Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1881-01-06
The Trayersers on Trial.

DUBLIN, December 28.-The state trial.
were formally opened to-day in the Court O.
Queens Bench before Lord Chief Justice
May and Justices Fitzgerald and Barry
The court room was densely crowded with
spectators. Chief Justice May read an adj
dress, stating that after the misconceptior
which had arisen as to what he had said Oh
a former occasion, he should not take part in
the present trials. Justice Fitzgeral took the
Chief Justice seat and the trials were pro-
ceeded with before him and Justice Barry
Only 18 out Of "a jurors called answered to
their names.
A legal argument for more than one hour
ensued on McDonough's challenge The court
decided that the traversers had a right to
challenge in the usual way certain number
Of jurors, but the counsel for the traversers
did not take advantage of this decision to
Obstruct the course of the trial. The jury
consists of eight Catholics, three Protestants
and one Quaker. When the jury had been
constituted the Attorney General opened the
case for the Crown in Il firm but moderate
tone. He said the object of the conspiracy
in which the traversers were engaged, was to
cause the social communication of num-
Der of persons and to make their lives not
worth having. He pointed out the absurdity
OF the idea of parcelling out Ireland among a
LOFT of sol,
add to the misery of that unfortunate coun-
try. He severely condemned the policy OF
the Land League, which he said advocated
freedom, and yet brought all its power to
bear in the coercion of private individuals.
The government, he said, was bound:: TO con-
stitute proceedings to put down agitation A
great crowd cheered the traversers on ad-
journment of the court.
DUBLIN, December 29.-Parnell and sew
eral other traversers were not present at the
opening Of the trials to-day. The law officer
of the crown referred to the humble Occupa-
ton Of most of the traversers, and said that
doubtless they found the agitation more
profitable. He denounced the agitation as
wholesale conspiracy, and said that the gov
ernment intended to protect the rich and the
poor from their frightful tyranny His re-
marks caused much feeling in the court, es-
pecially when he quoted traverser Nally's
words, that the murder of Perrick was worth
a hundred speeches
The counsel denounced the Land League
proceedings as capital plan for reducing So
ciety to the its original chaos and commun-
ism. He accused Brennan, Bayon, Gordon.
and Nally Of seeking pecuniary
gain. He dealt with the violent speeches Of
Nally, Parnell and Dillon, severely scoring
them for melting murder. He cited passages
from the speeches of two members of Parlia-
ment, and quoted, amidst general laughter.
from the speech of Biggar, who said that
that he did not recommend the shooting
of landlords, because the wrong man
had been some times shot After quoting
from Harris recommendation to the peasntrv
to emulate the example of the French
in 1898, he said: That in word the Land
League was founded upon basis of sedition
and treason. Parnell, who was given to ex-
pressing his opinions moderately, had him
self declared that either the landlords or the
people must 60, and it would be for the peo-
pie themselves to decide which. The court
adjourned at $50 p. M, because the Attorney
General was fatigued
Parnell was loudly eheered on leaving the
court.