Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-14 00:00:00

KERRY ASSIZES.

THE PHCENIX CLUB TRIALS.
FRIDAY, MAncit 11.
The examination of witnesses by the Crown was resumed
this morning. ,•
Jeremiah Cronin examined by the Attorney-General
The prisoner' Daniel Sullivan, came to Mr. OTallaghan's
office, where I was .a clerk, and shook hands with me, and
asked me how I was, and said he had come to me on a
mission of the greatest importance. That was the substance
of what he said. I asked him what it was. He said he
would not tell until I would bind myself on conditions. I
asked him the nature of those conditions, and what he
meant, at the same time expressing- surprise at his requiring
conditions from me who was an old friend. He said "-Would
I not understand ?" He said that I should take an oath to
keep his conditions. He spoke figuratively. He told me
those conditions after a length of time, and that he would
leave me to Florence Sullivan. He spoke of the French in
Bantry. I persevered on him to tell me without the oath.
He told me it was to make Ireland an independent and
democratic country. That the French only wanted us to
be unanimous. He said other nations. He spoke of the
Americans also.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sullivan : I tried to get him ar-
rested. That was on.the 13th of December, when I swore
against him. It wag in-June he first came to me. I had
been in the constabulary force before I crime to him. I was
nearly seven years in the force. I was a national teacher
before that. I was employed in taking the census. Those
were better times than. I had lately. Why did you leave
the police ? For getting married without leave. There was
another reason : I sent reports against the sub-inspector and
the county inspector, and pending that in the court of in-
quiry I sent in my resignation. Upon your oath were you
dismissed ? I was toldi was afterwards. I never saw it in
print or writing, for I had resigned. I heard it in the bar-
rack. Where were you when you were dismissed? I could
not say. I was dismissed. Where was the barrack ? Eyre-
court, in Galway. Did any one say you took money from
anybody at that time ? I never was charged with taking
money from anybody. There was a charge against me for
keeping money on the. strength of an I 0 U, which I proved
to be a forgery. When did you take it into your head to
swear against him ? The day before I did swear, To turn
No ; it was to stye my brother.
do it. Even
informer ? Upon any haz)ard I was willing to
place. of
againstw
louunrgo
twomp hurt o thhi ernr
my Brother. Did yon
• determine to sacrifice Sullivan the day oefore.yoti swore ? I
never dreamed of sacrificing NRI I would net do so

