I returned to Spokane, June 18th, again using the half-fare book. The authorities of the Roman Hierarchy may deny that I had this clergy half-fare book, but I might say right here, let them deny! I still have the book with forty-two tickets in it, good only in the year 1912, and with the stamp of the Trans-Continental Clergy Bureau, January 27, 1912, and even the Roman Catholic Hierarchy cannot deny that I was a sister in good standing in January, 1912.
On July 21st I bade adieu to Spokane. I had just boarded the train when a priest, whom I had never seen before, came to me and began to question me as to where I was going, who I was, etc. This was the first time I had been alone since I had been out of the sisterhood, and whether this was an accidental meeting or whether he was sent purposely I am unable to say. I answered his questions, and then asked him his name. He told me "Father Cronin." While he did not annoy me on the journey to Portland, I was very suspicious, and was very careful that he did not have a chance to get any of my few belongings, as I had some very valuable papers in my suitcase.
Mrs. Kearney had come to Portland before and had made arrangements for hotel accommodations.
The law firm of Kollock and Zollinger were my representatives in Portland, arrangements having been previously made by Mr. Scott with them.
My complaint against the Sisters of Charity having been completed, I signed it on the twenty-fourth day of July, 1912, and it was duly filed in the Circuit Court of Multnomah County.
COPY OF COMPLAINT.
In the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon for Multnomah County.
Elizabeth Schoffen, Plaintiff, )
vs. )
Sisters of Charity of Providence, St.) COMPLAINT
Vincent's Hospital, a corporation, )
Defendant.)Comes now the plaintiff herein and for cause of action against defendant alleges:
I.
That defendant is a corporation, incorporated, organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Oregon;
II.
That at the special instance and request of the defendant the plaintiff performed work and labor for the defendant as a nurse at, in and about the hospital owned and operated by the defendant in the City of Portland, County of Multnomah and State of Oregon, known and described as St. Vincent's Hospital, from and about July 7, 1893, to and including the first day of July, 1899;
III.
That from and after the 1st day of July, 1899, to and including July 26, 1911, the plaintiff performed work and labor for the defendant as nurse and manager and superintendent of a floor in the hospital owned and operated by the defendant in the City of Portland, County of Multnomah and State of Oregon;
IV.
That during all of said period of the time the account between plaintiff and defendant was an open, mutual and current account, and that plaintiff continuously performed work and labor during said period for the defendant, and defendant during said period furnished and gave to the plaintiff clothing and board and lodging;
V.
That the reasonable value of the services rendered by plaintiff to defendant as a nurse, between July 7, 1893, and the 1st day of July, 1899, over and above and in addition to the clothing and board and lodging furnished by defendant to plaintiff was and is the sum of $100.00 per month; that the reasonable value of the services rendered and work and labor performed by plaintiff for defendant as nurse and manager or superintendent of the floor in the hospital owned and operated by the defendant, from the 1st day of July, 1899, to and including July 26, 1911, over and above and in addition to the clothing and board and lodging furnished and given by the defendant to the plaintiff during the said period, was and is the sum of $150.00 per month;
VI.
That the plaintiff has demanded of defendant payment of said sums, but the defendant has wholly failed, refused and neglected to pay same or any part thereof, and that there is now due and owing from defendant to plaintiff, on account thereof the sum of $28,800.00.
WHEREFORE, plaintiff prays for judgment against the defendant in the sum of $28,800.00, together with the costs and disbursements herein.
SCOTT & COMPBELL,
KOLLOCK & ZOLLINGER,
Attorneys for Plaintiff.STATE OF OREGON,
County of Multnomah—ss.I, Elizabeth Schoffen, being first duly sworn, depose and say that I am the plaintiff in the above action; and the foregoing complaint is true as I verily believe.
(Signed) ELIZABETH SCHOFFEN.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 24th day of July, 1912.
(Signed) JOHN K. KOLLOCK,
(Seal)
Notary Public for the State of Oregon.
