The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-15
The Murder Of o,DonneM.

1t will be remembered that after being
brought to England O'Donnell had the
greatest difficulty in procuring an inter
view with counsel. Every obstacle was
placed in his way to prevent him having
such an interview, and it was only after
great efforts that Solicitor Guy at length
succeeded in seeing him, when about to
be brought from his prison cell into court
for examination.
If there had been any intention on
the part of the government of England
to accord the prisoner anything like fair
play, his request to see counsel would
have been complied with instantly. But
there was no such intention. He had
been brought to London to be hanged.
His prosecutors thought they might wiring
from him some admission before he saw
his lawyer which could be used against
him in the trial, and for that reason they
deferred granting his request to see his
legal adviser. When they could no
longer with any show of decency persist
in refusing him a privilege that would
have been promptly granted TO the worst
criminal that ever stood in an English
dock, they went to work systematically
to so fix things that the best legal talent
would have been Of little avail to ODon-
nell.
The English press, led on by the Lon
don Times, began to howl for ODonnelPs
blood. Indeed, the London Times de-
clared long before the trial that he must
be found guilty. 1t told its readers, in
so MANY words, that the best interests OF
the English government demanded that
he should be hanged, and it intimated
that any English jury that would acqult
him would be wanting in their duty to
their country.
OF the trial itself, it is unnecessary for
us to speak. In another part of the
paper we place before our readers de-
tailed account of the means employed tc
secure that verdict, which the London
Times, weeks before declared necessary
to properly maintain that most important
prop of English rule in Ireland-the
Informer. Every one reading these de
tails will, we are sure, agree with us
when we say that the conduct of the
presiding Judge was such as to make the
trial an infamous one.
.Denman's anxiety to impress upon tht
minds of the jury the necessity. to bring
lin a verdict of guilty made him forge
that in his legal farce he had been as
s,gned the part'of an unbiased judge. l
Re had been better actor he woult
have tried to play his role to the end
but too much of partisan to be sue
cessful actor, he forgot his instructions
and in an unguarded moment thre7
aside all disguise and stood forth befor
the world as the prosecutor of the maj
he was supposed to be trying This Wa
blunder on his part stamps him
a bungler as well as murderer.
We know that using the word "mul
derer" in connection with Denman'
name may seem to some to be yer
t strong language. But in applying thl
5 term to the man who presided yover tn
judicial farce that has been just enacte
: in Bow street, we are not carried ava
]. by our feelings. We deliberately afhrr
r that if O'Donnell dies on the scatfol'
Denman will be his murderer.
8 No man in whose veins flows Iris
E E blood can contemplate that final seen
E when O'Donnell was dragged from tt
courtroom, and not feel a quickenlng
n the pulse. The noble fellow, girde
!, !, round as he was by enemies, new
). quailed for single moment. His Ia
words Of defiance, unprecedented
5, they were, will find . lodgment in Il