_

THE NORTHERN TIMES, MONbAY, MARDI i 14 1859

for all you are worth. Was it not the old feeling of a
policeman that got strong within you ? The justice of a
good policeman. I saw the notice in the street in Millar:
ney. I was anxious to read it, and I would not read it. It
was opposite my house. I was afraid I would be seen read-
ing it. Who told you what was in it ? I heard other peo-
ple reading it, and knew well what was in it. What were
you doing from June to December ? The business of my
employer, After I swore the information the 13th Decem-
ber, I went to my business as usual. When did you go to
lam not sure. I was brought to the Castle first.
•
Did you sw-jz in yonr information ono word about America
I told it to Mr. Banon. I swore.
those
79t8h
things before
am not .
Banon. Did you ever hear from
Gowle that :Leland was to be a free denK,eratic country ? I
don't remember .
it. I did swear before Mr. Banon that I
was offered the secl',4arYship, and about America.
Re-examined by thk, Attorney-General : I think it was
about the 28th of Janus ) I went to Dublin. I never was
before a magistrate about In4.2.neY• -I never was served with
pretences from
I saw it in the news-
'til
the papers as charged
the summons, nor heard of it
papers, 'What was it you saw in
against von after you became a wittiest for the crown ? It
;
was a charge for obtaining money on fa)b..l
Meara, for Scanlan. I settled all the morh.7 with Scanlan
every week.
Patrick Cronin examined by the Solicitor-G6ricn... 1 • • lam
a brother of the last witness. I saw Daniel Sullivan, the
prisoner, in Killarney about May or .June last. We wehlt
into Mr. Lewes's shop to have some drink. He said there
was- something I would wish to know something of. He
said it was of such a nature that he could not tell it until I
would take an oath not to tell it to any other. I said I
never took an oath in my life, and if it cost me that I did
not care to do it. He said there were two oaths, and that,
by taking the first, I could know all the other without
taking it ; and that, if I wished to take the second, I could
take it also. I did not then take any oath. I
refused it totally, as there was an oath concerned.
I then did take au oath of secresy, and Florence told me
there was a great number of the French fleet in readiness,
and also of Americans to come over to Ireland, and to have
a free country and a democratic republic, and that it was
said there should be working members in Ireland of spirited
young fellows to help them. That this society was going
on very strongly, perhaps for the last eight years ; that
Kerry was very backward, but it was lately introdued
there ; that it was a cousin of his gave him the oath ; that
the matter was very strong in Dublin, and that even the
constables in Dublin were expected, and that there was hope
of them that they would take possession of Dublin Castle ;
and that he did not think there could be a glass of blood
spilled in the whole affair, it would be done so well. He
also said it would not be advisable the priests should know
of it, because they destroyed the affair in '9B. I took the
second oath some days after. I was afraid to take it, though
they were at me every day. I took it under a tree in Lord
Kenmare's fields. James Casey and John Connor were
present. [The witness here repeated the form of oath,
which was the same as that already mentioned.] •
Cross-examined by Mr. Clarke : The book I kissed was,
as well as I can remember, a Prayer-book. I intended to
keep it then. Are you a traitor to
.your associates, and a
perjurer? No; for I understand since that that was an
illegal and wrong oath, and that I'd sin in keeping as well
as in taking it. When did you first know that ? About
six weeks after, when I went to confession. Did you think
you were becoming a traitor to the British Crown ? I did
not care about the British Crown then. (Laughter.) Did
you believe it was a good and proper oath to take ? I did.
lam sure now it was a wrong thing to do. Had you any
doubt about it ? I had a fear of taking it. Did you ever
say to any one that F. Sullivan told you that he hoped the
Dublin police would take Dublin Castle and the colours,
until you went up to Dublin and saw the colours in the
Castle ? I said it to myself. Did you tell Mr. Banon ? I
-did. Did he put it in your information ? There was in it
about Dublin police. Was there in it about Dublin Castle?
lam not sure. I have said I was trapped into giving the
information. If you did would that be a lie or the truth ?
It would be a lie. The witness here explained that on the
11th December he was called up by Father Cooney into his
house, and saw there the two Murphys and a Mr. O'Connor.
He Said, " This is another of the Phoenix boys." He said,
"Don't you ,belong to the secret society ?" I said I
would not answer him. Mr. O'Connor afterwards
took us up to an hotel, and came out with Mr.
Banon, who I thought was O'Connell's son. Mr,
O'Connor afterwards. proposed the barracks as a secret
place, where we went and I made the informations.
To Mr. Clarke : I wrote to Mr. O'Reardon. I got no
answer written, but a verbal message. When you were
sworn in, how many persons were present ? Two ; all
present at the time. There was no concealment. It was
near a tree in Lord Kenmare's field. It was about twice
the length of the court from the road. •
Mr. Clarke here produced the letter written by witness to
Mr. O'Reardon.

