The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-28
The Trial OF Father Lotus.

ever undertaken IN Ireland by the English Crown
The Trial OF Father Lotus.
DUBLIN, Feb. 10, 1873.
At last the prosecutions arising out OF Mr.. Justice
KeOgh's report on the Galway election petition
have been begun. 1t will be remembered that the
Judge, in reporting to the House of Commons, named
score OF Catholic priests, including the Bishop Of
Clonfert as guilty OF undue influence or intimida-
ton under the Corrupt Practices act, 1854. The
Attorney General, Mr. Dowse, recommended a
prosecution. He has since become Baron in the
Court Of Exchequer, and Mr.. Christopher Palles,
Q. c., has succeeded him in the office OF Attorney
General and, therefore, in the duty OF prosecution
Several motions have been made in the Court OF
Queens Bench on behalf of the accused, some
praying for trial at Bar Tor before the full COurt
and some seeking to be tried in the Court Of Gal
way. All these motions, so far have failed, and,
after considerable delay, five cases have been
fixed for trial. the first OF which commenced
to-day. The Rev. Messrs. LOTUS Quinn, O'Grady
and O'Brien, will be tried forthwith; and the Lord
Bishop OF ClOnfert, DR.. Duggan, will complete the
batch for this term. 1t need hardly be said that
the utmost excitement prevails in the city. The
arrangements at the Court of Queens Bench are
exactly similar to those made for the State trials
of Fenian prisoners The police surround all the
precincts Of the court; admission is only granted
to manifesty respectable persons-to clergymen
and officials; the proceedings are characterized
by gravity which could not be exceeded were
the traverser mr. Loftus) on trial for his life, and
q curious and excited mob crowd the vast hall
from morning until night The method of select
ing the jury has never been tried in Ireland before
Lord Chancellor O'Hagan's Jury act came into
force on the 1ltn OF January, this year. Under its
prov sions the whole panel for the county
Of Dublin was called Over-amounting to some
75o names. The Crown and the traverser chal-
lenged in turn until the number was reduced to
hve and twenty, and that number came into Court
and twelve were selected therefrom This morn
ing the Lord Chief Justice (Whiteside) directed
the jury to be called the first time on nnes OF 600
an unparalleled proceeding. Eight ger tlemen were
fined one OF whom stated that he could not get
through the crowd outside, but His LOrdship I'M
posed the fine, leaving the juror TO make his case
hereafter The twelve men were selected in
many minutes-seven being Catholics, three Prot
estants and two Quakers. In this composition
there are certainly all the elements to insure dis
agreement
FATHER LOTUS OFFENCE.
1t may be well here to saya word or two as to the
Mr.. Lotus. On turning to the judgme mt md that
ne PROBABLY outdistanced all his colleagues sup
porting the cause OF the Catholic candidate, Cap.
tain Nolan. He is alleged to have been guilty of
intimidation on four several OCCASIONS and Judge
keogh, beyond question believing in his guilt en- |
ployed concerning him the most extraordinary
language. He called him "a deliberate perjurer-a
wretch ior can call him nothing else), who never
can have climbed fathers knee or embraced a !
mothers neck,' and then says of witness that he
was called to vamp up the debauched evidence OF
that dreadful PRIEST Judge Keogh further spoke Of
Patrick Barrett, whose son, Peter Barrett, was
tried four times for shooting at Captain Lambart
founded on the evidence, which Judge Keogh cen
sdered sufficient TO justify this denuncation, the
Mr.. LOTUS is defended by Mr. Isaac Butt, .. c., NJ
p, and g. News, Carton and McDermott. The
c ers Is py Mr. Paes Attorney Cen
Mr.. Nash. Considerable interest centred in the
opening
II Is well known that the duty cast upon him is
most irk some to his feelings. He is devout Cath
oilc, pledged to all Catholic aspirations; a man of
sterling honor and unninching principle That the
crown nave determined 10 see fair play Is suggested
binary safeguard OF associating with Mr.. Pales
Dr. Ball. the tory Attorney General under Mr.. Dis
raei. In ireland, where everything is mserably
and contemptibly sectarian, every move is watched
with jealousy, and 1t is openly debated whether DR..
Ball is employed to give Protestants assurance Of
far as the opening speech went, nothing could be
more satisfactory. He stated the against Mr..
is Catholic curate Of the parish Of Dunmore in the
county OF Galway. lie Is charged with having been
guilty oil intimidation on four occaslons-twice on
the ali ar In his chapel, once in Dunmore and ence
In Tuam. The Dunmore and Tuam offences were
committed while mobs filed the towns. and there
Is considerable variance between the statements
OF witnesses for the Crown This difficulty has
been to great extent obviated by the terms
ney General 1t Is not necessary to prove the yer.
bal accuracy OF the language imputed to Mr.. LOTUS
For his conviction II Will be sufficient to establish
general tenor and purpOrt In his speeches; but
this axty will tell as much in his favor against
him. The chief Of the four cases and that on which
the Crown mainly relies Is said to have occurred
in his own chapel in presence OF the congregation
Among, his parlshoners was q family named
cause OF Captain Trench. and his two
sons were employed as paid canvassers.
sa ~ the ehspe beside Gde OF man 10e
Monaghan Mr.. LOTUS from the altar, pointed out
that this young olacsguard, o'Loughiin, had the
bully" and that the whole family might
they pleased. Mr.. Lyons is the Protestant clergy.
man in Dunmore. and this challenge is relied upon
as intmatng that the conduct Of the O'Loughlins
In supporting Captain Trench really ostracised them
from the Catholic communion. But Father Lotus
further stated that all who voted for Trench would
"go down % their graves with the brand OF Cain
upon their brows, and their children after themv
This, II established against MIN, must result in his
conviction, for II comes within the definition Of
UNDUE INFLUENCE
as construed by the authorities. Mr.. Lotus said
that circular had been issued by Mr.. Grifilths
land agent, and then, correcting himself said there
was no ME-. Grlmths, but "a Mrs Master Grifiths,
who wore the breeches, and there was not tailor
In the town could 1t her,"
This sort ofvulgar defamation would seem TO be |
thought nothing OF in Galway; for Mr.. Charles |
O'Longhlin, on being asked If MIR. Lotus had said
anything offensive personally TO him. replied in the
negative adding, quite casually, ION, no he only |
called me blackRuardln This from solicitor a |
respectable, intelligent man. il suf,icent 10 dis |
cover the amenities which prevail In the great |
archdiocese. Every witness produced, save one, |
swOre that Mr.. Lotus used the expression con.
corning the brand OF Cain; and IL was further tes-
titled tnat at the conclusion OF an address In Irish
the people beat their breasts and behaved |
Ia the most excited manner. Mr.. OIOughn,s
house was attacked and his family threatened in |
various ways. Lotus on other occasions denounced
the Landlords. crying, Down with the tyrantsl
Down with the persecutOrsi" and Mr.. Barrett q |
landlord and magistrate, saw him on the polling
day, at the head OF a violent mob, shouting and
raging In the widest manner Imaginable A
rather comic and quite characteristic inci-
lent was proved to have occurred on
that occasion. Mr.. Barrett and q couple
o. others were the only persons In favor OF Trench
the whole mob wepe for Nolan. Mr.. Barrett, be-
coming alarmed, stood up on car and read the