The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-03-14
rhs 1naI, Conviction, Sentence, and Escape OF
John Nitehel.
ip,hl,n Nation, Feb 90. I

Dablin Nation Feb 30
II will be seen from our report of the dis
erssion which took place in tue House OF
Commons on Tuesday night IN reference TO
tha ITINERARY election, that Mr.. Martin
oaye notice that he would move for papers
=. show what sort of trial 1t was that was
accorded to Mr.. Mitchell in May, lo4o, and
What was the character of the jury oy whom
he was convicted. Some OF our readers, we |
know, are quite conversant with all the CIR
epmstauces; others, perhaps. have but
slight knowledge Of them #; and 1T may ln-
,eYest both classes If we make brief refer
apee to the salient points of the whole case
from the date of Mr.. Mitchel's arrest to that
Of his escape from Van Diemeu's Land. Il
Mr. Mitchell was taken into arrest on
charge of treason felony" on Saturday,
Nav 18Th, l-i- THIS was brand new
crime; the Act of Parliament which created
IT had been passed only about three weeks
before Mr.. NJ ,tchel asimmeGlateiy lodged
IN Newgatc jail. from which place, on the
10Th of May. l-iS, he addressed one OF his
famous letters TO the Protestant farmers
Of tie North of Ireland, which opened
with the following. paragraph
Isuppose my frieuds you aware that the
English Parliament, the same body which has
passed many cheap and handy "fjectment
nets and which has now four times attempted
TO cheat you out of yoUr tenant Tght-that
,hese same Parliament men have, within about
three weeks, passed one OF their acts" as
they call them, creating new - crime; Tor
these fellows, let me- tell you, have Away 8
taken 1t upon them 10 create :" crimes when
over they liked, and, l suppose, virtues also
IS well as TO establish churches and enact true
religions. A, one time they made it o heinous
crime to celebrate Mass, W hitch made " felons y
Of the CatholIc,-and another crime not to GO
70 church, winch nailed the Dissenters Aud
you know IT IL parliament "crime" at present
joF 9 man to shoot the wild BIRDS that gro y 1a'
ppoa his own corn stocks, without the leave
OF "license" of them, the parliament men.
This new crime of " treason felony" Mr.
Mitchell explained, consisted in nothing elat
than telling the Irish people some of God
truth with regard to the government they
lived under. THIS was Mr.. MitchePs las
pabhcation in the United Lrishman. o.
Monday, the 22ud of May, 1913, his tria
commenced IN the Green street courthouse
Q before Baron LEROY. His leading counse
was Mr.. Robert Holmes, brother in law O
Robert Emmet, and Sir Colman OLoghleD
now NJ. p. for Care, was also engaged il
his defence.
The great point for the Crown lawyers il
this case was to make sure of the packin
OF the jury. Aud they did make sure of il
hey ond all doubt or question. The Jugghn
of the jury panel on that occasion was
fragrant and shameless proceeding. Their
was not even an atfectatiOn of Gecenc
abont it. So Pcandalous performances Wa
it that complaint of it WAS made publicl
and in Parliament by two men who are bo
Judges on the Bench. The farce of tri
vas gone through, however; it WAS col
Cluded on the evening of the Goth Of Ma
with verdict of guilty against the prsone
On the following day Mr.. Mitche! Wi
Brought up for sentence. On being askE
he had anything to say why senten
ahoRld not be- passed on him, he replied !:
have to say that have been found gull
by packed jnry-by the jury OF parts
.har; hv inr nnt an,npnallel aya
ing to the law of England. have been fUu
guilty by packed jury obtained bv jugs
a jury not empanelled by u sheriff, but b!
jugVler. That Is the reason l object TO [
sentence being passed on me-
Baron Eefroy then proceeded to pass sc
tGncc. He Delivered II long Lecture, a.
usual with her Majrsty's judges on su
occasions, In which he set forth
enormity of the prisoners offence and W
On the stern necessity that existed for
repression Ot such practices. He IL
wound up with the following words:
We had to look at the magnitude of
crime and to look also at the cOusiderat
shat If this not the first case Grou
under the net our duty might have obliged
10 carry out the penalty II awards To the
most extent; but taking into conslderat
shat this is the first conviction under the az
ahough the offence has been clearly proves
any offence OF the kind could be-the sente
Of the court is, that you be transported 6cyoRG
lsas for the term Of fourteen gears.
At four o'clock in the evening of I
same day Mr.. Mitchell WAS removed fl
Green street prison, conveyed by IL la
MILITARY escort to the North Wall, placed
hoard the government steamer Shearw Il
and borne away from Ireland.
As to Mr.. Mitcheis escape from
Diemen's land in June, 1853, we perc,
1hat the government have got printe
soTt of Report written at that time by
Ehief constable to whom MIR. Mitchell
rendered his parole, which Report {
oludes with an allegation which we bell
TO be utterly false, and with an in
which, coming from such a quarter