Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-11-18
Romance of q Fenian Raider.

Inc following Is tOld ny wash
ington correspondent: A few days
ago Colonel Tom keogh, of North
Carolina, entered the room of Secre-
taTy LIN colin, accompanied by gen
tleman whose gray hairs and bowed
form showed plainly that something
besides the lapse of years hal
brought premature CID age upon
him. This gentleman was General
Rob- TT 3 Lynch. Tho relation of
his story to the kind-hearted secreta-
~ secured him an immediate ap-
pointment of messen9ership in the
Wa Department. HIS story was as
interesting AS it ever CONES to the
lot OF Cabinet officer to hear.
Twenty five years ago General Lynch
WIS one of the prominent men of
Milwaukee. He had sufficient of this
worlds goods to give HIM an easy
living. One f his friends then was
Colonel Keogh. When the Ia ter en-
tered the army Mr.. Lynch also enlist
ed, and, bang IN Co onel Keoeh's
Command, the feeling If friendship
between the two became streng yhenec.
Shortly after the war, General
Lynch, who had served with con-
siderable distinction, became inter-
ested in the then all engrossing Fen
II movement. He quickly took a
commanding position in organizing
that famous raid and then, III
June, 1867, some five or six hundred
men passed over into Canada in what
ajterward proved to be a futile en-
terprlse, General Lynch was one Of
the recognized leaders. He was
present at the battle of Kidgway,
and was one of tue one hundred and
three captured by the English at
that time. Besides General Lynch,
there were among those taken a
Catholic priest named Father Nc
Mann, ana an Episcoprl minister
named Lumsden, the latter having
joined the ezped ton and styled him
self its chaplain, while not in state
OF accountability for his actions.
The party were conveyed to the cas-
tie at Kingston, barely escaping tho
anger of the mob that
ihrUnged the stations where
the train passed. A hard
looking set they were when at last
incarcerated; yet, like irishmen, full
OF wit and humor even in their mis-
fortune. The custodian Of the Caste
had q very red nose. "All of you
will hang soon enough said he to
tae prisoners, when he saw them the
Il 1t ~ rning. II say-where did
Sou get yoar red nose?" was the
jeering question which one Gallagher,
another prisoner, put to him as he
Went out.
For eight months they remained
in this prison awaiting trial. When
It came off the Episcopal minister
secured an cay acquittal, it being
shown that he had not joined the
rad wish any idea of what he vas
doing. Not so fortuna G were Lynch
aad his friend the priest. Both we've
setenced to death. Bat short time
was allowed to intervene betWeen
the sentence, AMI the date set for
the executi II. During this time,
however, they were allowed, as is
generally the case when prisoners ale
condemned to die, to have whatever
they choo e 10 OF ier as their iii If
lar 5 erry wine was made an i'm
p'rtant it.m. and they drank as
much IL they conlu
At las, however, through the in
tervebtl III OF flieuts on the outside,
there came FROM the Queen con-
mutation Of the death sentence to
twenty years imprisonment. Tho
next day no wine was brought to
them. Where is our sherry 2"
asked Lynch. "You are to be
served as other prisoners" was tie
reply of the guard Turning to tue
pl1est, Lynch remarked: Now you
see what you have done. You.have
been praying for a reprieve, and it
has come, but we have lost our vino.
With laugh and a daredevil
sort of spirit, Father McMann re-
Piled: 1 wish l hadn't prayed" Both
men were then placed in cells about
two feet wide, 50 narrow that it was
impossible for them to remove their
shirts unless they stood lengthwise
with the walls of the cell. The priest
WAS allowed to take charge of the
library in the prison, but General
Lynch was put to making shoes. No
q Suction was made between
prisoners incarcerated for pc
litical or criminal offenses
and SO strict was the discipline
that when prominent United S ate!
Judge called to see Lynch, the lattel
was not allowed to say a word. Life
however, was not altogether withou
its brightet side, for he was occasion
ally allowed to walk in the grounds
surrounding the prison, and once il
a while sympathizer would throw {
bottle OF whisky over the high stont
wall which surrounded the institu
ton.
Father McMann served out fou
years, and General Lynch was him
self liberated year after. He cam,
back to the United States to fint
himself alone in the world. II,
finally drifted to Washington no
long ago, and obtained employment