The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-06 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY MORNING.
MORE ARRESTS, NORTH AND SOUTH.

Another capture has been made in Belfast, and,
according to private letters from that quarter, the
police are likely to have more work on hand before
their labours can be considered complete. Here is
the last bulletin of the Northein Whig:—
" On Sunday night the public excitement which
has been so. intensely felt in town in consequence of
the arrests of the 12th of December was still fur-
ther increased by another capture, made by the
constabulary. It appears that the authorities have
received pretty extensive information—whether
based upon sufficient data or not remains to be
seen—of the existence of several secret so-
cieties in Belfast; and among the premises pointed
out as one of the places of meeting of a body of this
character was the public-house of a person named
Bernard Boyle, situated in Barrack-street, and
almost immediately adjoining the Belfast Distillery.
Boyle was, some time ago, a flax-dresser, and in
that capacity was employed in some of the factories
in Belfast. He then visited Glasgow, and, on re-
turning to Belfast, entered into partnership as a
publican with his brother-in-law, a person named
Wilson, who formerly kept a boardinghouse in the
neighbourhood of the quays. The prisoner Boyle
took out the license for the present premises at the
last quarter sessions. The business was carried on
in his name, but, being unmarried himself, Wilson
and his family resided- in the house with him. The
arrest of last night was effected under precisely
similar circumstances to those which had previously
taken place. Head-constable Madders and con-
stable Canning were armed with the necessary
authority, and were directed to watch the premises
during the course of the evening. They were
attired as civilians, and in that usually crowded
thoroughfare—especially after six o'clock—their
presence did not excite the least suspicion. About
seven o'clock they entered the shop ; Boyle was
present, and he was almost immediately arrested.
The house having been searched by head-constable
Madders, we believe that no documents of any im-
portance were discovered. The police, who were
fully armed, and numbered altogether about 40
men, were then assembled in Barrack-street, Boyle
was brought out, and in the midst of this force,
and attended by an immense crowd, he was taken
to the police-office. While the prisoner was being
brought to that station there was not the slightest
manifestation of political feeling on the part of the
crowd, but great astonishment appeared to be very
naturally felt at this further capture. Contrary
to the order of proceedings adopted in the pre-
vious cases, there was no magistrate in attendance
when the prisoner arrived at the police-office, and
there was, therefore, no examination of any kind,
and no order of committal. In the usual charge-
sheet of the court the name of Bernard Boyle,
his residence, and the name of the complainant,
head-constable Madders, were simply entered, a
blank being left in the column usually devoted to
stating the nature of the charges preferred against
persons in custody. The prisoner was placed in
one of the cells of the office, and it will remain with
Mr. Tracy to order his committal this morning.
About half-past eight o'clock the crowd had almost
completely dispersed, but in the neighbourhood of
Barrack-street and Mill-street the -event was dis-
cussed with apparent eagerness by groups of per-
sons who thronged the corners of every street. For
about an hour and a-half two bodies of police pa-
trolled this district, but their presence was altoge-
ther unnecessary, inasmuch as there did not seem
to be the least desire on the part of any one to
disturb the peace and tranquillity of the locality.
"With respect to the recent examinations held
in the County Gaol, we believe that Hughes is not
yet out on bail, but the necessary arrangements are
being made for the purpose cf effecting his tem-
porary liberation. We are now in possession of a
copy of the warrant made out for his committal for
trial, at the conclusion of the examination—which
is similar to that of each of the other cases. It will
be seen that it is laid upon the informations of
John Kelly and Hugh Carolan—the two approvers
and other credible witnesses.' The following
is a copy of the document :
" PETTY SESSIONS DISTRICT OF BELFAST, COUNTY
OF ANTRIM.

