Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-09-15
SIGHTS IN IRELAND.
Pitchforks and Hot Water that Kept
Armed Men at Bay.

Pitchforks and Hot Water that Kent
Armed Men at Bay.
\ Dublin correspondent of the New
York Times writes: The latest sensa-
ton drama in real life was presented
this week in n picturesque district
called ShmbOugh, near New Ross, in
the county of Wexford At early noon
strong force of cavalry, infantry, and
police moved along the high road. evil
IDENTIFY OH serious business bent. In
the rear Of the little army there fol-
lowed number of bailiffs, and ''gen-
eral utility men," carrying crowbars.
pickaxes, sledge-hammers, ladders. and
other properties" They were en-
route to the residence of n widow
woman named Holden, who was n
tenant on the property of Mr.. BOYD.
whose son was shOs dead one Sunday
afternoon some time ago while driving
along the road with his father, who
ut the time escaped with his life as if
by miracle. The Widow Holden was
under eviction. She. through her fam
lily, held possession of the farmhouse
and the large civil and military force
was proceeding TO aid the sheriff i'm
the execution of the laws decree by
force OF arms. IL necessary. When the
widows house was reached, it was seen
That mo surrender" was the order of
the day. ana that there was tough
work to be done.
The scene is well "set" on a stage
acres in extent; infantry soldiers and
police in a semi-circle in front q the
widows cottage; fringe of cavalry in
their rear, and a background of ex-
cited peasantry-men, women and
children. In front of the troops are
the property men" and the officers in
command of the expedition. There
are heard the rafting of muskets as
the soldiers bring their arms 10 the
rest; the clanking of sabres, the champ
ing of bridle-bits, the light laughter of
the troops; and the Gngry talk of the
peasantry In their native tongue.
Enter now the sheriff, with the origin
al writ of ejectment in his hand. The
door OF the cottage is shut, and the
windows are barred from within.
The sheriff knocks on the door with
the handle of his riding whip, and, in
a somewhat uncertain tone of voice
demands possession by virtue of the
queens writ to him directed. There
Is no response save a derisive shout
from the crowd grouped around the
line OF military; all is as silent
within the cottage as if it were
deserted. But the sheriff knows that
1t isn't deserted. and this is the
trouble with him. At a signal from
him the property men" advance and
set to knocking in the door with sledpe-
hammers and crowbars. The first
blow of a sledge Is the signal for action
from within. From an upper windo W
comes a deluge of boiling-water on the
men beneath, who drop their imple-
ments and run swearing from the
scalding shower. A wild shout of tri-
umph comes from the crowd, there is a
short consultation among the chiefs of
the expedition, and the property men,
again advance to the door, not at all
with alacrity; again the boiling-wateI
leaps out at the windows on their
heads. and comes Kissing into Their
faces through every space in the gaping
door. One powerful fellow, who has
been badly scalded on the shoulders and
back, takes up q great stone, and, with
a giant effort, hurls it against the door
which shakes on its straining hinges
but doesn't give way. A long and
heavy ladder is now used as a "batter
ingram" and before some of its i'm.
petuous blows the enfeebled door
groans, gapes still wider, and ultimately
falls i'm.
But this is not much of a gain foi
the stOrming party, who find them
selves face to face with well-buili
barricade Of stones and wood in the
hall. The house Is now surrounded
by the military and police, who have
orders to capture the garrison. The
bailiffs set to work to tear down the
barricade, and the boiling-water does
cruel execution upon their heads and
faces. IL seems as IL they had beer
boiling water for n week in the cottage
In anticipation OF the siege; the supply
appears tO be unlimited. The barri
cade in the hall Is at length torn down
when new trouble and danger present
themselves i'm the form of the widow:
ssalwart sons and retainers holding The
pass armed with pitch-forks. The
sherirs men, regarding this obstruc
ton as more serious than boil
ing water, refuse to advance. The bay
onets are ordered mp. A party Of police
led by an officer, confront the men with
the pitchforks. upon whom the officer
calls to surrender or take the conse.
quences. They won't surrender, they
say, and they don't care for the conse
quenees. and saying this they take ur
a strong position on the stajr-landing
Prepare to charge" says the officer tc
his men. and the bayoneted rifles dror
to the regulation angle for charging
purposes. Charge" shouts the officer
and away go the bayorets up the stair.
case There is u struggle, short and
sharp, and when it is over the men ON
the landing are in custody and disarm.
ed. They arc hand-cuffed and led ON,
prisoners Of war. The process of clear.
ing out every article Of furniture Is
now begun. and when il is complete
the woman Of the house and her
daughter alone remain. They refuse
to cross the threshold, which the law
requires to be done otherwise the ei
tire proceeding would be abOrtive. I'll {
end Of 1t is that the widow and hel
daughter are carried outside the thresh,
old, and then the legal process is com
pleted. There are loud lamentations
from the women Of the crowd; the
men are excited, and. probably, but fol
the presence Of what they call "tnt
army in such overwhelming force
they would plunge into the scene. The
house Is now garrisoned in the interes;
Of the landlord. and the troops reform
and march of the ground with theiI
prisoners. All this, think, leads tc
hn or -. -