of a scandal of any kind." Miss Sander is shut out from the columns of the Western Daily Mercury, but she will, no doubt, continue to attack convents as the Deputation Secretary of the Women's Protestant Union.?