The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-08-13

MISCELLANEOUS IRISH NEWS.
WHOLESALE EVICTION NEAR KELLs. !!
On Friday, July 21st the town and neigh
of Kells was thrown into state
of the most intense excitement ny the oci
currence in its immediate vicinity OF one O.
those narrowing and melancholy scenes OF
which the unhappy county OF d. M .saatr mas
mean wholesale evictions. The evlctlons
to- day took place at Leightown, about three
miles from Kells. Leightown is situated on
the estate of Drumbaragh, and lts lanciora
is Mr.. John Nicholson, D.L, of Bairath. 70
all persons who have taken any interest," an
the melancholy history of Irish evlctions
# ia NOT necessary to state that in that tear
stained record the name OF Mr.. Jonn MICH
olson has obtained an unhappy prominence.
A ma an Of vast wealth, the owner OF tnous.
apds of acres in the richest districts OF
Meath. Mr.. Nicholson has been engaged IN
constant disputes with his tenantry. In
100 the estate of Drumbaragh, previously
owned by M. Woodward, was put up for
sale in the Landed Estates Court. Portion
of the estate was purchased by Mr.. John
Sweetman, who Immediately on taxing
possession gave the tenants leases Tor ever,
and is now building comfortable houses IG Or
DO
honor and respect by all who know MN.
The Leightown portion of the estate was
purchased by Mr.. Nicholson. The NUMBER
of the tenants on the portion of the estate
purchased by Mr.. Nicholson was ABOUT
forty, amounting, with their tamiIes' 70 u
total of nearly 800 persons. Shortly aiter
Mr. Nicholson's entering into possession, to
their horror and astonishment, nearly every
tenant was served with notice to aolt
Some five or six tenants and their lamiiies,
knowing we'll that it would be useless To
resist. surrendered their holdings on re-
ceivinp notice to quit. 1t is only fair to
state that they all received some money
consideration, but of what little avail TINS
was NAV be gathered from the fact that
one of the unhappy men thus elected mas
since died in the workhouse. Tue others
have emisrated. The remainder OF the
tenants, perhaps hoping against hope, hel9 I,
on the usual legal routine was proceeded
issued against four of them. This day tue
writs we're executed and the four unhappy
| tenants turned out on the world. Inc
| tenants were John Swift, Sam Swift fa!
Murray aud MacEvoy, who, with tneil
small families, amounted to totai Oh &c
persons All of them were small FARMERS
but had up to this maintained themseiVes
and families in decency and comfort. Ihe
dav of the eviction was we'll kept secre
from the legal victims themselves, anu II
was only last night they heard for the mrs
time that they were to be driven nomeles
and houseless wanderers from their happ.
homes, and from the little possessions tnel
ancestors had held for long genera.,S9t u,
The writs of ejectment were executeo y.
Mr.. Ligthburne, sub-sheriff, and that gen
tleman was accompanied by an extra
! ordinary display of armed force. from a.
early hour in the morning detachment
= of police FASTENED from Navan, kells, Dun
sh aughlin, Athboy, etc, to rendezvous
Ralrsth gate, Mr.. Nicholson's resldenct
3 The whole force thus assembled was owe
7 a hundred strong, all armed to tue teeth
9 and commanded by Messrs. Murphy an
o Mccormack, Sub-Inspectors. AT hall pas
g nine this formidable array, accompanle
! by the sub-sheriff and Nicholson's stewars
q started for the scene of action. Notwltl
d standing all precautions the fact OF I'll
= coming evictions had become known, an
persons from all parts of the countI
= fastened to Leightown to manifest the
e sympathy with the unhappy tenants: Se'
: eral clergymen, including Fathers Nlchol
}, and O'Farrell, Parish Priests ; Fltzshnol
d and Connolly, Catholic Curates, were pre-
J. emit, The farms of the four victims we
or situated in close proximity to each othe
E. and presented an oasis of tillage IN e
r midst of the vast pastures of MIR. Nlcht
he son. The first house reached by the CO
r tedc was that of Samuel Swift, and here the
III took place one of the most melancho
m sorrowful, and narrowing sp.ectacles WIN
s. the sun has ever looked down on. On
at road outside Swift's stood group,
Ie, man himself, his family, the other ten .,I
tie their families, and their neighbors; Wh
by a turning of the road revealed the cl'
is, nroximity of the sub-sheriff and his to-
lal e cry of horror went up from the Gro
!at such as would wiring the hardest and co
ity est heart, Strong men were moved to
wonted tears, women gave way to agoI
ing passions of grief, the heir, air was S I'll
ow with the cries of little children. Yea y,
can and nearer came JIG GAo + Va -.
n of A+ loot the sub-sheriff enters the mouse
e his swift S # It was an humble but decent
'srS. sitnated in the centre of the smiling he
,eTy swift himself and most of his family