The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-12-22 00:00:00

PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL SKATING

CON TEST.

- - - -
At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the
National Skating Association of Great Britain held at
Cambridge, Mr. James Drake Digby, the general
secretary of the association, reported that the Prince
of Orange had inn graciously pleased to send to the
Netherlands Minister at the Conct of St. James a
pieca of plate of the value of £25, to be given as an ad•
dition to the prizes at the International Skating
Contest. He also reported that he had received a
letter from the secretary of the National Skating
Association of the Netherlands asking whether it
was proposed to hold an International Skating
Contest in England this winter, ai e, f 50, two of the
beat of the Dutch skaters would cross the Channel
with one of the secret-tries of the association to take
past in such race. It was unanimously resolved
that an international skating contest should be held in
England this winter if the frost permit, the details of
the race to be settled at a future meeting. TheN.S. A.
i will offer valuable money prizes and medals n addi-
tion to the Prince of Orange's Plate. The race is ex-
pected to take place in the immediate viianity of
Cambridge, and it is hoped that all the nationalities
amongst whom skating is popular will be represented.
Last winter two Norwegians, Carl Paulsen an-I Carl
Verner, came over to England in hope of taking part
in a race, but the frost disappeared, and they had to
return without being able to measure themselves
against the English track skaters. It is hoped that
better fortune will attend them if they visit England
this winter. It is not improbable that the course will
be 1,400 metres straight, with three turns.

The greateet interest continues to be taken in the
Calcutta Exhibition, which (says a Renter's tllegram)
attracts a large number of native visitors. The total
number of visitors since the opening now amounts
te 124,0%

