The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-05-28 00:00:00

MR. O'BRIEN SHOT AT IN AMERICA.

Mr. William O'Brien, editor of United Ireland, who
has been elected to Parliament in the Parnellite
interest since his departure to America, lectured on
Monday night at the Palace Rink, Hamilton, Ontario,
to a crowd of about 1500 Meth sympathisers, who
loudly applauded him. No prominent citizen was
present. On leaving the. Rink Mr. O'Brien was pelted
with rotten eggs. He otherwise received no hurt, and
reached his hotel safely. A crowd of loyalists, mostly
youths, was assembled outside, giving cheers for the
Queen and Lord Lansdowne, and hooting O'Brien.
The town was quiet, the general public being indifferent
to the agitation.
The surgeon who was called to attend upon Mr.
W. O'Brien reports that a blow he received at
Toronto has caused a cartilaginous separation and an
identation of the eighth, ninth, and false ribs, with
the result of setting up inflammation of the lungs.
He advised his patient that any exertion would be
dangerous to him. Mr. O'Brien, however, says he
will go to Hamilton if it is possible for him to move.
The lieu) York Herald says he will be accompanied
by a number of armed Americans, who have de-
termined to resist by force if they ate attacked.
O'Brien was guarded in this way at Toronto by some
Americans; but supposing that all danger was over
with the meeting, they left him. There is some
talk of redress being demanded for the American
newspaper men who were hurt when Mr. O'Brien was
stoned.

A Central News telegram from New York says:
After the reception at the railway station of Hamilton,
Messrs. O'Brien and liilbride drove in a cab to their
hotel. Being recognised on the way, a crowd soon
collected, and the cab was followed by a yelling mob
of men and boys, who threw rotten eggs at the vehicle
and its occupants. Not content with this rough play
some adventurous rascals fired revolvers at the re-
tr.eating conveyance. No injury was received by
either of the inmates, but the driver, a man named
Nelson, was shot in the wrist, with the result that the
reins slipped from his fingers. Mr. T. P. O'Brien, the
local president of the Irish League, who was also in
the cab, seized the reins as they fell, and, lashing the
horse into a furious gallop, reached the hotel ahead
of the crowd. But the mob continued their rush, and
closed round the vehicle as it drew up at the hotel
entrance, menacing its occupants as they alighted.
McMahon, a prominent Leaguer, who formed one of
O'Brien's escort, drew a revolver from his pocket, and
as he helped William O'Brien from the cab with one
hand levelled his weapon at the crowd with the other,
threatening to shoot the first man who interfered. A.
party of friends gathered round, and the police hur-
rying up at the moment, dispersed the snob, who gave
a parting volley of rotten eggs at the hotel and the
party who had raised their ire. The police did not
appear to have been in any way to blame. They had
made every preparation for O'Brien's protection, but
through a misunderstanding missed his carriage. On
the whole, there was less turbulence at Hamilton than
there has been elsewhere. In the evening, replying
from a balcony of the hotel to an address from the
Hamilton branch of the National League, Mr. O'Brien
thanked the crowd for the hearty welcome They had
given him. Ho hoped that ere long, instead of having
to come from Ireland to tell Canada of Irels.nd's
woes, he would be able to invite Canadians to witness
the peace and prosperity oi the people of lreland
under a Parliament at College-green. He repeated
his accusations against Lord Lansdowne, but was
obliged to shorten his address on account of weak-
ness.

A later telegram says that the attack upon Mr.
O'Brien last night at Hamilton was a much more
serious affair than at first was supposed. There is
reason to believe that a deliberate plot existed to
murder him. The attack, it appears, took place upon
his leaving the public hall where be had been giving
an address, and not upon his departure from the
railway station. Signals were raised upon his leaving
the hall, aid when the cab in which he rode reached
the Market-square, brine began. Eight shots were
fired, one of which passed through the cab within an
inch of Mr. O'Brien's fare; another, as known,
struck the driver. Witnesses aver that all the shots
were delivered from two pistols. The absence of police
to protect the Nationalist speaker is thus explained.
Towards the close of the meeting a man approached
O'Brien on the platform and suggested his leaving by
a side door to avoid the crowd in front. At first he
demurred, but finally consented. On arriving at the
exit, however, he and his friends found themselves
confronted by a hostile crowd, who evidently expected
them. This being discovered, the party jumped into
their cab, and drove with all speed towards their
hotel. The police meanwhile were drawn up to keep
order at the front of the ball, where O'Brien was ex-
-I.ected to emerge, and an escort was in waiting to
accompany him. They waited in vain, and only found
out what had occurred in time to disperse the angry
mob from the front of the hotel which the Irish party
had kW:rem:llA.