Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-22
THE IRISH SKIRMISH FUND
squaudered and stolen by the Trus-
tees TO whose Hands H was
Committed.
A Warming TO All the Servant Girls and
Poor WorkIngmeh of Irish Birth
and Descent.

The Irish "Skirmishers" of New York CITY
assembled In force on Sunday afternoon at
their hall TO hear the final report of their
Investigating Committee in regard 10 the
manner in which the funds contributed by
Irish servant-girls and laborers 10 secure the
freedom OF Ireland by means of 'skirmish-
ing" has been misappropriated by the trus-
tees OF the fund. Joseph Cromien, chairman
OF the investigating Committee, presided
and announced that he believed that
1t would be the last time that
the subscribers would have 10 be called TO-
gether. In view OF the TACT, however that
the trustees whom the report assailed might
deny some OF The facts stated, and thus reader
II necessary TO have another meeting TO sub
stantiate the charges, Mr.. Cromien said that
the committee had all signed paper which
ls virtually challenge 10 Messrs. Dewey and
Bresiin TO dispute any of the charges made
against them, and
BINDING THEMSELVES TO PROVE EVERY
ONE OF THE STATEMENTS
If given an honest, secret tribunal TO receive
their evidence. The report OF the committee
was then read. 1t is a very long document,
and charges Dewey and Breslin with con-
spring to misappropriate the "skirmishing"
fund to further their own dishonest projects
The report explains the object for which the
"skirmishing" fund was started. From the
time OF the opening OF the fund until its
close, 100000 was subscribed. The fund
was started IN the spring of 1875, with
j. ODonoyan Rosa secretary, James
Clancy treasurer, and Augustine Ford
trustee. 1t remained under the control OF
these men until the spring of 1877, when
Messrs. Clancy and Ford resigned. Under
the aaministra ration of the three first trustees
the fund was invested in United States regis
tered bonds in the names of two of the
trustees, and these bonds were held BY the
trustee whose name did not appear on them.
The trustees who took charge of the fand in
1877 were ODonovan-Rossa, John Breslin,
John Dewey, Thomas Clarke Luby, and
Thomas Francis Burke, all of New York, and
DIR. William Carroll, OF PnIladelphis, and
J ames Reynolds, of New Haven.
NONE OF THE FUND COULD BE EXPENDED
without consent of four of the trustees, or
majority OF the board. The sum of S23, ,360.7 |
was turned over 10 the new trustees by |
Messrs. Ford and Clancy, and since then the |
money subscribed, with the accrued Interest, |
swels the total Of the fund TO upward of |
100000. The expenditures charged to the |
fund the committee found to amount to $780, |
344 81. II is charged that Dewey and Bres- |
lin had the securities changed from regis- |
tered 10 coupon bonds, which for all |
practical purposes are the same greer.
backs. The reason given for this iransac-
transaction Is In itself. 1t was given out |
that the registered bonds were changed to |
coupons because il there was any "skirmish-
ing" work to be done, presenting the regis /
tered bonds 10 be cashed would give the Ed
glish government warning of the intended |
blow. Having once got the money under |
their control, The committee says that
BREsL1N AND DEvoY PROCEEDED TO SPEND IT |
at their own sweet will. Breslin's ram pre-
text was the means OF passing through his |
hands $36, $50 79 of the fund. The commit
tee says: "We are forced 10 believe that the
two rams were used as blind 10 deceive the /
subscribers into the belief that something
was being done to carry out the skirmishipg
idea. Devoy then wanted $4,000 to pur-
chase the Dublin Irishman, to aid in his par
programme, or new departure.
His designs were discovered, but not before
he had secured $4,000 of this amount. Ten
thousand dollars went 10 James O'Kelly,
who
SPENT IT GETTING INTO PARLIAMENT.
AS such use of the ''skirmishing" fund was
never contemplated by auy of the subscrib-
ers, the committee pronounces this transac-
lion "swindle OF the most despicable kind" !"
and brands the men engaged in it as worthy
The scorn OF every decent man." The re-
port says that the persistency with which
Dewey and Breslin have fought every at
tempt at investigating the manner in which
they have used the trust confided in them
clearly shows that they are afraid to have
The light let in on their management of the
fund. Mr.. john ]. Breslin is ch zrged with be-
ing the trustee who acted with Mr.. Devoy in |
having the registered bonds converted into
coupon bonds and expending the money for
other than "skirmishing" purposes. These
Two men, it is held, have squandered upward
Of $4,000. No attempt has been made 10
use the fund to carry out the "skirmishins"
The other FIVE trustees, the
committee ssys, Though not sharing with
Dewey and Rreslin the guilt of criminallY
the fund, cannot be ac-
quilted of negligence in allowing it 10 pass
from under their control into the hands of
two INSCRIPTIONS men who have made such
3 scandalous use of it, and
THEREBY BROUGHT DIscREDIT ON THE IRISH
NAME"
The report was signed by Joseph Cromien,
chairman; Peter Ryan, secretary; Manus
OConnor, Thomas Devers and William J.
ODwyer. Before the report was adopted
Mr.. O'Dwyer stated that in it no notice had
been taken of the sums of money which had
been given TO Trustees Luby, Carroll and
Burke TO gag their mouths and buy their
acquiescence in the conspiracy by which
Ereslin and Dewey were enabled 10 gain con-
rol of the fund The motion, Mr.. O'Dwyer
'aid, was not going 10 rest with the report OF
he committee. 1t would now be taken to
he courts, and justice should be had on De-
Yoy and Breslin in some form.