The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-11 00:00:00

THE uliliEß " MENDICANTS."

The charge against Michael Gannon and James Carey,
remanded a few days since, was brought forward at the
policc•court yesterday afternoon, before Messrs. Crosthwaite
and Hutchinson, for flntlicr investigation.
It will be recollected that the prisoners were on Tuesday
last brought before Mr. Alderman Hohne on a charge of
begging from house to house. They admitted they bad
done so, but stated it VS'AS for the object of defraying their
expenses to America; that they were members of the Fran-
ciscan Monastery rit Drogheda, but being unable to pay
their passage from Ireland to Loretta House, in Pennsyl-
vania, they had, through ignorance, solicited alms for that
purpose in Liverpool. Since the case has been made
public, the following letter has appeared in one cf the Irish
journals :

" Franciscan Convent, Drogheda, Aug. 4, 1858.
" Dear Sir,—l saw in this day's Freeman a report of the
arrest in Liverpool of three men who call themselves monks
of the Franciscan Order, and say that they were connected
with the Franciscan Convent of Drogheda. It therefore
became my duty to write to the Liverpool magistrate who
presided at the investigation; i❑ order to correct some inac-
curacies, and to state as much es I knew of these men.
These men resided in the west of Ireland, in different houses,
which are called Franciscan Monasteries, but are net con-
nected with the Franciscan Friars. Each of them got per-
sons to recommend them to me, as competent to discharge
the offices of cook, sacristan, &c. One of them served in this
convent as cook frr three months, another remained two
months, and the last had been but three weeks, when they
all told me that they would not remain another week unless
I would promise to permit them to make solemn vows, and
to become thus perpetual members of the Franciscan Order.
I refused, and they left for Liverpool on the 26:h, saying
that they were going to a convent of Redemptiouist Friars
in England. I told them that they must not beg, and gave
to each of them more than sufficient for travelling expenses.
I wish it to be made known that these men are not reli-
gious, and left because they had no hope of beirg professed
as members of the Franciscan Order.—l am, the editor's
obedient servant, "ANTHONY DARDIS."

Inspector Kelme was charged to make inquiries into the
statements of the prisoners, and at the police-court
the following letter was handed to the presiding magis-
trate :

"Drogheda, Aug. 5, 1855.
"With reference to the annexed, I beg to state that the
two prisoners, Gannon and Carey, lived as servants, the
former three months, the latter three weeks; also a third,
named Michael Byrne, for two months in the Franciscan
Convent in this town. They are all natives of the west of •
Ireland ; consequently are not known here unless for the
short period they stopped in.the convent. It appears they
left the convent about a fortnight ago, as the superior, the
Rev. A. N. Dardis, would not permit them to make per-
petual vows, and on their departure he gave them 50s. to
defray their expenses to a religious house in some part of
England. Thither they intended to go. They bad no per-
mission to ask alms, but, on the contrary, the Rev. Mr.
Dardis told them not to beg. In the absence of the S. 1.,
" P. MURTAGII, the Superintendent at Liverpool."
The following is a communication, signed by Mr. Dardis,
of Drogheda, in reference to the prisoner Gannon :
" Franciscan Convent, July 25, 1858.
" Michael Gannon, who made the vow of a religious in a
monastery in the archdiocese of Tuam, and is now called
Brother Joseph, resided in this convent for the last three
months, and during that time he faithfully discharged tbs
duties of cook and market man. On his arrival at this con-
vent he handed me a letter from the Archbishop of Tuam,
in which it was stated that he was released from obedience
to his grace. " A. N. DAnnis."
Mr. Cobb appeared for the prisoners, and urged that such
documents as the above could not be brought as evidence in
a court of justice.

➢ir. Clough, superintendent of police, said they clearly
showed the prisoners were soliciting subscriptions without
authority.

The Court ruled that they could not be received.
Mr. Cubb then addressed the bench, urging that these
men had been guilty of no misrepresentation; they had told
the truth as to their names and objects, and although
begging was an offence against the laws of England, it
was allowed in Ireland. These poor men had been ignorant
of the law, and no doubt had been guilty of a great indis-
cretion; still, it was not a ease for the bench to deal with
them as rogues and vagabonds, under the Vagrant Act, and
he asked the magistrate to discharge them and they would
leave the town.

The superintendent said they could not be called itnpoe-
tors, as all their statements, upon inquiry, were found
correct.

After some inquiries, Mr. Crosthwaite said he would dis-
charge them if they promised to leave the town, which they
unhesitatingly agreed to do, and were at once dismissed.
A large number of Roman Catholics were present during
the investigation, and much interest was excited by the
proceedings.