The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-02 00:00:00

Mr. Justice Blackburn—We will hear that.

.Allen—l say there is no man in this court regrets
the death of Sergeant Brett more than I do. I
positively say, in the presence of the Almighty and
everlasting Judge, that I am as innooent as any
man in this court. I don't say this for the sake of
mercy. I want no mercy. I will have no mercy.
I will die where many thousands have died for the
sake of their beloved land. In the defence of that
land I will die proudly and defiantly. We are asked
why sentence of death should not be passed upon
us. On the evidence of prostitutes, on the evidence
of fellows out of work, and convicted felons, an
Irishman is sentenced to be hung, when an English
vagabond would get off. I say positively and de-
fiantly, in this court this night, that justice has not
been done me in regard to what I have done in
defence of my country. I am fearless of the
punishment that can be inflicted upon me. I return
to Mr. Seymour and to Mr. Jones my sincere
thanks for their able defence, and also to. Mr.
Roberts the same. My name is Philip Allen. I
was reared in Brandon, in the county of Cork. I
am proud of my country, and proud of my place.
My lords, I have done.
The prisoner Larkin said,—My lords and gentle-
men, I am only going to say a word or two con-
cerning Sergeant Brett, as my friend has said. I
believe no one in Court regrets the man's death as
much as what I do. In regard to the charge of
pistols and revolvers, and using them, I neither
used revolvers, pistols, nor any instrument on that
day that would deprive the life of a child, let alone
a man ; nor did I go with the purpose for to take
life away. Certainly, my lords, Ido not want to-
deny but I did go to the aid and assistance of
them two noble heroes that was lying in that van.
Colonel Kelly and Captain Deasy. I did go to
them, and did as much as lay in my power to extri-
cate them out of the bondage they lay in at the
present time; but I did not go for to take life, nor
my lords, any one else. Misfortunately, there was
life taken, but if it was taken, it was not done in-
tentionally ; nor the man that has taken life—you
have not got him. My lords, I believe he is not
here at present. I was at the scene of action, where
there was, I dares ty, over 150 people standing by
there as well as what I was. Sorry am Ito say it,
my lord, but some respectable people came as wit-
nesses against me. I thought they were, but they
were no such thing. So far as my trial went and
the way it was conducted I believe I got a fair trial,
and so far as my noble counsellors went they have
done their utmost in the protection of my life.
Likewise my worthy solicitor, Mr. Roberts, done his
best; but I believe it is an old saying and a true
saying, " What is decreed before man in his pas-
sage through life he has to fulfil it,—either the
gallows, or drowning, or a fair death on the bed or
on the battle field. So, my lords, I lie at your
mercy and the mercy of God ; and may God for-
give all those who have sworn my life away, as I
do from the bottom of my heart ! He concluded
emphatically—God forgive them !
The prisoner Gould said the witnesses against
him had sworn what was false. He never threw a
stone since ho was a boy, and he had no pistol in
his possession on the day of this alleged outrage.
His name was Michael O'Brien. lie was born in
the county of Cork, and he had the honour to
be the follow-parishioner of Peter O'Neal Crawley,
who was killed in defending the port at Mitchells-
town against British troops last March, and fell
fighting against British tyranny in Ireland. lie was
a citizen of the United States of America. If
Charles Francis Adams had done his duty towards
him, as he was paid for doing, he would not be in
that dock answering the questions. He wrote to
Mr. Adams, but Mr. Adams did not come to see if
he could find funds to disprove the charge, which
he possibly could, if he had taken .the trouble of
sending or coming to see what he could do. He
hoped the American people would notice that part
of the business. Ireland had a beautiful climate
and scenery, but where was there ashadow of liberty
or a spark of glad life among the plundered and
persecuted inhabitants ? He hoped that its im-
becile and tyrannical rulers would be for ever driven
from her soil amid the execrations of the world.
The English aristocrats moralised over despotism in
Naples and other countries.
Mr. Justice Blackburn interrupted the prisoner,
remarking that it was entirely for his own sake that
he did so. What the prisoner was now saying
would not prevent the sentence of the law being
passed. He advised him to say nothing more of
that sort.

Gould —Ky lord, I prefer saying it.
Mr. Justice Blackburn—Very well.

Gould proceeded to say that the English aristo-
crats should look at home and see the misery there.
Ile concluded by saying that he had been improperly
identified, and that the witnesses had sworn falsely.
He thanked his counsel and attorney.
The prisoner Maguire denied having been .there
at all. lie said this was the third time ho had come
home on furlough, that he had spent ton years in
her Majesty's service, and had not been long enough
in England to know or conspire with any one. He
had written to his officer, Captain Jones, of the
Princess Royal, for a character, and if ever an
innocent man had been tried before his lordship he
was that man. He had never .been near the place,
and would not know his way out to Bellevue ex-
cept he was shown, having never been in that direc-
tion in his life. It was a hard thing to be sentenced
in the wrong. Nevertheless, he gave his best thanks
to those who had conducted his case. It was one
of mistaken identity altogether.
Shore said he would not say much, for it cam©
upon Lim altogether by surprise that a man could
be convicted of murdering a man whom he did not
know and had never seen. He did not want to de-
tain his lordship, but could not help remarking that
Mr. Shaw had come to gloat over his victims, after
swearing what was altogether false, and there were