The summons was served on the Sisters of Charity and on Sister Alexander personally, on July 28, 1912, according to the record of the sheriff's office. Soon after this, and several other times before the answer to the complaint was filed, which was nearly four months later, the attorneys for the defendants endeavored to settle for various amounts up to $1,500.00. The answer to the complaint was as follows:
In the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon for Multnomah County.
Elizabeth Schoffen, Plaintiff, )
vs. )
Sisters of Charity of Providence, St. ) ANSWER
Vincent's Hospital, a corporation, v )
Defendant.)Now comes the defendant and answers the complaint herein as follows:
Admits that it is a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Oregon.
Save as herein admitted, defendant denies each and every allegation of the complaint.
Further answering, defendant alleges that its incorporation was effected by and on behalf of members of a charitable and religious organization known as "Sisters of Charity of the House of Providence in the Territory of Washington," and that its affairs during all the time stated in the complaint have been managed and are still managed by and through the said religious organization acting through the medium of the corporation. Said organization has been engaged during all the time stated in the complaint and is still engaged in charitable and religious work, conducting, among other institutions, a hospital in the City of Portland, State of Oregon.
Prior to the 7th day of July, 1893, plaintiff applied to the members of said religious organization to be admitted as a member thereof, for the purpose of gaining the spiritual advantages accruing to the members thereof, and for the purpose of engaging in religious and charitable work with the members of said religious organization. On some day prior to said 7th day of July, 1893, the plaintiff, upon such application, was admitted to membership in said religious organization and has been engaged since that time and up to the 26th day of July, 1911, in religious and charitable work with the members of said organization, including work in and about the care of the sick at the said St. Vincent's Hospital in the City of Portland, Oregon.
At the time when plaintiff applied for membership in said religious community, and at the time she was admitted as a member thereof, and during all of the time plaintiff continued to be a member thereof, and during all the time plaintiff was engaged in such religious and charitable work aforesaid, it was distinctly understood by plaintiff and her acceptance into said religious community and the permission to engage in charitable and religious work, with the members of said religious community, through the medium of the corporation defendant herein, and otherwise was based upon the distinct and expressed understanding that no pecuniary reward or financial return of any kind whatsoever was to be paid to plaintiff for any work done at the instance of the members of said religious community, or at the instance of the corporation defendant herein, or for any services of any kind in any manner connected with the work of said religious organization and of the corporation, the defendant, herein.
Wherefore, defendant demands that plaintiff take nothing by this action, and that it has judgment for costs and its disbursements.
M. M. CONNOR,
CAREY & KERR,
Attorneys for Defendant.STATE OF OREGON,
County of Multnomah—ss.I, Sister Alexander, being first duly sworn, depose and say that I am an officer, to wit., Superioress of the defendant in the above entitled action; that I have read the foregoing answer, know the contents thereof, and believe the same to be true.
SISTER ALEXANDER.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 15th day of November, 1912.
(Seal)
M. M. CONNOR,
Notary Public for Oregon.
I have explained throughout this book the kind of "religious and charitable" work I was engaged in. Very true, as stated in the above document, when I entered, I believed, as I was taught by the priest and sisters, that the most certain way to save my soul was by entering the convent and living a good, pure, "holy" life as a "virgin spouse of the church and Christ," and, if possible, to become a great "saint" so that I might secure a high place in Heaven among the "saints" and near our Lord. But, the spiritual benefits I derived were that I was compelled by the teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic convent system to be an unwilling hypocrite, and in the end had to seek religion and consolation out of the convent and the Roman Catholic Church.
My suit against the community was evidently causing them much discomfort, as the attorneys for the defendant, several times during the winter offered to settle, but for such small amounts that I could not accept. By spring they had reached the sum of three thousand dollars, and asked me to pay my attorneys from that amount. This I refused, as I believed I could force them to pay more than that if the case would come to court. I knew at least that I could cause them very much uneasiness.