An Undesirable Immigrant.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 26, 26 June 1902, Page 2

An Undesirable Immigrant.

We learn from some of our Australian exchanges that one of the most infamous slanderers ot the Church that America has ever seen — the notorious Mar^aiet L. Shtpherd — has somewhat suddenly and unexpectedly arrived 111 Sidney. She professes only to be taking a heahh and pleasure trip, but there are indications that should sufficient inducement ofter she will be only too ready to take up her noisome businiss of 'exposing' the iniquities of Rome at so much per expose. In that case she is almost certain to pay New Zealand a visit, and we, therefore, take the opportunity of sounding a warning note to our readers, and ol supplying them with at Last suthcient material as to her cireer to en.ibl-j them, lor the benefit of the Protestant public, to punt the crealuie m her true co'ors the moment she sets foot in the country. We have before us the pamphlet published by the American Catholic '1 ruth Society, giving lull particular of the 1 fe and doing-, o! this notorious gaol-bird, and if Mis. Shepherd pollutes tins country with her presence and indecent lectures we will publish the unsavory record in full. In the meantime; we eont- nt ourselves with giving the testimony of three emunent and unimpeachable non-Catholics as to the character and career of this infamous woman. We netd only premise that though, of course, she poses as an ' ex-nun ' she has never been a 1 ein and has never even been a Catholic. Mrs. Shepherd claims to have been a nun in Amos Yale Convent, Bristol, and she was for a time an inmate of that institution, but she was there as a fallen worn in. Florence Booth, of the Salvation Army, writes about her: ' I h,i\e no doubt at all but that thii> woman is a liau i. . . . 1 tru^t you will get your money back, and 1 am ,ti \ioiib th it something 1 should be done to present, hci Ir.un deceiving any more kind-hearted people. . . . .She has naurkon a nun. She was taken (1 am n 1 sure whether in the police or noi] as a prostitute into the Roman Catholic penitentiary at Bristol. She ran away Irom there and was found in tne stieets ot 13ns,-

tol, or rather wandered into the S.A. barracks and represented herself as homeless and anxious to come to our rescue home in London. 1 Mr. W. T. Stead, editor of the • Review of Reviews,' who obtained from Mrs. Shepherd some facts for his series of articles on fallen women, in a letter written in answer to an inquiry about her, say-, : ' The less you have to do with the lady you mention the better it will be for your peace of mind and the security of the contents of your pockets. . . . Introduced to me as a reclaimed prostitute. . . . Seems to have been in gaol twice fpr obtaining goods under false pretences.' In confirmation of this last statement a letter, dated September i, ißyi, from Rev. C. B. Simpson, chaplain of her Majesty's Prison at Bodmin, Cornwall, England, speaks of her stay in that institution ' on two charges of forgery and one of false pretences in 1882. She then went under the name of Georgina Parkyn. . . . There is little doubt she is an accomplished swindler.' Such is the character, on unimpeachable Protestant testimony, of this thoroughly low woman. After the recent Slattery frost and fiasco, we hardly anticipate that this creature will make any serious attempt to go ' on tour ' here, but one never knows. In any case, it is well to be prepared, and should she make her unwelcome appearance in this Colony we will take care that the full facts of her career are brought before the public with the least possible delay.