The letter stated that he would swear no information
whatever against the prisoners, nor be an-informer, and that
he_had been entrapped by O'Connor into making the infor-
m a Lion.
111 r. Healy examined by the,Attorney-General : I know
Florence Sullivan. I have seen him write at a distance.
Upon your oath, sir, is that letter, in your opinion, in the
handwriting of Florence Sullivan ? (The witness, after
considerable hesitation) : I think it is.
Baron Greene : I must say the conduct of this witness
been very disgraceful.
The letter was then read. It was as follows :
Killarney, 30th September, 1858.
My dear Dan,—l have nothing in particular to inform
you of just now. If you see Denny who .was here on Satur-
day last, ho will give you more information than I could
conveniently do in a letter. I saw the two men who were
with you on Sunday, They are invaluable,and will work
well. I would particularly request you to heck the influ-
ence of intoxication in every way that lies in your power.
It is no harm on a very small scale, but never was a manly
spirit associated with that abominable desire of drunkenness.
It would be a victory deserving a crown of laurels if you
effected a change in your locality. Nothing more. Do not
write until you have something good to say. I write on half
sheet for time.—Your's, "F. O'S."
• SATURDAY, MARCH 12.
The summary of proceedings from 2 p.m., to rising of
court.
Patrick Cronin's cross-examination continued :—Said he
was anxious to explain his statement :that he had been
entrapped into giving evidence. He was coming from the
cathedral when he met Mr. Fitzgerald's servant, who told
him Father John Conohan wanted him. I went up and
saw him in his own room. The two Mur-
phy's were in the room. Mr. O'Connor was sitting at
the fire.. Mr. O'Connor asked him if he was a member of
the society. Witness declined to answer. At that time
witness did not know Mr. O'Connor ; it. was a long time
afterwards before he discovered he was a detective. Father
Conokan then said this gent. is a friend of mine, and knows
a great deal, and anything that can be done for your good
he will do it. Witness then confessed he was a mem-
ber of the society. Mr. O'Connor then took him
to the police Barracks, and lie laid information. He thought
Mr. O'Connor's object was, that if they were arrested as
members of the society, he might be able to produce that
information, in order to save them from the consequences.
Head Constable Downs deposed to the finding of a docu-
ment on the person of the prisoner.
W. Byrne, apprentice to Mr. M‘Dermot, apothecary,
Killarney, was next examined as to the handwriting of
Florence Sullivan. He gave his evidence with great
reluctance, and to the best of his belief. The letter pro-
duced was in Florence Sullivan's handwriting.
Mr. Charles Smith, Cork, proved the finding of a letter
on the 11th of December, in his letter box, and he gave it
to Sub-inspector Brownrigg.
Sub-inspector Brownrigg examined : Was handed a letter
by Mr. Charles Smith. It was addressed to a person in Mr.
M'Swiney's- establishment, Cook-street. Went with it
there. Got two letters on the file in Mr. M'Swiney's shop.
Letters produced and identified.
Mr. Paul M'Swiney was assistant in the grocery estab-
lishment of Mr. Michael M'Swiney, Cook-street. Knows
David Sullivan, of Kenmare, now in gaol. Had seen him
in Mr. M'Swiney's establishment. Received orders from
him.
Constable Burke (Kenmare) was next examined. He
said he knew the prisoner John D. Sullivan ;'saw him while
in custody ; wrote a letter to a Mr. Darling. [Letter pro-
duced and read.]
- - - -

Mr. John Powell, manager of the National Bank, and
Mr. John Stewart, of the Provincial, were then examined,
and, on comparison with letters found by Mr. Smith with
the letter which Constable Burke had seen John D. Sulli-
van write, and the document obtained in Mr. MeSwiners, of
Cook-street, they both gave it as their opinion that they
were in one handwriting. The letter was then read as
follows :

PRESENTATION:

" Kenmare, Dee. 9, 1858,

"Mr. Paul McSwincy. Dear sir,--There is dreadful
news this morning, about fifteen persons arrested, on the
information: of a ruffian by name D. Sullivan, from this
barony, who was also the cause of arresting the Bantry and
Skibbereen people. The ruffian i in the city of Cork as a
strolling gentleman. There is no person in this
district from twenty to thirty, or thirty-five years,
who is not suspected. it would be a enarity
if there could be any person found in the city who oould
pop his existence, if the aim was good, as I am sure you
have. The writer may be in the lockup before twelve
hours with others, all on the informations of a convicted
peljurer. Such a fright all the people of this town have
,47et. There is not a house but was s.earohed at the hours of
ffom three to four o'clook at nigl4.7,Youris, A Fitissy."

This closed the case fox. the Crown, and Mr. Thomas
O'llagan then addresod tha jury for the prisoner. His
speech had not 404, !.o,llclßdfcil t't 'the risin of thg iowte

TO MR. VANDENHOET.

On Saturday, at one o'clock, the presentation -of
a testimonial to Mr. Vandenhoff, frcm a number of his
friends and admirers in Liverpool, took place in
the establishment of Mr. Mayer, Lord-street.
The testimonial consisted of a splendid silver
epergue, made from the design, and we believe under the
personal superintendence of Mr. Mayer himself. Among
the company who assembled were—His Worship the Mayor
W. Preston, Esq.), Messrs. John Aiken, C. E. Rawlins,
John Smith, John Bigham, S. Thornely, Reay, John Dig-
nan (Liverpool Chronicle), J. Foard, Joseph Mayer, Comp-
ton, Hughes, &c., &c.

