The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-08-21
The Escaped Fenians.

New YORK, August 19.-The whaling
bark Cataipa arrived here this morning
from New South Wales. with the Fenian
prisoners who escaped from that country
some time since The names of the men
are Michael Harrington, Thomas Dar-
ragh, James Wilson, Robert Crausen,
Thomas Henry Hassett, John j. Breslln
alas Collins, Thomas Desmond alias
johnson, John King altas Jones, and
Ross Brennan alias bull. Dispatches
were sent over the city to the
members Of the committee ap-
pointed to receive them, and shortly
after daybreak the committee assembled
at the Battery and boarded the vessel.
The meeting between the old veterans
aboard and the tried men who came to
welcome them was a hearty and whole
souled greeting, aud mon laughed and
wept in turn. The, Catalps is a slow
sailer, having consumed nearly four
months on, the. voyage, After two
months the stock of provisions was SO
meagre thai the men were put on short
allowance. They all arrived, however,
m good health and spirits. Captain An
thony, who commanded the the Catal pa
has daring meln, tempered with q smile
calculated to win confidence. One Of the
most touching incidents OF the reception
OF the exiles, was the meeting with VIM
Foley. lie was soldier in the British
army, and had seen hard service In the
war o: 1856. He was tried on q charge
oftreason and felony, and was found
guilty aud sentenc I'd to ten years penal
servitude. He served his term with the
men who have now arrived and knew
them all intimately The Cstalps lay
off Freemantle before Foley's term ex-
pired, but he knew her mission and bid
her God speed, and TO-DAY he welcomes
his fellow convicts as brother treemen.
The men disembarked from the vessel
this morning ard proceeded to ODono.
van Rossa's Hotel, where they will tenn
porarly remain.
Thomas Henrs's - Account OF the Es-
cape OF the FeL1 ms.
New YORK, August l9.-Thomas
Henry, one of the Fenians who arrived on
tn e Catslpa to-day, said to the reporter:
We were expecting for about two years
that we would be rescued from prison
We always kept on the alert for move
ment of any kind which could be turned
to our advantage. We we're not inform
ed of the sailing of the Catalps, and ex-
pected her in March, but we did not hear
of her arrival until few days before the
18th of April, the day on which We
Ar cfed Our PurpOsp
After breakfast on the 10Th about lO
minutes to 8 o'clock we left the prison
gates unobserved, and entered carriages
provided for us. Our party numbered
eleven including outsiders, who kept in
front and rear to keep sharp lookout for
enemies. We reached Rockingham at
1880 where a whale boat from the
Catalpa was lying and got on board;
The boats crew were then in charge OF
an officer from the vessel. During our
Journey by land we were not molested
though we met several persons. When
wh were two miles and half from shore
the police came up and
Captured our Horses
and carriages, which had been lett on
the beach. We had great trouble IN
finding the Catalpa, and the police got
boat and we're searching for US. Tho
storm arose and blew US out to sea, and
our provisions were destroyed and we
were all wet. Night came on and we
we're in deplorable condition. When
daylight broke, we saw the Cstslpa, and
made for her. When about seyen miles
from the vessel we saw the colonial
steamer, Georgette, and the police cutter
Searching for Us.
but they could not see us, owing TO the
high sen. The police kept the Catalpa in
sight while the steamer went to land
We were then twenty miles from land.
and rowod with all our strength to the
baroue. At this time both the CataIpa
and the police bad discovered us, and the
latter were fast pulling toward us, but
we headed the police cutter and reached
the Catalpa first and scrambled on board.
The crew o, the barque gave a cheer, and
we rushed over to the other side Of the
deck and
Drew RevoIyers
and presented them at the heads OF the
seven men in the police boat. The
steamer Georgette was commissioned by
the government officials to follow us.
The barque could not go to sea that
night as the wind was dead ahead. The
next morning the Georgette bore down
on us and demanded that the Captain OF
the Catalps give up the prisoners, which
the latter refused, and the Georgetts sail.
ed for the shore. Four hundred dollars
has been raised for the relief of the
prisoners here.