Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-13

THE MURDERED IRISH LORD.
POverty-His AffiliAiIOn and
So mPathy with Tenants.
In all tho us[ Lo or lon w R1's,sla poou
could not have been found a title set In more
homely surroundings than that of the late Wis.
count Mountmorres- Whatever property may
Morres, when In 1856 he was created Baron
Mountmorres In the peerage OF Ireland, was
long since left away In the female line; and the
father OF the late Lord MountmorreS had moth.
Ing beyond the moderate income derived from
the deanery of Achonry. Born In 1882. the late
peer ip due course entered Trinity College, Dub
to the study Of medicine.
Having taken honors, he went to live with his
father near the remote village OF Tubbercurry,
in the County Sligo. Here he was prime favor
tie with the peasants who were loud in their
praises OF his good nature. He devoted himself
10 the amateur practice of medicine and was
always ready to answer "Sick call" at any
hour, the country people deriving much COM
fort from medical attendance whose irregularity
saVored Of the quackery so dear to the Irish
peasant
In 1868 he married Miss Broadrlck of Hamp-
hall Stubbs Yorkshire and In an evil moment
he sought for an investment OF her modest
dover In Irish property. Eoor Hall was In the
market-a we'll built square house OF moderate
size, commanding a beautiful view over Tough
COrrib, On whose shores it was situated, and
surrounded by some hundreds OF acres OF the
hausted arabic patches were tenanted by eleven
families of paupers. This small property he
purchased at nearly double its value Instead
of receiving fair interest upon the purchase
money the property did not pay him .el00 a
year; and this was literally all that he could
call his own.
Here for over fifteen years he lived life O.
struggling poverty, borne oy him with good
tempered resignation, and tempered by the
closest ties OF family affection The years tina
have passed have left their mark upon Eco
offices lat rIp Ia
been left uncultivated as none of the tenants
would perform days work for their landlord.
ABOUT II = OF each morning Lord Mo'lntmorres
MADE his appearance. A thick-se man, about
feet inches, whose dress betrayed no symp-
tom OF care or neatness; his grzzled hair and
beard added ten years at least to his age, and
general want OF firmneSS In his gait seemed
to indicate that he was more than As
His first care In the morning was to feed the
foWl; his next to look after his black retriever5
OF Which he was very proud. During the day
he walked about the small farm or drove after
luncheon into the village Of Clonbur or Mann,
cohverstng with the peasants On terms Of the
most perfect equality. He generally returned
In time for dinner at s, and the household was
at rest before II. To such man the duties Of a
magistrate must have been welcome distrac-
ton, and a day seldom passed on which local
lltgantS were not to be found at Ebor Hall
giving private rehearsal of what was to be
sworn az petty sessions. In all complaints at
the suit OF the police or other authorities he was
looked upon as the peoples magistrate. and his
voice could be counted upon in opposition to
what less tender-hearted men would call stern
justice
The establishment of Ebor Hall consisted OF
two female servants, the yard work being done
by tenant called In from time TO time. living
life OF such rigid simplicity, thrown upon the
society Of the peasants-for neighbors he had
homeland apparently enjoying their society on
terms OF equality, might be assumed that Lord
Mount mOrreS was, II any person liz the position
OF a gentleman could be, faVorite with the
people. The fact of his being nobleman
seemed never to strike him, ana ne was careless
and easily led, except when on rare occasions
he looked for given object. when he would go
any lengths to gain his point.
TWO or three times he lost some stock.
sheep was found drowned in the lake and
heifer In deep soft pond in the field. Nothing
would persuade him that these animals were
not maliciously killed, although at the time he
was the most popular man In the district, and
ne sought for and obtained compensation for
malicious injuries. With the general depres-
sion OF the years ISIS came crisis in Lord
MGuntmorress affairs. There were eleven ten
ants who declared that they could pay nothing
except at a reduction of 80 per cent He offered
TWO shill1ngS in the pound, which was not &C.
cepted; and for the first time there was strain
between the tenants and their landlord. Then
an ARRANGEMENT was made by man named
sweeney, who held one OF the small farms and
VINO owed some rent; he gave up the farm and
feentered as caretaker. When. a short time
after, Lord Mountmorres sought to remove him,
Sweeney claimed the status of tenant, but
the case was decided against him at Quarter
Sessions At this time it was considered neces-
sary mat LORD Mountmorres should have the
projection OF the conSJabulary, as In the west
or ireland such dispute with tenant or herd
is ample grounds for experimenting a murder.
a For over a year Lord Mountmorres was ac-
with sweeney and left him In possession OF his
ta1m. The police were then Withdrawn, and no
appfe .n,n ions for his safety were felt.
AT this time his popularity was as great as
ever. But early in the present spring an event
occurred which changed the current Of popular
opinion. Returning early one morning from
Dupl1n, Lord MountmOrreS saw emerge from a
wood belonging to a friend an old man, who
had gone at that hour to carry away some wood
lor 1rlng He gave Information to tie caretaker,
and attended as a witness to prove the case
against the man, who was fined ten shillings.
rms was death blow to his popularity. The
higher In favor he had stood as a champion of
reVlled as an 1nformer, and the peasants took a
dislike TO him. His own tenants who had paid
MIN no rent. now refused to do any work for
him, and the small crop Of oats s0wn In spring
stood until it was eaten by cattle. as no one
could be got to cut It. A faithful old woman,
VINO bad been nurse to the children and who
no" liVed at the gate house with her husband
was the only messenger that could be procured
Not country lad would go to ClOnbur for love
or money. Still the mere fact 0f telling neigh
boris caretaker that the formers woods were
pelnS oroken down has not hitherto been con-
slde1ed sufficient to place mans life In danger
ard though Lord MOuntmOrres was again
offered the protection OF the police, he declined
1t. No processes were being served for rent,
One for go obtained againsta tenant Ia June
had Dot been executed, and there seemed no
reason Ti o1 on earth for apprehendng bis murder.
His Children Were received with blessings by the
people OF the ne1ghborh00d, and he himself was
stlll appealed TO In magIsterial cases. The pinch
OF poverty must have been grieyously tightened
ns the refusal or tenants to pay rent but he
Lao received nc threat, and fancIed his life
secure.
The circumstances of the murder are well
known. IL Increased the enthusiasm at the
Land League meeting held ar Clonbur next day.
ana ana at various meetings since. Ii intensified
me determination TO exterminate landlords,
Outside this it could have 10 effect, except for
evil on the tenants. The story OF the gun wad-
org found by the correspondent OF the Graphic
INSIDE the wall at the scene of the murder Is
improbable Lord Mountmorres was shot by
bullets tired from two revolver5. Any wadding
e1t at the place must have been left as g blind
since the police searched every inch of the
giound the morning following the murder.
shooting Oil Wells with Nitro.GIy-
Ceriile.
A few years ago nitro glycerine was only used
in tbe Oil wells in the very small quantities Of
one or two quarts at time. Within short
nerfCd become q rtrnO Mt in