The chair was taken by His Worship the Mayor, who
in a few words expressed the gratification he felt in having
the pleasing duty of presenting a testimonial to a gentle-
man who was so well worthy to receive it.
Mr. Dignan read the following address, which was beau-
tifully engrossed on a vellum sheet, which had a richly
ornamented border :

"TO JOHN VANDENHOFF, ESQ.
"Sir,—ln pressing upon your acceptance this piece of
te as a memento of your long and intimate connection
with .r he Liverpool stage, extending over a period of forty
y.
of our warmest respect and admiration for your
. the contributors, desire to accompany it with the
ears, vrt.,
an aci„.-br, and your character as a man,
genius
ssas io
"We believe that; under proper regulations, the drama
may be made to contribute, in a striking degree, to the
cultivation of mind and morality, and we hold that its best
interpreter is be who commands in his own person a devoted
love of his art, the requisite powers for its development,
and a strict observance of the proprieties of domestic life.
Measured by this standard, we have ever recognised in you,
sir, so long our fellow citizen, a genuine artist and a true
man.
" Possessing., as we do, the noblest drama in the world,
rejoicing in a poet who transcends in genius all who have
gone before or are likely to come after him, of Atom it has
been beautifully and poetically said, that he " exhausted
world and then imagined one," it is no slight privilege, in
a hard practical age like ours, to have possessed an actor
fitted by natural gifts, by a long. course of severe study, and,
above all, by a taste at once vigorous and refined, to em-
body the conceptions of that great soul, and to embody them
with a powerful truthfulness of nature which has elicited
the admiration of the most distinguished critics, not only in
Liverpool, but throughout the empire.
" During
.your connection with this town you have seen
it expand in commerce, in wealth, and in population,
beyond any spot in the British dominions ; and although
many of your earlier admirers have passed away, still it has
been your delight to afford instructive amusement to
thousands who survive. In their name, as in our own, we
desire to concentrate in this testimonial the substantial
expression of the sentiments with which we bid you fare-
well, adding our heartfelt wishes for all health and happi-
ness in your retirement from the profession of which you
have been so long the pride and ornament."
Mr. Dignan said : Mr. Mayor and gentlemen, it would
be unpardonable on my part to detain you after having read
that address, beyond the expression of a word or two. In
the days of my boyhood Mr. Vandenhoff was the leading
resident actor here, and the distinguished and noble man-
ner in which he fulfilled the high duties of his profession,
attracted my admiration, then, and has retained it from
that time up to the present. (Applause.) I feel sure that
it must please him, as I feel certain it gratifies his friends,
to see him receive this tribute in the presence of the Chief
Magistrate of Liverpool, a gentleman who is so universally
admired, and who has added one other claim to our admira-
tion by honouring us with his presence here to-day. (Ap-
plause.) Mr. Dignan then handed the address to Mr.
Vandenhoff.

Mr. John Smith spoke a few words expressive of the high
admiration he felt for Mr. Vandenhoff, both in his public
and private career.
Mr. Vandenheff came forward to reply, and for some
moments appeared from emotion almost unable to proceed.
He then said : —To convey to you in adequate terms the
keen sense I entertain of the compliment paid to me in this
town, is a task far beyond my ability ; but before I attempt
a reply to the very eloquent though flattering address to
which I have listened, I need not say with much pleasure
(for who so coldly regardless of self as not to hearken
delighted to the voice of approbation), I must be allowed to
make my acknowledgments of the distinguished honour
conferred on me by the graceful presence on this occasion of
the chief magistrate of the. town of Liverpool—an honour,
worshipful sir, of which I shall- cherish a proud recollec-
tion. (Cheers.) The testimonial, gentlemen, which • you
present to me in commemoration of my professional con-
nection through a long series of years with the good old
town of Liverpool ; valuable as it is in itself, admirable
as a work of art, attracting the eye and gratifying the
taste by the classic elegance of its design and the exquisite
finish of its workmanship, is,. for itself alone, a desirable
possession ; but, as addressed to me, it presents a grand
consolidation of golden opinions and affectionate feelings
flowing from generous hearts, which make the tribute rich
to the recipient beyond all price—a gem of worth, of value
inestimable. (Loud applause.) We have a glorious
dramatic literature—from the pure well of English genius
undefiled, rich and extensive in its roll of mighty names;
but had we no Other than the works of that great spirit,
" who was not for an age but for all time," the poetry and
philosophy of his all-teaching page might alone entitle
him to a national theatre built in honour of his name—
the most appropriate memorial the country could vote to his
memory—the exhibition of those great pictures of human
nature which instruct man in the knowledge of himself. I
folly respond to your view of the stage as a school of
intellectual and moral recreation, capable, under proper
guidance, of proving effective to instruction as to amusement
But to carry this out, to establish and preserve the drama
in its highest class of art, and in its highest moral charac-
ter, we require a national theatre. (Hear, hear.) I mean
a theatre erected in the metropolis, and supported by a
grant from the Government ; the director of the theatre to
be appointed by Government, with a fixed :salary, to pro-
tect the theatre from the abuses of speculating lessees,
who might overturn every principle of action. Time,
perhaps, may see this question brought forward as one
not unworthy the consideration of the nation's rulers.
What changes, for good as for ill, for renovation as for
dostraction, does not his growing might effect. You
have but to leek around you. Some forty-five years ago
I first entered this town ; and what wonderful changes
are presented in its physical features merely. In this
very street in which we are assembled, I remember
its thoroughfare constantly obstructed by a coach, and a
cart, and a wheelbarrow-, or so, struggling for passage at
the Paradise-street entrance ; the same at the- upper end,
crossed by old Castle Ditch, so called, where the
footpath was hardly more than the:. kerb stone.
All Lord-street then, indeed every street in the town,
except a small patch of flag stone in Castle-street, and
another before some private houses in Bold-street, was.
paved with what were facetiously called petrified kidneys.
It was positively painful to walk the streets then ; ands
there was scarcely a Liverpool lady whose walk in con—
sequence was not of awkward gait. The ladies did not
find shopping then so light an amusement as it appears.
in these days. With the physical features of the town
its social condition improved. I believe these character-
istics are twin developed, and generally at hand. Now
stands Liverpool in the convenience and beauty of its
thoroughfares, in its extensive magnificent docks,
in its landing-stage--a marvel in itself—in wealth, in
intellectual and moral power, its world-spread impor-
tance, the grand cynosure of Or: commercial world, the
great emporium of the traffic of the globe. I would not
longer trespass on your time\ I revert to the subject of our
meeting, and when my e.yo falks on that truly beautiful piece
of art, embodying the sentiv.aents enunciated in its presen-
tation,. the exerrulnee-s of emotion chocks the
ttofor
ngue s
o
utterance, awl the We'rds stick la the throat.
my-
self alone am. I grateful for this tribute of esteem to the
from his art. The
retired actor, 'The artist is inseparable
honour conferred on it in
the name ' of that profession, for the
on his profession, and in
promise you to make
hmoi:oplaorra Pao: I
thank
km
yaoreu.
*al an heir-loom in my family. o,
viendid testimonial 1
refllecwteildl not ,

