The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-08-22 00:00:00

MORE ARMED VIOLENCE.

CORK, Monday Morning.
Yesterday at noon eight men, armed with revolvers, en-
tered the domain of the Rev. P. W. Drew, rector of Youghal,
within a mile of that town. Meeting the coachman on the
walk they made prisoner of him, and then went to the house
and demanded arms. Being refused they fired through the
windows, awl the fire was returned with rifle shots from
within, the defenders being the clergyman and his son.
The insurgents next attacked the hall door, and endea-
voured to force it open, holding the coachman in their front
to deter the defenders from firing. After half or hour's
fruitless effort they retired, first swearing the coachman to

secrecy.
From the hour selected they probably believed that the
family was at church.
A working shoema`,er of this city, was arrested on his
arrival by a late train from Vaughn! last night on suspicion
of being the leader of the attacking party

The correspondent of the London Tinas writes :--- 1
The attack upon the house of the Rev. Mr. Drew, rector of 1
Youghal, on Sunday last appears to have been for the same
object 118 the raids attribut, dto Fenianism which have given 1
such unenviable notoriety to Cork. It was effected with I
reckless audacity ill broad da)light. At half-past 12 o'clock •
a party of men, • ombering at least five, approached the
residence of the ~ v. genVenian, known as II eathfleld-castle,
sod situate stain a mile from the town id Youghal. It is a
detached dwell • :, standing in onmmental grounds. fringed
by a plantation and to justify its martial name has towers,
stocked with ,yall arms and a ' big on." On their way the
nice met Mr. brews coachman, named Walsh, and pressed
him into the service with the benevolent intention, it would
appear, of wing him as a portable bastion to shelter them
train the enetny'A lire. They tried at first to obtain an en-
trance at the hall thror by stratagem, and, knocking, replied
to an inquiry from within that they had a letter to
deliver to the Rev. Mr. Drew. Receiving no answer to
their application for admission, they resorted to force,
and attempted to force in the door and demanded
whatever arms were in the house. Mr. Drew and
his 8011 were at home, and prepared to resist the attack. ,
Finding that the door would not yield, they tired shots
through it. According to one account of the affair, they
placed Walsh before them to receive any shot which might
lie tired in return. They were not prepared, however, for
the resistance which was made. The volley was instantly
. answered by the Inmates, and Mrs. Drew at the same thne
i raising an alarm, they apprehended detection by the police, and
withdrew after discharging a revolver at Mrs. Drew, who had

a narrow escape It is stated that they brought Walsh away
with them, and compelled him on his knees to take an oath
that he would not give information to the police; but the
moment he got the opportunity he went off to the con.
btabulary station and gave intelligence of the outrage.
Another account states that they succeeded in forcing their
way into the house, and ransacked it, but without finding
any antis. The other versions of the occurrence, however,
substantially agree in representing the facts as above given.
The police at once took measures with a view to the discovery
of the party, some of whom Walsh expressed his ability to
identify. Two constables, observing a man named O'Halloran
returning in an excursion tram to Cork, thought he
answered the description of one of them, and, telegraphing
to Cork to have an armed force ready at the terminus, they
took their seats in the train. and as he was about to leave
took him into custody. They searched him, but found
nothing suspicious upon him. Ile awaits a magisterial
investigation at the police-office.