The New York herald., 1876-08-20
Arrival of the Six Prisoners Rescued
from Australia.
THE CATALPA'S CRUISE.
Graphic Details of the Escape
and Voyage.
FROM FREEMANTLE TO NEW YORK

o'clock having board the six Fenans held as mill
larry prisoners by the British government IN the Frc
mantle Prison at swan River, Australia anu rescued
Mence on Easter Monday April II last. by trends sent
ihther from this city for that purpose NO sooner had
the dropped than the OF her arrival
tclegaphed all the city to the members OF the
committee appointed to receive the refugees Tho
three agents Of the Irish national party in THIS country
who had directly super Intended the carrying out OF the
plan OF escape in Australia also on board the ves-
sci and they came ashore and proceeded to the
hotel Of oponovan Rosa, IN Chatham street, where
they at surrounded by an enthusiastic group
oil fellow countrymen.
Long before daylight the known in Irish
circles throughout the city, and early in the morning
party boarded the Caapa to receive the rescued prs
Dncrs. Among the first to grasp the hands of the
refugees Patrick Lennon, Mr.. W. Foley and the
of o'Donovan Rossa, who represented his father,
The latter being out town. The board when
.he rescued aud rcscuers met exciting one
fears stood in the eyes OF than of the party
and many "Tnank God'' was uttered from overflow
ing hearts
The morning spent In social converse and in
hearing the exciting story OF the escape from the lips
of the actors in IT, Shortly after eleven O'Clock the
party rowed pier l. North River,
where they received by large concoursc Of
friends, among whom John O'Donovan Rossa,
Denis O'Donovan Rosa and Lawrence Kane OF the
Sunday Citizen Here carriages in waiting, and
the party wheeled away the hotel where
they wero received by hundreds OF sympalhizing
friends aud fellow countrymcn. When they had sue
rccdcd in freeing themselves the attentions ftheir
admirers the party proceeded bathc and rchabitate
themselves after their long Imprisonment and the sub
lcquent voyage. shortly after they sat down
10 hearty rcpast and then retired to their 10
rest. Throughout the day aud evening, however,
constant stream Of sympathzers poured into the hotel
md many OF them insisted upon grasping the hand Of
It least of ''thc boys
ERcArED
included in the general amnesty granted the
Fenians uasmucl as in lhe eyes OF the British gov
ernment Their offence aggravated by tue tact that
they hud been soldiers in the English army, which
they deserted Tor the Fenian ranks Thcy
Thomas Darragh, tho Protestant chaplan's elcrg--
Tried in ireland by martial February, 1866.
Charged with breach of the articles OF coming
10 the knowledge OF an intended muny and not giving
Information He was at first sentenced to death, but
that was aterward commuted penal servtudo for
life
Robert Cranston-Tried In hu,ana ~ court martial
In June 1880 Charged with breacn ii the articles OF
war, mutnous conduc. and enAeavoring to induce
soldier TO become Fenian. scntonce--frnal servi-
tude tor nic.
Nal In July, lS6d Charged with breach articles
T war, mutinous conduct and dcserton. Sentence
Penal scrvitude for life.
Martin iiocan-rricd in Ireland at court martial in
August 1865 Charged with breach OF the articles OF
MAR. mutnous conduct and desertlon. Sentence-Pe-
sal servi,ude for life
James Wilson, color sergeant--Tr,d in Ireland at
martial in August 1866 Charged with breach of
the articles OF war, mutinous conduct and desorton.
Sentcnce-PenaI servl,ude for HE
Thomas Hasset--yriod In Ireland at court martial in
August 1861. Charged with breach OF the articles of
war, mutnous conduct aud descr,ion. Sentence Pc
nal sorvitudc Tor life.
One Fenan prisoner left behind named James
Kiey, who regarded a traitor and purposcly
lcil
ESCAPE,
rs related TO HERALD reporter yesterday by of
The refugees is exciting in the extreme. 1t appears
That the men confined IN Mbank Prison,
England, tor period OF ten months, at the expiration
OF which time they transferred to Chatham
Prison in the county of Kent, where they remained
for twelve months. Thence they trans
ported to the penal colony in Western Australia whore
they put to work building roads. Whom each
days work was tcted they were locked up for the
nrg in huts aud placed under a close guard. They
suffered much In that place, rs the work was OF the
laborious character the food miserable and the
regular guard special elon guard placed
them Ut night plan OF rescue was concocted by
lnsb nationalists IN AmericB alter consu,a-
and close examination of all the surrounding cir
cumsances, ON Information acquired from every avail
able James Wilson and Martin Hogan wrote
letters to trends America and prisoners
minute details about tie convict service, the colony
roads ports. &c Captain Hathaway OF New Bed
iord supplied invaluaoie Information about the coast
md suggested important portions OF the pan a gcn-
eral outline having been thus iormcd Mr.. John Brcs
hn the agentin.chei OF the enterprise, was given
Ci,gT AS
hc should see ht alter an examination of the ground
lac ooicsted funds Tor tho enterprise and as II was
necessary that the plan should be Kept secret,
every patriot who contributed his money did so with
blind aith in those whose hands he placed IT, It
tho boys How that rescue 10 be brought
only leading few could know. Wilson, Of course,
told his fellow prisoners the good news and
ait"rward he received thrd letter ifom New York
telling him that trends would Visit HIM.
naming the date OF their coming either December,
1915, or January. 10 lie was warned 10 he prepared
for their reception All these letters were transmitted
secretly.
Meanwhile tho friends Of prisoners In this city
worked like beavers. The Catalpa purchased by
Mr.. John Richardson, o! New Bedford. Mass. Tho
paichase and equipment Of iho vessel cost about
s25, 0Oo She was manned TOR a whaling cruise and
setting sail actually engaged In ihh
dcstry :or time November :, 1875, she
Was At layal. aud sailcd thence for Bunbury,
wrst Australia, where She arrived Tuesday,
March IS. last. In ,he mcartimc Messrs. John j.
bfcsD aud Thomas Desmond who had hocn the secret
agents Of the ns;ionasis IN this country had made
their way 10 the scene vi Tho mcdated rescue. In No
about feet ash oi iair complexion, aud win an
English acceut arrived at Albany West Australia pcr
steamer from Melbourne, anu went TO Frecmante, per
t;eorg gclte hrselass passenger. This person
none olher than ur. Bresln, .ho agents
lie dressed IA the height OF fashion and claimed
be an American mllioruairc looking Tor profitable
investtsont for his capital He at once placed
himsef in communication With wilson. Mr Desmond
the second agent arrived at the same umo the
name johnson, and put up al HarwOods Hotel In
Frecmau,c
The laucr gentleman went on two days later to
Perth obtncd employment AT HIS trade OF carriage
msksr IN a factory owned by man named Sloane
once week upou hls arrival, and arrrward moro tre
oucntly. he hired "A carriage from one Somuers and
drov. out about the country. There Was apparently
connection whatever between the millionaire Collins
and tho humble mechsnc johnson. Mt Bres.in aGally
arranged to have
A skcgxr MEETING Win WILSON
IN some un.erbrusb wnere thny would be safely