The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-10 00:00:00

THE CAPTURE OF-A FENIAN CAPTAIN.

The correspondent of the Daily News, writing from
Cork, describes the capture of Mackay as a most impor.
taut one. "It was only within the past fortnight the
police had certain information of Mackay's presence in
this city. They then learned that for the past two years
Cork had been his headquarters, from which he made
periodical visits to the various other localities in the south
in which branches of the organisation were. On receipt
of this intelligence searches were made in different parts
of the city where it was expected he or some trace
of his presence would be found, but without effect.
T;.e capture made last week seems to have been for
the police the proof of their fortnnes. With that
they got a cue to the whole organisation of the
late raids, and, better still, the lurking place of the leader.
The searches were repeated, this time on surer informa•
Lion, and on Wednesday morning the police visited and
examined the houses in an entire street next to that in
which aekay was arrested. But Mackay had got scent,
and had changed his quarters. It may be mentioned here
that when this search was made Mackay had only just
returned from Macroom, whither he had gone to
organise the most daring feat he had yet attempted,
by which he hoped to make a profound impression
on the public mind. This was the seizure of
Macroom Castle, to which I have alluded in a previous
letter as the subject of an apparently authentic rumour.
The castle is the headquarters of the West Cork Artillery
Militia, as well as the residence of Colonel White-Hedges,
and the Fenians supposed that it contained the arms el
the regiment. Mackay's design, we are informed, was
to-collect a party of fifty men armed with revolvers, to
surprise the castle, overpower the militia staff, and select
end carry off as many of the arms as he could. He
managed to collect his men for the purpose, but at the last
noment they quarrelled, and the enterprise was
-abandoned. Mackay, disgusted at their cowardice,
walked back to Cork the same night, the distance being
about twenty-four miles. The police at length got
eertain and definite information as tc where lie was to be
found, and arrangements for his capture were made on a
very extensive and complete scale. Knowing their man,
the police determined to spread a net through which ho
would have little chance of escape. The plan of opera.
Lions was kept secret until a late, hour of the even-
ing,. when instructions were issued for Leveral 1 arties of
men from the city stations—numbering in all upwards

)f a hundred—to take up positions at the ft rther
!xtremity of every avenue leading from Market-
atreet, so that it would be impossible for any one
to leave it unobserved. The street communicates by
several narrow lanes with the North Main-street on one
side, and with the quays and a quarter inhabited by very
poor people on the other. At the end, near Patrick-street,
it forms a narrow neck easily guarded, and at the other
extremity the Bridewell commands the approaches. Every
one of these points was closely guarded. Most of the
policemen employed were fully armed a rescue
being apprehended and with them were a large
number of detectives. At nine o'clock, when the
cordon had been drawn, Head-constables Geale and
Walsh and Constable Casey, all dressed in plain
clothes, walked carelessly up to a public-house owned
by a man named Cronin, in Market-street, close to
Portney's-lane, entered, and at once shut the door ; at
the same moment three other constables in plain clothes
issued from the lane and stood before the house. The head.
constables inside walked straight into a parlour behind the
shop, in which there were four men—Captain Mackay,
Cronin, the owner of the house, Mannix, a fisherman,
and a man named Walsh or Laxter. Geale produced a
revolver and seized Mackay. The other constables, who
were also armed, arrested his three companions.
Mackay stood for a moment overwhelmed with
surprise ; then, recovering himself, he wrenched
limself from the grasp of the head-constable, and made
s dash for the stairs. Geale rushed after him, and caught
aim in his arms as he had reached the hall. Both were
muscular men, and a desperate struggle ensued. Geale,
though advanced in years, was the more vigorous of the
two, and pinned his prisoner against the wall. Casey then
came to Geale's aid, and Mackay, seeing the odds against
him, contrived by a desperate effort to get his hands free,
and drew from his breast a revolver. Geale caught the
pistol, and, whirling the prisoner round, they both fell on
the ground. Mackay struggled to regain control of the
weapon, and in the struggle it went off, having either
been fired by him at Geale, or exploded accidentally. The
oall, missing Geale, struck Constable Casey in the calf of
the leg, inflicting a severe wound. Genie then mastered
ais man, wrenched the revolver from him, and held him
'aelpless on his back. The detectives outside hearing the
struggle rushed in, and Mackay and the three others whom
Walsh had held quiet under the point of his pistol, were
secured. In the meantime the police had been closing
n on the house, and a party of upwards of fifty men were
&awn up outside the house. A large crowd had also
;ollected, and from all the locality people were flocking
aurriedly in until the street was crammed with people
,rofoundly excited. Cries were raised that the police were
uurdering a Fenian; and the people pressing in on the
)olice, it was thought prudent to drive them back. A charge
Ras accordingly made, and one man received a bayonet
%tab in the hip, which necessitated his removal to the in.
irmary. After this the crowd kept at a respectful dis-
e,ance. Mackay and his companions were then brought
out, closely guarded by police. Mackay Was greatly agi-
tated, breathing heavily from the distress of his struggle,
and casting quick glances at every side to see whether
there was any hope of escape or rescue : looking also to his
;nerds at each sidemtashene ifhabomopueeitdeishtaehnn;tine sg a
noafdsfputhrirtenhggelreafroemrsilsiotbfaenrtie..
circleshe
skewed
d
rße to
ltvheer s,
The crowd was only curious, and there was no disturb-
ance. When taken into the Bridewell Mackay's passion
overpowered his discretion. He gave his name as Marply;
but began immediately after to taunt the police, and boast
of what he had clone to annoy and perplex them. 'I did
lead you a dance, governor,' he said to the head constable;
' and if I had half the money you have, you darned sneaks,

I would have gived you something to do that would sur-
prise you.' He was very anxious to know who sold him;
end cursed bitterly at the traitor. After a while he cooled
Sown into a vein of mild chaff ; the other men said nothing.
Mackay's loss to the Fenians is said to be irreparable. He
has been identified as the leader of the attack on the mar
tello tower, and on Messrs. Alports' gunshop."

The Hon. Mrs. Percy Barrington has just made
donation of a fine organ, of 367 pipes, for Westbury
)arish church, Bucks.
THE LIVERPOOL Can STRTKE.—ThiS strike con-
Auded on Saturday, having lasted just a'week. Both sides
Save made concessions. The charge for licenses is to be
:tonsiderably reduced, and each cab is to have a small flag,
stating the rate of fares charged for it, instead of the rates
being painted on the cab itself, as proposed by the 'Watch
Committee. The committee insist on the cab proprietors
;barging for thirds of miles only when those distances are
am, and the proprietors have consented to give this a six
months' trial.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Vining.

THIS EVENING, a Grand Combination of Two Great
Dramas, THE OCTOROON and A RRAH NA POGUE. Mr.
mad Mrs. Dion Boucicault; Mr. J. S. Clarke, Mr. Vining; Messrs.
Dominick Murray, Dan Leeson, G. F. Neville, J. G. Shore, Mac-
lean, 11. Forrester; Mesdames Henrietta Simms, E. Barnett
Ra,:hel Sanger, K. Stafford, and Addie.
Scenery by Mr. Telbin, Mr. F. Lloyds, and assistants.
Doors open at half-past 6, commence at 7.