The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-02-01 00:00:00

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES OF THE
CLERKENWELL OUTRAGE.

On Tuesday rmirning William Desmond, Timothy
Desmond. Jeremiah Allen, Anne Justice, Nicholas
English, James O'Keefe, James O'Neill, and Michael
Barrett, were brought up at Bow-street police-court,
in London, before Sir Thomas Henry, for further ex.
amiiaation, upon the charge of " wilful murder."
The public interest manifested last week to hear the
examination of the men has in no way abated—on the
contrary it has rather increased, judginc from the fact
of all the seats on the bench being occupied by persons
of distinction, and the body of the court densely
crowded by eager listeners.
Very great surprise was manifested by the public
when only eight prisoners walked into the dock instead
of nine, the full complement, and the missing man
made his appearance in the witness-box in the person
of Patrick Mullany, who hiss turned informer. The
surprise and consternation displayed in the faces of the
prisoners, and even of their counsel, may be easily
imagined. Mullany then, with a nervous glance at
his former companbino and in a tone of voice so low as
to be sometimes almost inaudible, proceeded to tell
the tale of the Clerkenwell explosion, which he did in
the following words :

I am desirous of being examined as a witness for the
Crown. I have been a member of the Fenian Brother-
hood, the object of which was to establish a Republic
in Ireland, ant to overthrow the English rule in that
country. I was a head-centre In the Fenian Brother-
hood. I was sworn in a centre in March last in the
Temperance Hall its Poland-street. I was sworn in by
James Kelly 'rod Colonel Kelly). I was introduced bv the
prisoner English to some of the American officers. Their
names were General Alpure, Colonel Haley, General Burke,
the one who was convicted In Ireland, Dr. Morrison, and
some more but I can't recollect their names, I think there
was a Captain Nl.Cafferty. English introduced me as the
centre, .14 I was a decent fellow, we shook hands, and
then talked about the rising in Ireland. The tailors' strike
took place In April, and I did not work till November. In the
latter end of November a bag was left at my house. That
bag was taken away by the prisoner English. There were
some revolvers, a powder flask, and a small box of caps lathe
hag. I can't say whether that bag was taken away on the
day of the explosion, or a day or two before. 1 rentember
the meeting in the neighbourhood 41 Holborn, near Little
Queemstreet Barrett was present at that meeting, lint I
an, not sure whether William Desnunol was there I believe
he was. English was not there. This was Bonwthing like a
week before the explosion. At that meeting we talked
about raising money for carrying out the objects we had in
view. One man said we must get money, no matter how we
got it. Some volunteered to get a pound, some 18a, and
some 125., and some 10e. Thia was to buy powder with.
Each mall was to buy as min% powder the next flay as he
could get sold to him. We were then to meet at the
American Stores to report to the West-end men and the
Holborn men how we had grit on; but we could not settle
there, and English said he could get them a house ill Castle
Market, off Oxford-street. We all went, but we could not
settle there, as it was bo crowded, and English then went
and got another place in the neighbourhood. We reported
to one another how we had got Olt, and there was one man
who had got 251 b of powder.
I aft°, wards attended a meeting on the night before the
explosion at William Desmond's house. English and
Barrett were there. William Desmond was also present. I
saw one man there very pale in the face l'here was a hole
Ia Imth his coats, his waistcoat, and shirt at the shoulder.
Barrett was sitting opposite to him. Ile was drunk.
Mr. I litf.trd ruder what name did you know him?
nese : Jackson, air... -

