Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-30
RossA's Rovr.
The Ex-Fenian Relates h Story of His
Adventures and Escape.

Adventures and Escape.
Correspondence of the New York Herald.
Ca~nandaigua, N. Y, March 20.-J.
O'Donovan Rosa, who lectures here to.
night on Irish Liberty and English Prison
Life" furnishes me for publication the fol-
lowing particulars Of his adventures and
narrow escape from a mob Of orangemen in
Toronto on the 18th inst. The story is in
his v words:
RossA's OWN TORY.
1 reached Hamilton on Sunday, and re-
manned over night with a friend, Patrick
H%ennessey. While there l was told that if
l went to Toronto to lecture l would be
killed. l left Hamilton at I o'clock Mon
day morning. On approaching Toronto at
1880 a. m the train stopped about a mile
from the main station and a man got on and
walked through the cars apparently looking
for some one. In response to inquiries made
by him while the train moved on "O'Dono-
van Rosa" was pointed out to him, and he
came to me and said: II will send a car
rage for you to come out at this station. II
you go to the main station a fight may occur,
as several of your friends and several
orangemen await you there 80 it is better
for you to come out here" / consented.
The train was moving rapidly. He got of
first and l followed. AT er taking a few
steps | fell across a side track, cutting my
hand slightly. No further injury. l went
in the carriage to the house Of a friend,
where l resided while in Toronto.
The police failed to discover me, though
search was made. Friends told me it was
prudent to keep in doors and avoid being
discovered for fear Of provoking a quarrel.
The opera-house had been engaged for my
lecture Monday evening, for which 5000
had been paid. The proprietors returned
the money to the lecture committee and
denied them the use of the hall. The rink
was then engaged and 500 paid, but a few
hours later the manager returned the money,
saying. "This is a bad man." meaning me.
"and must not occupy the rink" As a last re-
source. St. Patrick's hall, with the capacity
for iXehundred people, was engaged In
the evening l walked through four or FIVE
thousand orangemen and into the hall, and
delivered the lecture, during the delivery
of which all the windows in the building
were broken by the crowd outside. The
orangemen rushed upon the hall, but the
police interferred and stopped them. And
let me cay here, for my friends and for N.Y.
self, that the police of Toronto behaved
bravely that night.
After the lecture came the question how
to escape. Reports came from friends that
orangemen filled the streets waiting to
chastise me. Ny impulse was, and l sug-
gested to my friends, that it was best to 90
among the orangemen and ask in what way
Gen. Rosa had offended them an ask them
to name any act Of his which had wror eed
them, but my friends prevented. They told
me a carriage awaited me six blocks away
and advised me to go alone or with a few
friends. As l turned a corner a large stone
struck against the shutter Of house, glanced
against my left side and fell harmless at my
feet. On entering the carriage l heard a
youngster cry out to another, "That is he"
AS learned since at each street corner for
six blocks in each direction men we're posted
to find me out and give the alarm. On see
ing me enter the carriage the youngsters
ran up the street whistling londlv.
Before going three blocks, thirty or more
men gathered and made = rush upon the
carriage. The driver of the carriage had
put up the windows, experimenting danger
to myself and two companions. As the
crowd came up one side, We jumped through
the carriage windows on the other without
opening the door. The driver aterward
told US W could attribute our marvellous
escape unobserved by the crowd to the fact
that their efforts we're nj that time directed
to the horses, endeavcring to clinch their
bits, while they were on 4 full g.llop. l got
on the foot path aud walked 10 the corner.
followed By a crowd Of orangcmen.
/ heard . man cry ont, Stone him ! stone
him r AID others repeated IT, One Of nv
companions from the carriage, and . friend
% The ssre<s, ran shead and cried, There
be h; aoss hin = This I'D ths eesses.