" ' The Queen, at the prosecution of William Mad-
ders, Head-constable of Constabulary, complain-
ant ; James Hughes defendant.
" Whereas a complaint was made, on the 31st
day of December, 1858, on the oath of Hugh
Carolan and John Kelly, and other credible wit-
nesses, that the said James Hughes is, and has
been for some time past, a member of an illegal
society, which is so constituted that tho members
thereof are known to each other by secret signs and
passwords, by way of question and answer, and that
as such member of said society he had knowledge
of, and was connected with, a certain meeting of
said society, hold at Belfast, in the county of An-
trim, on the 12th of December, 1858, contrary to
the provisions of the statute in that case made and
provided. This is to command you to whom this
warrant is addressed, to lodge the said James
Hughes, of Belfast, in the gaol at Belfast, in the
said county of Antrim, there to be imprisoned by
the keeper of said gaol as follows—until the trial
of the said James Hughes for said offence, at the
next assizes at Belfast, county of Antrim. And for
this the present warrant shall be a sufficient autho-
rity to all whom it may concern.'
" It is now becoming more than ever evident—
notwithstanding 'the other credible witnesses' re-
ferred to in the warrant—that the case will hang
on the evidence of the approvers."
The Northern Whig remarks :
"With each fresh arrest public interest in the
issue is deepened, and the responsibility of failure
is intensified. Had the authorities permitted the
public to be informed of the nature of the alleged
conspiracies or confederations, their objects, and
the extent of risk to public safety, as indicated by
the complexion of the evidence, there would have
been less uneasiness and less apprehension. As it
is, however, a spirit of distrust, suspicion, and alarm
is being awakened in many parts of the town, and
it will require an unqualified success on the part of
the Executive to justify the measures by which
such a condition of feeling has been excited. If
there be latent sedition or treason in Belfast, and if
the authorities can forcibly suppress it, by all
means let them go on ; but it will be a sad business
indeed if these extraordinary proceedings should
eventuate in the discovery of what the Saturday
.Review sarcastically designates an Irish mare's-
nest.' "

Meanwhile the conspiracy seems to have been
more extensive than was suspected at the first blush.
Kilkenny is the last scene of new arrests. The cir-
cumstances connected with these arrests are thus
narrated in the Kilkenny Moderator :
" It appears that a great degree of excitement was
created in the town referred to at an early hour of
Monday morning, in consequence of head-constable
111‘Donogh and a party of five men having proceeded,
at 5 o'clock a.m., to the house of a publican named
Coyne, residing in Bridge-street, where they
arrested that individual, on a charge of being con:
nected with the Plicenix Society. Shortly after a
mounted policeman was observed riding hastily
through the streets in the direction of Kilkenny,
which gave rise to all kinds of rumours; and the
excitement was intensified at 7 o'clock, when Sub-
Inspector Cullen and three volicemen,were seen
escorting to the Bridewell a young man named
Callaghan, also charged, it is said, with the same
offence. At 12 o'clock Lord Desart and Messrs.
Hort, R.M., and P. Poe, J.P. went to the Bride-
well, where they remained until half-past 2 o'clock,
holding an inquiry ; and while their investigation,
-which-of course was strictly private, was being
proceeded with, two other young men, named
Kavanagh, of Bridge-street, a married man, lately
returned from America, and Mangan, a resident of
3fill-lane, were arrested and brought to the Bride-
well, under the escort of Head-constable M'Donogh
and seventeen policemen. At half-past 3 o'clock
Coyne, Mangan, and Kavanagh were brought out
of the Bridewell and placed on two six-seat cars,
no other vehicles being available ; they were es-
corted by thirty of the constabulary, under the
command of the head constable, until they were
outside the town, when the greater portion of the
policemen returned to their barracks in Callan,
leaving seven men to guard the prisoners, on the
cars, to the county gaol in Kilkenny. When the
prisoners made their appearance in the street in
Callan for the purpose of removal, the. excitement
was at its height, as large crowds of relatives,
friends, and spectators gathered round the escort;
but the Rev. Mr. Salmon, P.P., came forward and
exhorted all to conduct themselves with quietness

and propriety. This advice seemed to have a good
effect, and there was no uproar or turbulence of
any kind. So far for the proceedings in Callan,
but now the scene shifts to our own city, where, in
the forenoon, Sub-inspector Galway and Head-
constable Holmes proceeded to the leather store of
Mr. Martin Hake, in Coal-market, and took the
proprietor into custody. At first the cause of the
arrest was not known, but it soon became noised
abroad that it was for being connected with
the Callan branch of the Phoenix Society, and that
the actual charge against the prisoner was for ad-
Twinisterin,g the illegal oaths. A very great,sensa-
tion was caused by this discoyery, and rumours of
other arrests in our city were freely circulated, but
we are glad to find that there was no foundation
for any such reports. Mr. Hort, R.M. with Mr.
Curtis, county inspector, and Mr. Galway, 5.1.,