Hilton, Aug(ust) J.: London, England to Monsignor (Robert Seton: Jersey City, New Jersey), 1895 October 2

He is about to write a short series of articles for the "Catholic Standard and Ransomer," the weekly organ of the Guild of Our Lady of Ransom, in reply to a book called "Convent-Life Unveiled," by the notorious Edith O'Gorman. He would be thankful if (Seton) could supply him with any printed information on that lady. Her book is full of discrepancies. (Seton)'s church firgures somewhat prominently in her book. On page 95 the "escaped nun" says that on Sunday, January 19, 1869, she was performing her usual office of sacristan in St, Joseph's Church, and was removing the vesper decorations when Father Walsh came in and made an attempt to drug her in the vestry room; on page 96 she declares the attempt was made in the sanctuary. The story is manifestly an abominable fiction but Hilton wants to conclusively demonstrate its falsity. Therefore he asks (Seton) to inform him 1) whether it is customary for nuns to act as sacristans at (Seton)'s church; 2) whether Vespers had been sung and the church cleared by 7 in the evening; 3) whether the vestry-room is behind the altar; and 4) whether the door in the sacristry ever led to the convent which Hilton gathers from Edith was in 1868 attached to St. Joseph Church.