The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-08-14 00:00:00

THE "RIBBON OATH."

A correspondent of the Dublin Express gives the
following as a correct copy of a form of Ribbon oath
recently found by the police in making a sudden
irruption into a publichouse in a county notorious for
agrarian outrages
"I B) hereby agree to become a true and loyal mem-
ber of this society, and I aolemnly swear to-fore Almighty
God to be true and loyal to trio brotherhood, and to each
member of the same; and! will be obedient to my commit-
tee and superior officers. and agree to all their artieles. laws,
rules, and regulations that have been since the commence-
merit, and all ainendnients added thereto, anti to perform all
duties imposed 00 me with loyalty, faith, and fidelity; arid
I swear that neither hopes or fears, rewards or punish-
ments, shall induce me to give evidence against any brother
or brothers for any act or expressiiiit of theirs done or made
collectively or individuany. And in pursuance of this
obligation I swear to aid, as best I can, with purse and per-
son, ally brother or brothers who may be in distress; and I
further swear to owe no allegiance to any Protestant or
heretic Sovereign, ruler, prince, or pi .tentate, and that I
will not regard any oath delivered to me by them or their
subject., be they udge, magistrate, or elite, as binding.
Avid I swear to aid, as best I can, any brother or brothers
who may be on trial for any act or expression of theirs,
before magistrate, judge, jury, or else, and to be ready at
all times to aid by every means in my power to ambit
in procuring his or their liberation, and, if myself a
witness, to disregard any oath delivered to me on such oc-
casions by judge, jury, magistrate, counsel, clerk, lawyer, offi-
cial, or else, and that I will not reitard such oath as bind-
ing And in revenge for the sufferings of our forefathers,
and protection clone rights, I further solemnly swear to aid,
as hest I can, in exterminating and extirpating all Protestants
and heretics out of Ireland or elsewhere ; to hunt, pursue,
shoot, and destroy all Protuitant or heretic landlords, pro-
prietors, or employers, and also to hunt, shoot, pursue, and
destroy all landlords or proprietors belonging to the Church
of R. me, should he or they evict his or their tenants from
any house, land, home, or holding of their.. And I further
solemnly swear to aid, at ltet. lean, in burning down, sacking,
arid destroying Protestant or heretic churches or places of
worship, evil all houses usief as such by members of different
herettcal denominatious in this country, and to level the
same to the ground.
I a; so solemnly swear tohave ire intercourse, communion,
or trade, neither to buy or sell, barter or exchange, give or
take, or have any dealings whatever with said Protestants or
heretics, unless on such occasions as cannot be avoided.
"1 also swear to defend the farmer, the poor man, the
widow, and the orphans of any brother or former brother
against the oppression of the landlords and the tyranny of
Saxon lawn; and I further solemnly swear to do all in my
power t, procure the Independence of Ireland, and aid as
beat I can in allowing none hut Irishmen to possess Irish land,
and Irelaud for the Irish.
"I also solemnly swear to shoot, destroy, hunt, and pursue
to death any former brother who may turn informer o
traitor, or who may refuse to perform any duty ordered by
his committees or superior officers, or any duty which may
fall by lust or otherwise to execute. And I agree that my
joirson shall be at all times at their service, to go wherever
required or do whatever sert, and also to aid by every means
in my power any brother or brothers of this society executing
rho orders of other committees or officers belonging thereto,
though not in my district, and to aid as beet I can beer them
n the performance of their duty,
" And I most solemnly swear to keep all secrets, pass-
words, signs, orders, or otherwise belonging to this society,
and that I shall never divulge the same by word of mouth
or otherwise ; and I swear neither to mark, write, or in-
dite with pen, pencrl. stone, chain, or any other mineral or
ruhstance above or under wood, above or under water,
above or under land, above or under air, on the sea or else-
where, or to use there w ith any substance whatever above
or under, Ac, be it herb, shrub, tree, wood, liquid, mineral,
or else, above or bel.ow this earth, above or under, to., or to
use therewith any liquid, marking fluid, ink, or any mark-
mg substance whatever, aimve or under, t&c, , in the sea or
elsewhere, to betray or inform of any done, secrets, pass-
words, orders, doings, actions, or expressiime that have been,
that are being, or that will he belonging to this brotherhood."
A. form of oath no prolix must be a heavy tax upon
the memory of the conscientious Ribbonman who
wishes to discharge his duty fully.

CONFESSION OF POISONING A
YOUNG LADY.
At Newport, Monmouthshire, last week, a boy named
Charles Oritt, made an extraordinary statensmt that he
poisoned Miss Emily Collier, the daughter of Mr. Collier, oil
merchant, Dock.street. Newport, on Eager Monday last.
It appears that Gritt was taken from the Caerleon
Industrial Schools by Mr. Collier, and on Easter
Monday he offered Miss Collier some wheat, a
portion of which she ate. She told her methc r
the boy had given her some wheat, and 0.11 it
tasted very nasty. She was told to throw it in
the tire, which she did, and it was noticed that it
emitted a peculiar flame. In the evening she was
taken ill, and next day Dr. Brewer was sent for, but
he at once pronounced her case hopeless, as paraly sis
of the brain had set in, and on the following Thursday
she died. Mrs. Collier, it has transpired, had an idea
that her daughter did not die a natural death, still not
the remotest suspicion ever crossed the minds of the
family that she had been poisoned. Mr. Collier had
some fowls in his possession, all of which died in a
very strange manner just about the same time.
Gritt said that he managed to get some poisoned
wheat from the Caerleon schools, which he gave to
Miss Collier, and he also admits having poisoned the
fowls. There is no doubt that he also attempted to
poison the eldest son of Mr. Collier, as he was ill for
about a week about the time his sister died. The
medical man who attended the deceased has been
suited, and and he says her symptoms were such as might
result from poison.
After making the confession, the boy absconded, but
has since been apprehended, and on Monday he was
brought before the borough magistrates at Newport,
charged with the crime.
The boy did not deny the charge. and expressed his
sorrow for what had happened. He says he gave the
young lady some poisoned wheat which be got from the
Caerleon schools, and when he gave it to her he only
did it to see what effect it would have on a human being.
Superintendent Huatable asked for a remand for a
week, in order to obtain evidence and get the body ex-
spart
apart.
I burned. The application waregranted.

BREACH OF PROMISE IN
HUMBLE LIFE.
At the Assizes at Manchester, the cause of " Macdonald V.
Stopford " has been beard, and wee an action for breach of ,
promise of marriage.
The parties were in a humble position in life, the
plaintiff being an operative, and the defendant a gar-
dener and beerhouse keeper at Ashtomunder-Lyne.
They lived near each other, and the intimacy bad
, existed for a long time, dating as far back as 1563, and
there was no doubt that a promise of marriage had
been made and an engagement entered into. Never-
theless, tbe defendant has now married another woman.
The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff—damages,
2100.