, 1880-07-08
Irish Evictions.

between the people and the constabulary
at a place called Knockrickard, ! near
Claremorris, County Mayo On Friday
a process-server named Langley was Sc
verely handled by thetpeople' and pro-
cesses taken from him and destroyed. He
was stripped and lett nude in the field,
from which he had to make his way to
the nearest constabulary barrack for
clothes In consideration Of this out
rage, the authorities determined to make
an effort to serve the rest Of the pro-
cesses on Saturday. All the available
police were concentrated at Bsllygrass,
the nearest police barrack. Langley
had been provided with copies Of the
stolen processes and accompanied the po-
lice. At the village Of Curry the police
were put through series Of man9uvres
even to examining their rifles and
pouches by the Sub-Inspectors in cnarge
(hIr. IfS. McSheeby, r. M. was in
command of the whole partly, and set
forward for Knockrickard. They had
not gone more that hundred yards be-
fore Langley discovered that all the pro
cesses except one had been taken from
his pocket. A constable was sent back
to inquire about the missing documents,
but his inquiries were met with mingled
cheering, laughter and groans. Lang.
ley svstory, about the, theft is regarded
with suspicion, and il is stated that the
only process he retained aftersdestroyihg
as Thought, 1.-THE others -was-fore~man
who had been his bitter enemy for years.
at Cdrry. the crowd which followed the
police numbered about sthree hundred
men, women and boys, but before Gre
GAVIN was reached it had increased until
there could not have been less than three
hundred women and about the same
number of men and boys. 1t was at
this place that tke constabulary met
with the first. serious opposition. A
small body Of thirty five or forty men
had been sent forward in advance OF the
main body, but they were kept at bay
by about four hundred women who
stood On the road leading to Knockric-
kard and refused to let them pass.
The arrival of the main body of
police was received with groans and
shouts of defiance, and cries OF "Where
is Langley ~ The process server having
been discovered in the midst of the
police, allsthe awomens made4an indis-
criminate charge with the view offse-
curing him and his precious burden. "a
scene Of the widest confusion sensIed.
The sub inspectors drew rtheir swords
and rushed into the midst of the
women, most of whom were barefooted
and barebeaded, IA young woman
named Mary Fahy received a terrible
cash on, the, back of the hand. An
Other woman was wounded by q bayonet
thrust III the arm, while. several were
knocked down, trampled upon, their
faces, blackened aud their, garments
Vto,1t.A Most~of the ceifstabalary be-
.hayed ,manfplly,. under 4, the, circum-
stances, Sb,k u fewL exhtbitedlaa cruel
savagery which was shocking to behold,
thrusting at the breasts Of the women
with the butt ends of their rifles The
charge to capture Langley was repulsed,
ard the resident Magistrate remon
strated with the women. "We have a
duty to PERFORM" he said, sand al
though it he disagreeable, yet we still
must do il" The men in the meantime
stood motionless, looking on and incit-
'ing the women to resistance. A voice
from the crowd cried, 1--WE doh't want
to do anything to the police at all. "
Another person said, "Every policeman
had mother like us, and they ought
not to be doing the dirty work they are
at to-day third man exclaimed,
"Let them stand or fire, and we will do
the same" Mr.. Mcsheehy, the resident
Magistrate, theneaid, f'Retire, now, and
let us do our duty. / should be sorry
to see hail. OF your heads hurt" A
voice shouted, "We are starving; we
want something to eat, and here is what
we are getting" ,,r r.rs. rsr.E. ..r i
Again the anger of the women, fierce
beyond belief was on the point of
bursting upon the police in second
charge, when the two sub-inspectors
rushed past the front rank with sabres
drawn, one of them shouting, "I'll drive
it to your heart, turning the point and
actually touching with it the lips of the
women addressed. The men could 40
longer control themselves, and rushed
pa t the women and confronting the
A