I will so dispose of it as to secure it in time Li- 6A iron.
violation by some thriftless heir of my heir's heiiif,
calculating eye may deem the value of the thing bbt j2ist
so much as it might bring. I will bequeath it, in (Inc
course, to stand a memorial of the estimation its recipient ;
enjoyed with the men who knew him long— to stimulate
to laudable exertion young aspirants treading the paths I
have trod ; securing a perpetuity of its existence as far as
human forethought can provide, I design it ultimately to
ornament some niche in the museum or library of a building
about to be erected as a refuge to worn-out members of my
profession, the Royal Dramatic College, where it may take
place among the records of the stage with other relics that
I hope will be collected there to lend an interest to some
apartments in this laudable establishment.

Mr. Rawlins begged leave to express in a few words the
congratulations of the company to Mrs. Vandenhoff upon
the event of that day. Re referred in eloquent terms to
the pride Mrs. Vandenhoff must have felt in the career of
her husband, and dwelt in especial upon the closing scene
of his theatrical life in the Liverpool Theatre Royal, when
the whole space was crowded to excess, and the entire of
the brilliant company stood up to take a farewell of Mr,
Vandenhoff, and the cheers from before the curtain were
echoed by cheers from behind it, testifying thus that those
of his own profession, who best know Mr. Vandenhoff,
shared to thefull in the admiration which the public felt
towards him. (Applause.)
Mr. Vandenhoff: On the part of Mrs. Vandenhoff allow
me to say that, at this hour, she is not sitting still one
moment. There was ever that sympathy between
us: She knows the hour at which I am standing before
you, and she feels at this moment as I feel now. She will
be delighted to see the report of this meeting, and she will
weep tears, floods of tears, for many days—tears of pleasure,
of delight, over this tribute to her husband. (Applause.)

Mr. Aikir moved a vote of thanks to the Mayor, which
Was carried unanimously, and amid acclamation.

Mr. Vandenhoff moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Mayer,
for his courtesy in giving the use of his rooms fur the pre-
sentation, which was enthusiastically agreed to .
It may be mentioned, that the company successively
pledged Mr. Vandenhoff in wine drunk from the celebrated
Shakspeare goblet which belonged to David Garrick, and
is now in the possession of Mr. Mayer. The chair in which
his Worship the Mayor sat while presiding, was one which
belonged to Robert Burns.
The company separated at two o'clock.