Women say Wheeling Hospital keeping them from cemetery

WHEELING - Four women are suing Wheeling Hospital after they claim it won't allow them to visit a cemetery on the grounds of the former Mount DeChantal Academy to visit their deceased loved ones.

Elisabeth A. Slater, Sally Slater Pierce, Patti Slater Raub and Polly Slater Dowling are nieces of Sister Mary Xavier Slater, who died on March 2, 1911, and is interred in the cemetery on the grounds of the former Mount DeChantal Academy, and another Sister Mary Xavier Slater who died Jan. 2, 1996, and is also interred in the cemetery, according to a complaint filed June 6 in Ohio Circuit Court.

Three of the four women are also cousins of Sister Mary Regina Slater, who died on Sept. 13, 1999, and also is interred in the cemetery, and Patti Slater Raub is Sister Mary Regina Slater's sister.

All of the deceased are former sisters of the Visitation of Holy Mary of Mount DeChantal, according to the suit.

The women claim Elisabeth Slater is an alumnus of the former Mount DeChantal Academy, which was demolished by Wheeling Hospital within the last few years.

The defendant has erected "No Trespassing" signs, indicating that "Authorized Visitors to the Cemetery" should contact security, but does not give any contact information on the sign to enable security guards to be located, no definition of who is authorized and the sign if "off-putting to intended visitors to the cemetery," according to the suit.

The plaintiffs claim they are suffering irreparable harm in not being able to visit the cemetery of their deceased loved ones.

The plaintiffs are seeking unlimited right of access to the cemetery. They are being represented by Patrick S. Cassidy of Cassidy, Cogan, Shapell & Viegelin LC.

Ohio Circuit Court case number: 14-C-163