THE GLASGOW DYNAMITE
EXPLOSIONS.
At the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh, on
Monday, before the Lord Justice Clerk (Lord Mon-
crieff), Lord Mnre and Lord Craighill being with
him' ten men were put on trial for conspiracy to effect
an alteration of the laws and constitution of the realm
by force and violence, or, alternatively, with the
crime of conspiracy at common law. The prisoners
were—Terence M'Dermott, hammerman or chemical
worker; Thomas Devany, quay labourer; Peter
Callaghan (or Kelleher), labourer; Henry M'Cann,
boot and shoe maker ; James M'Callagh (or
M'Culloch). chemical worker ; James Donnelly,
chemical worker; James Kelly, hammerman ; Patrick
M'Cabe, general dealer; Patrick Drum, hawker, and
Denis Casey, scavenger.
The prisoners are supposed to have been members
of a secret ribbon society in Glasgow, and it is alleged
that, acting in concert with Edwerd O'Brien Kennedy
(otherwise Timothy Featherstone), and John Henry
O'Connor (otherwise Henry Dalton), they met in
pnhlichouses and srablee in Glasgow, between July,
1832, and March. 1883, and conspired to explode public
buildings in Glasgow. It is alleged that on the night
of Jacuary 20 they blew up a gasometer at Tradearon,
and attemetsd to blow up a bridge carrying the
canal across Possil-park, Glasgow, and to destroy a
brick-shed at the Buchanan-street Caledonian Rail-
way Station. Articles to the number of 158 were
produced, including revolvers and materials employed
in the manufacture of dyeamite' threatening letters to
the Lord Provost and the Chief Constable of Glasgow,
and membership cards of the National Land League
of Great Britain, the Irish Home Rule Confederation
of Great Britain, and the Irish National Land League.
One hundred and fifty-four witnesses were summoned
in the case.
The Lord Advocate, assisted by Mr. Brand and
Mr. Mackay, the Advocate Deputy, appeared to con-
duct the prosecution; and Mr. Rhind, Mr. C. J.
Guthrie, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Orr appeared to
defend the prisoners.
On the case being called the counsel who appeared
for the prisoners stated that they had no objection to
the relevancy of the charge, and as each of the prisoners
then pleaded not guilty, a jury of 15 was empannelled
for the trial.
The Clerk of the Court read a special defence for
eight of the prisoners, which was in effect an alibi.
John Montgomery Gibson, gasometer inspector,
' Tradeston, gave evidence_bearing upon the destruction
of the gasometer.
William Key, gas manager, spoke to finding a
brass cap, having a " female " screw, on the top of
the gasometer, and stated that nothing like that
was used in connection with the gasometer or their
works.
Gavin Lawrie, an apprentice, stated that before the
explosion he saw a man standing with his back
against a paling near the gas works. He had on a
slouch hat, and he thought Devany was like the man.
The explosion took place about a quarter of an hour
afterwards.
Abraham Longmuir, clerk, stated thatise was with
the last witness at the time. He could
.not identify
Devany as the person he saw.
Robert Aitkin, butcher's 1 messenger, pointed out
Devany and M'Cann as being men whom he had seen
running from the direction of the gasometer immediately
after the explosion.
James Davidson, criminal officer, deposed to appre-
hending Devany and finding a revolver and five tin
boxes containing cartridges in his house.
Adam Barr, a Royal Horse Artilleryman, was next
examined as to the attempted blowing up of the canal
bridge.
George Murray, moulder, spoke to coming acci-
dentally against two men carrying a box near the
building, and to the shorter of the two being like
Kelly. He could not say that any of the prisoners
were like the other man. When he stumbled against
the little man the tall one said. " Hoots toots, man,
man, where are ye stumming ? " Witness replied,
"Did he think it was eggs tbat were in the box, that
his stumbling against it would do any harm?"
Several witnesses spoke to the destruction 'of the
brick shed at Buchanan-street Station.
Colonel Majendie, who officially inspected the scene
of the explosion, said the result of his examination
was that it must have been some powerful explosive
from the outside. He was shown some of the caps that
had been diecovered near the scene of the explosions,
and said that they corresponded with those which had
been found in Liverpool on the persons of Feather-
stone and Dalton.
John Horn, gas-producer, Glasgow, who gave evi-
dence with apparent reluctance, deposed to meeting Cal-
laghan and M'Oann in a publichouse in Glasgow in
company with some others, and of having read over to
him a document, Which he believed afterwards to be
an oath to connect him with some secret society,
which he had since left, because the clergyman said it
would lead him to a bad end.
George Hughes, fruit merchant, Thistle-street,
Hut:hes•town, was next examined, and cautioned be-
fore speaking by Lord Muir. He knew all the pri-
soners—some two years, and some six months. He and
they belonged to a society which was formed in 1882.
It was called a "Ribbon Society." Peter Callaghan
asked witness to join it several times, saying that if
they got into trouble with Government they were to
stand by each other, and be breathren. He said they
met in Lennox's public-house, Saltmarket, on the first
Monday of each month. He had the oath administered
to him by a pensioner whom he did not know, and
there were present Callaghan, M'Cabe, Casey, M'Cann,
Dunn, and Kelly. He paid 2s. 6d. for entry money.
KeAreity isfes elii,"rifi eI—MP -WM% °I aiTulj 4or
. ou,
stone had come from America. Two nights after
that witness was asked for vitriol, and agreed to
supply it. At a meeting in Jail-square, at which
Casey, Kelly, Kearney, M'Cabe, Callaghan, and
Dnnn were present, Kearney took a stick, put it in
a small bottle of vitriol, and put to it some white
powder, which exploded with a small puff. They
were told that Mr. Johnstone, who was pre-
sent, was to instruct them Vs make dynamite,
which was to blow up buildings and such like,
(Featherstone was here produced and witness
identified him.) They had a meeting in the
Gymnastic Hall on July 16, and were told that dyne-
mite was an agent to teach the Government a lesson
and blow up buildings. (Prisoner Dunn: That's a
lie.) They had several meetings after this, and it was
explained by Featherstone how to use dynamite.
One time they had a fine lecture on dynamite,
and Devany, Callaghan, Dunn, and Kearney were
present at it, After Glasgow fair he was asked
for money by Callaehan to make dynamite, and
gave ten shillings. Johnstone sailed in the Ethiopia
for New York, and witness bad not seen him since.
Witness first saw Terence MlDermott on the first
Monday in June at meetings of the society, and
M'Cullagh. (M'Cullagh : You're a most infernal
liar.) Members of the Ribbon Society had no names,
but when they lifted the money for the dynamite it
was put down to a number. Witness was No. 14.
He had told them all he knew about dynamite. He
did not see the stuff, nor the prescription as to the
particular mode of making it. .He was never present
when it was being made.
In cross-examination witness said that he was of
high descent and a Roman Catholic. The prisoners
went under the name of being Irish. He had been very
friendly with some of the prisoners. He had rot kept
to the oath because he thought it would be wrong to
keep it, His conscience began to trouble him. He
told the truth; at the time the men were taken
when he went to the meetings there was no word of
dynamite. It was only when Johnstone or Feather-
stone came from New York. It was not when the
reward of £5OO was offered that his conscience began
to trouble him. He had not got any money and did
not want any.
The court then adjourned.

