The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-11
O'DONNELL's CASE.

DUNN Ellis ChSE'
The appeal to come to the rescue of
O'Donnell, the murderer of Carey, is weak
ened by inconsistencies. When the deed
was done, the friends of Ireland were re-
joiced that another patriot had been found
bold enough to avenge her wrongs. The
daring of the man so imbued with love for
his fellow-countrymen that he heroically
rsked his life in order to slay the betrayer
of Irish patriots challenged admiration
among all lovers of liberty the world over
While many condemned the method, few
could be found in America to say much
against O'Donnell and no one incurred
the cowardly Carey. The doughty O'Dono-
van Rossas were jubilant that the utter
most parts of the earth could not
conceal an "informer" from the wrath of an
outraged people, and at once appealed for
funds to afford legal aid to the newly-discov
cred hero to save him from the consequences
Of political crime against the British gov
eminent. The desired money was forthcom-
ing. of course, for nobody in distress has
ever appealed in vain to American generos-
ty. 1t would have been heroic, worthy a
place in history, had ODonnell been half
the man he was pictured by those who ran
to his rescue. 1t would have been striking
to have seen him stand boldly forth in
court, in the very midst of London,
and fearlessly proclaim that he was indeed
man who dared kill the enemy Of his people.
Nobody but would have admired him had
he been patriotic enough to say: 81 am the
man; 1 did the deed, and l will abide by the
consequences" 1t would have been a gra-
cious thing to discover man not only bold
enough to Stay but brave enough to die, if
needs be, the acknowledged friend of Ire
land. But the opportunity was lost. Instead
of manifesting the moral heroism that char
acterizes liberty-loving pa. lots in all ages,
the man O'Donnell was weak enough to
waver, and finally, like a craven, put
in the pitiful plea of self-defense.
Strange Inconsistency that it was, his abet-
tors saw no reason for abandoning him, and
still insisted that he was a patriot forsoothl
because he killed q man who would have
killed him. The pitiful farce was kept up in
spite of the tragedy being pla yed by the
prosecution. The end might have been
guessed from the beginning. Not that the
conrt was prejudiced but for the stronger
reason that it was trying man for political
assassination, who pleaded self-defense, yet
| 1, At ,lot
the prosecution charged. The Finertys of
America would not let the case stand on its
merits as stated by the attorneys for defense,
| but fool like, must insist that ODonnell
was political offender rather than simply
man who shed blood to save his own. 1t is
no marvel that the jury pronounced him
guilty. 1t could not do otherwise without
stutifying itself and finging palpable evil
dence to the winds. The self-apponted
friends of the defendant rushed him into
trap. Even admitting the plea of self-de-
Tense as a good one, how long would it
stand in face of a concerted howl of joy
over his deed as one conceived
in patriotism and thoroughly under
stood from the very moment the
doomed manleft his cell in Dublin. ODono-
van Rosa, in New York, knew" all about
it, or pretended he did. Others were thor
oughly satisfied as to the melting cause, and
grand "hurra' was made to raise a defense
fund. In other words, conviction was made
| imperative.
What may with reason be regarded as'the
true merits of the case were again made APP
parent at the close of the trial, when the
assumed mask of selfdefense was dropped,
as no longer available and the man
ODonnell again became the champion of
| the Irish cause, raving like a mailman
and cursing like drab. The sentence of the
court was then vindicated by the accused
himself. The theory of self-defense was
shown TO be a sham, and the ire of the con-
demned man was such that he betrayed his
animus before court and jury and before the
world.
The true friends of Ireland must regret
that such potroons as O Donovan Rosa, such
moral towards as O'Donnell and such sneak
ing assassns as those who struck down I'M
armed men in Phoenix Park, should presume
to represent the cause of decent, self-respect-
ing people The men of Ireland are
not cut-throats and assassins; the
women of that unhappy country are not
viragos and blood thirsty meters to unli-
censed violence The better classes of that
unhappy island are as much unlike the fell
lows who lurk at midnight for victims as
are the Quakers of Pennsylvania unlike the
bulldozers of Louisiana The cause of the
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