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March 16, 1988—US District Courthouse

Linda Bessette

Linda Bessette: Fred Rooney? Yes, I knew him. He was a monster. A nightmare.

Alan Stedsan: Can you tell me what you mean by that?

LB: He was always beating up the smaller kids. And not just hitting them—saying things to them. He liked to see us scared.

AS: What kinds of things?

LB: That he’d tie them to a tree in the graveyard and leave them there. Cover their feet with honey and wait for the ants to eat them off. Stupid stuff. It doesn’t sound that scary now.

AS: What was his relationship like with the sisters?

LB: I don’t think they liked him any better than we did. Except Sister Cecile. But no surprise there. He worshipped her.

AS: What do you mean by that?

LB: Fred would have done anything she asked. [Laugh] God, the way he looked at her. Like she was Jesus Christ made flesh. It was almost funny. She was tiny. Maybe five feet. And he was tall, even back then.

AS: Were there ever allegations of sexual abuse at the time?

LB: [Laugh] Sure. What flavor? I mean, there was Father Foster. Everyone knew about that. Though it was only the boys who had to deal with him. People said there were things going on with the nuns too. And, God knows, no one wanted to be alone with Fred. I don’t know how much was true, but there was lots of talk.

AS: And Sister Cecile?

LB: No, never her. Not sex stuff. Sometimes, I think she might have been the only one out of any of them that actually believed in God.

AS: It sounds like there was a lot to be afraid of. A lot for a child.

LB: [Laugh] And that’s not even counting the ghosts.

AS: Ghosts?

LB: I know it sound ridiculous. Maybe it is. But there was this attic off the girls’ dorm. They used to put us up there as punishment sometimes. I never saw anything myself, but I know girls that did. And one time this girl got sent to the attic and came down with bruises all up and down her arms and neck. I swear to God, they were in the shapes of fingers. We all asked but she never said a single word. Scared silent, if you ask me.