The trial was resumed on Tuesday, when further
evidence was taken.
Police•constable Porter, of Glasgow, said that he
had known all the prisoners for years, They gene-
rally met at Glasgow•green and Gaol-square, and kept
separate from others. When he passed them they
stopped speaking. He first noticed their meetings in
November last year, and meetings were held almost
daily. Featherstone and Johnstone or Dalton were
often with them. The meetings were kept up till
the spring of this year. A previous witness (ET ,ghes)
told him that Drum, M'Cabe, and MsCann were con-
nected with the dynamite outrages.

Thomas M'Guinnes, shopman, of Glasgow, an at-
tendant in Lennox's public-hous., Salt-market, stated
that M'Dermott, Callarrhan, M'Cann, Kelly, Drum,
Casey, and the witness Hughes frequented that public.
house,

Constable Niven, Glasgow, said that he had seen
Devany, M'Dermott, and M'Cann, at meetings on
Glasgo w•green. Hughess frequented the public-house.
Two policemen gave confirmatory evidence as to the
prisoners being seen on Glasgow-green, and two
other witnesses spoke as to Featherstone's arrival from
America.

Evidence was then given to show that Featherstone
had bought nitric acid in Glasgow of a strength which
could only be used for explosives; while the represen-
tative of the firm of °lotus and Co., Ruckil Works,
Maryhill, proved that Terence M`Dermott, one of the
prisoners, had bought glycerine, and remarked that
some which he had bought at Apothecaries' Hall was
too weak for his purpose. Other evidence was given
to show that the prisoner M'Dermott had been em-
ployed at Irvip Chemical Company's Works, where on
one occasion he got some vitriol.
Mrs. M'Lachlan, residing in the Townhead,
Glasgow' said that a man who gave the name of
Moorhead lodged with her in January last year. He
was absent from the house on the night of the explo-
sion until one o'clock the following morning. He was
some time afterwards visited by a man whom she re-
cognised as the prisoner Dalton. Next morning
M'Dermott called, and all three left for London, to
which town the witness waa told they were going.
They took with them a tin box resembling a woman's
bonnet-box, which Moorhead had at his lodgings.
Evidence was next given to the effect that about the
month of October last year three carboys of strong
vitriol were obtained by men in the employment of
an aerated water manufacturer from orders given by
the prisoner M'Cullough, and that on being left in
the yard they mysteriously disappeared at night.
Donnelly and Devany were identified as having been
loitering about the yard.
William Dreghorn, cargo superintendent of the
Clyde Shipping Company, Cork, spoke to the arrival
there of carboys of acid in December last year. A
man named Deasey took the delivery on behalf of
O'Eferliehy.
Objection was taken by counsel for the prisoners to
this line of evidence, but the court over-ruled it on the
Lord Advocate stating that he intended to prove the
uplifting of the carboys by an a3eut of Featherston',
and that with tho.e and other chemicals he made
dynamite, which was brought back to Liverpool.
The willness then spoke to several other carboys being
sent by manufacturers in Glasgow.
Robert Starkie, a sub-inspector of the Irish con-
stabulary, stationed at Cork, stated that Le appre-
hended Featherstone at Cork in March last, and
found certain documents upon him bearing on the
Glasgow transaction, on, of them being a letter from

D. O'Herliehy. Another document was a receipt for
explosive material, having a foot-note saying that this
was a "Cure for the Gout."
The Lord Advocate said there was some difference
of opinion regarding the word "gout," as to whether
it was "Go, t," in which case it was supposed to be a
contraction for "Government."

John Shaw Peake, professional expert in hand-
writing, gave evidence to the effect that the hand-
writing of several of the documents was that of the
same person,

George Naish, Liverpool, deposed that he had
known Featherstone by the name of Edmund J.
Brien Kennedy.
Joseph Showman, London, said he had sailed from
America to this country with Dalton, and became ac•
quainted with him under the name of Johnstone.
Dalton said he was going to Glasgow.
John S. Litilechild, inspector of police, Scotland-
yard, spoke to Dalton's apprehension. He lived with
his parents in Fulham-rod, and his real name was
John O'Connor. A circular instructing centres to
communicate with each other in case any circle was
Interfered with was found in the house.
Ebenezer Mears, sergeant of the City of London
Police, gave evidence regarding the explosion at the
Times newspaper office.

Dr. Jame a Campbell, professor of chemistry, Liver-
pool, spoke to a tube found in a asey's box being
similar to one used in connection with the Possil•road
explosion.
After some additional evidence the court again ad-
journed.