Examination continued,—Barrett had his revolver in his
band. It was a breech-loader, and belonged to English.
They were discussing the merits of it, and said it was no
good. There were five or six more revolvers in the room at
the time. I also saw a cavalry pistol it was taken and
loaded, and then given to another man. A man had got a
barrel, another had got a " tundish," which was to be put
at the end of the barrel, and so to carry the light to the
powder. It was then asked where we were to get a truck, and a
man in the room said Sloan named Maddox had a truck con-
venient. A man was sent out to see if he could get it, and after
a short time he came back and said it was all right. I knew
where the truck was got froni. They arranged to meet the next
day at twelve o'clock, at Wm. Desmond's house. That
would be on the Thursday. English or Wm. Desmoud
asked me to come up, lint I said I was too busy, and could
not come. Barrett had been up to the House of Detention
two days before this to see the locality. Did not go on the
Thursday. I saw Barrett and another man on the Thurs-
day night. Ile toll me that it had failed, but he would
light it to-morrow and drive them to hell. I next saw
Jackson on the Friday night after the explosion. His whis-
kers were then off, and he had another man's coat on. I
began to chaff him about his whiskers, Mild he told me he
took them off because he had lighted the fuse, and he was
fearful of being identified if he kept them on. I asked him
who was sith him, and he till me. The man who was with
him at the time of the explosion was not with him when he
was telling sue this. I saw that man hi a publiohouse after-
wards, and his ear was bleeding. Barrett said he should go
away that bight, and that I should hear from him but I
did not see him agaiu until last week in this court. Barrett
had told MO that he and another man CREW, down to this
court during the examination of Burke; that he had two
loaded revolvers with him ; that the other mau got into
the court in the early part arid he (Barrett) got ix at the
latter part of the day, in order to see and to shoot Corydon.
Barrett acid another man went down the next day to
icotland-yard to see if they could see Corydon there, and
reniained there all day to shoot him. On a third
day Barrett went down by himself, as the other man
could not go with him. Eintlish told me he had Greek
lire on two occasiona, the first time being about twelve
months ago. I knew a man to be mixing Greek fire in
Engliah's house. English showed it to me, and asked me to
take some of it home, as he said that I hail a good place to
keep it under my board. I refused to do this. I knew
English to have phosphorus is the house previous to this.
'The Greek fire was put in black pint beer bottles, with gutta
perch& caps on them to keep the air away. It was made up
like the lump sugar in grocers' shops. There was a great
deal of phosphorus in the two eases. I nest knew Brown
illUrke; in the early part of last summer. He was int, odor ad
to me by the name of Winslow. A man named Burnett
introduced him to in.,. Ile wt. a friend of English's. I have
seen them together. That is the same man who was after-
wards in custody at this curt. At the meeting in Desmondk
house English had a revolver in his hand, but it was taken
away from him and given to an other man in the rOom.

Other witnesses were examined, and the prisoners
were remanded. Evidence was then given as to the
arrest of Barrelit and O'Neil in Glasgow, and a packet
of funeral cards, with black borders, was produced,
which had been found at the prisoners' lodgings, and
of which the following is a copy :
IN MEMORIAM X RELIVISTEM.
Pray for the repose of the souls of the Three Martyrs,
• , .

liZu Philip Allen, Michael Larkin,
abet Michael O'Brien,
who were executed at the New }talky, Salford,
Manchester, on the never-to-he-forgotten
2ard November, 1807.

They died true and orthodox Catholics, fortified with the
Sacraments of Holy Church. May they rest in peace, and
their gmel works follow them' For their ardent and sincere
love of their oppressed country, they were murdered hy the
enemies of the Irish nation, who have long held her in
bondage and oppression.
" We swear to avenge them—no jou shall be tasted,
The harp shall be silent, the maiden unwed
(Jur halls shall be mute, and our fields shall be wasted,
Till vengeance is wreaked on the murderer's head.'
"5i,,,! save Ireland and her people.
"Dublin, let Dec." " Scripsit, J. W.

After reading this document. Mr. Giffard BAH that
was all the evidence he proposed to offer against these
prisoners. They were then remanded.

THE CHARGE AGAINST CLANCY.

James Clancy, W 9AI then plac,d at the bar, on the
charge of attempting to murder Sergeant Chown, and
Constable Chamberlain. His aspect was much
changed ; his hair, which is rather long, and on the
former occasion was parted in the middle, and combed
down on either side of his face, being now combed
back in what is called thu Garibaldi style.
Evidence was given as to his being a deserter, and
he was also remanded.