The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-18 00:00:00

THE ALLEGED FENIANS.

At the Central Criminal Court on Saturday the trial of
Davett and Wilson for conspiring to depose her Majesty
from the sovereign style and title of Queen of Great
Britain and Ireland was resumed this morning.

The Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General, Mr. A.
T. Cole, Q.C., Mr. Archibald, and Mr. Poland again
appeared for the Crown. Mr. Griffiths, Mr. .Baker
Greene, and Mr. Moody for Davett, and Mr. Collins and
Mr. Hunt for Wilson. _ _

'The case for the prosecution was proceeded with.
John Joseph Corydon, the well known Fenian informer,
was then examined. He stated that he became a member
of the Fenian organisation in 1862, and left it in 1866. He
had formerly served in the Federal army in America, and
after he left the army he joined the Fenian Brotherhood.
The object of the brotherhood was to overthrow her
Majesty's Government and to establish a republic in this
country. An oath was administered to each member, by
which he was bound to support the Fenian organisation
and to take up arms whenever required to establish a
republic. The association was very extensive in the
different States of America, and its headquarters were
at New New York. He was sent to Ireland in 1865 by
John O'Mehney, who was then the chief of the association
in America. The head centre of all (Stephens) was in
Dublin, and witness was sent to see him. At the time of
the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act a good many of
the powerful members of the association went to Liver-
pool, where meetings were held and money advanced for
the purchase of arms. A man named Burke, who was
known as Colonel Burke, was employed to purchase the
arms, and a large quantity was sent to Ireland, a good
many of which were seized. In 1866 it was projected by
the Fenian organization to surprise Chester Castle, and
seize the arms which were known to be stored there. Part
of the plan was to seize the Holyhead mail train, cut the
telegraph wires and seize the mail steamier at gplyhead,
and convey the arms in her to Ireland. In consequence
of the information that witness gave to the Government
this plan was defeated. The prisoners, who were con-
cerned in this affair, named Flood and M`Cafferty, were
subsequently tried and convicted, and Flood was sen-
tenced to fifteen years' penal servitude, and M`Cafferty
was sentenced to be hanged ; but this sentence was after-
wards commuted to penal servitude for life. He ,believed
that there were about 1,200 Fenians to be employed in
the attack upon Chester Castle. He knew the prisoner
Davett, and he was in the habit of.attending the Fenian
meetings that were held at LiverpooL Flood, M`Cafferty,
Capt. Doheny, and Col. Burke were present at these meet-
ings. The subjects discussed at these meetings was the
failure of the Chester Castle expedition, and arrangements
for the rising in Ireland, which afterwards took place on
the sth of March. The rising was to take place on the
night of the sth of March. He did not know the exact
position held by Davett in the Fenian Brotherhood, but
lie must have occupied a leading position, or he would not
have been admitted to their meetings. A great number
of Fenians went from England to Ireland just before the
time appointed for the rising, and witness procured the
arrest of a good many of them upon their arrival in Ire-
land. Witness was not present in Ireland when the
rising actually took place. A man named Forrester was
apprehended upon his testimony.
Cross-examined : He knew nothing about the prisoner
Wilson, and had not seen him at any of the Fenian meet-
ings. He declined to say how much money he had
received from the Government for giving evidence in these
cases. He was not paid a certain sum for every convic-
tion of a Fenian that he succeeded in obtaining. He
declined to state how much money he had received from
the Government for the evidence he had given
against Feniaus. At the time of the meetings
in Liverpool he did not hold any rank in the
Fenian organization, but he was looked upon as a " con-
fidential friend." (Laughter.) He described the person
Davett to the police long before he was taken into custody,
and told them that he was a man who had only one arm.
He held the rank of lieutenant in the Federal army in
America, and he believed that he was drummed out of
his regiment for cowardice. He should be very glad not
to have anything more to do with cases of this sort.
Several other witnesses were examined for the prosecu-
tion.
The case was not concluded.