New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-28
ROSA AND THE sKIRMIsHlNG FUND.

About one hundred contributors to the - kIrmlsn-
inc Fund of the Irish IeITOTists assembled yeSter-
Iny afternoon in the front room Of shirt factory
on the third floor of No. 80 ihlrd-aYe. Inc meet
ing was in response TO call OF JeIedlah ODOnO-
van better known as ODOnOvan RoaSa, summon
inc g Joint convention of the trustees who have
the fund in their keeping and the Contributors, III
order that in the hour OF EDglands complications,
to use the words OF one OF the speakers
vesterdav thev "might get in some
desperate work against the British Government"
An exciting time was anticipated because OF me
omen war that exists between Rosa, the founder
md original custodian of the fund.- ana the tIuS-
tees The fund was started III 1874 and through
the incendiary appeals OF RoSsa and ms colaDorerS
the contributions from the laboring class or lrsh-
men had reached in 1875 the sum OF 100000 AT
a convention held in that year of the CIan-ua-tael
Society Ill Philadelphia, Rosa, who had been been
charged with dlverting the money from Its intended
use Of warfare on the commerce OF Great britain,
turned over the keeping Of the fund to seven trus-
tees They were Austin Ford, of Brooklyn; James
Keynolds, of New Haven William Carroll, OF Phil
adelphia: and Thomas Clark Lu9y, lhomaS Il.
Burke, John j. Bresln and John Dewey of New
York. Since their appointment Tue trustees nave y'
posed to be at work on little scheme TO blow up
England with dynamite. Last week tins hoWllng
Ievolutionist addressed circular 10 me trustees,
saving that the time Tor acton had arrived; that
Engiand's necessity was Ireland's opportunity
and calling upon them TO meet the contributors,
give an account of the Skirlnislng tund, ana turn
over what remains OF it TO a committee for active
There wcro no trustees present yesterday when
the meeting called TO olQef Dy IHOnl0S DcNclh,
of Jersey City. who thanked the meeting " for he
honor conferred upon him." Rossa rose and made
speech saying lie had sent tue circulars TO each oil
the trustees. Registered letter receipts hau come
hack from four OF them while two of them had re-
turned the letters unopened. because they mad seen
his name on the back Of the envelope. lie had re-
oeiyed IA souTIilOus letter from Mr.. Dewey; " Groans
for him" cried a voice. " Sh-, sh-,n said
Rosa we viii have no hard names" ne
then explained his connection with the fnd
cot into a difficulty of about $780,, said he, and
fnese men voted me s 900 as salary FOR the time
had charge OF the fund. They were glad TO get
hold on me, and they did il in tins way. have
nv books to show what l did while had charge
of the fnnd. Deductng 5000 paid for the ex-
penses Of John OAlabOneys funeral, know tie
fund they have hand amounts 10 p9O,OOO.
since they have had that money they have been
stuDbing Ine III secret and trying to lnlure me
everyw here-iu California, England and Ireland
Isssa SAID he was ready TO answer any questions
mt to him. afIer which he would leave
the room to avoid any suggestion that
he was influencing the meeting: Several
asked him but he said that the money was spent
after ne had given up the fund. ODonOvan then
left the meeting After his departure II assumed
the usual upToariOus character OF lrlsh meetings
Everybody got the floor and spoke at once. Rossa
name was cheered aud the trustees were hooted. y
little IrIshman, with an impairment IN his speech,
shou4.d . | come from the Fourth Ward of New
York and the mountains OF Ireland, and say DO
10 them like they 90 the landlords IN lreland-shOot
thpu-suoot them." lCTleS OF Shoot tncnl Shoot
them ri When the chairman had partly restored
order a motion was put To appoint seven men
Il committee to wait on tnc trustees and de-
mand OF them the remainder of the money.
This provoked a fresh outburst. Some favored the
motion. while others vigorously denouncedit. They
viii rnfn,e rs satisfaction" said one man. "1hen
What are We gong TO do about it Drag them
into court and knock them OH the head, were the
replies After tmultuous discussion. that threat
ened at one time 10 end III genera hgnt, ibe mo-
ton to appoint a committee was declared TO be car
red HE names OF the committee are Jose phi
Crornen, John Kelly, Patrick OBnen. George
smith. Daniel OGeary, Major Patrick X. Horgan.
and ". j. O'Dwyer. The meeting then adjourned
to meet in the same place Oh next sunday, when
the report of the committee Will he heard, and hnal
action taken.