Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-02-03

him, as the dynamite out-sges could be con-
stracted as acts of war OF a rebellious people
Mr. Poland's notification TO the court that
the government would reserve the privilege
OF changing the charge against Cunningham
for the present from one OF conspiracy to one
Of high treason, so that the result of convic-
ton might be execution instead of imprison-
ment. provided for under the explosive act,
caused a commotion among the spectators
The defamation Was AT once constructed into
the admission that the crown had ascertsined
that in Cunningham they had the most i'm
portsut prisoner yet arrested for dynamite
crimes. The impression was confirmed by
the extraordinary precautions taken by the
government TO prevent Cunninghsm's es-
cape or rescue. He was conveyed from his
cell in Clerkenwell prison to Bow street court
in strong van.
Cunningham was the only prisoner within
the van, but there were locked in with him
several armed constables. On each side of
the driver was an armed policeman, and Off
GERS with exposed revolvers stood guard upon
the steps leading TO the vans barred door.
The conveyance WAS driven slowly in order
to allow its armed police escort to keep
alongside and to enable the detectives who
followed to be near in the case eff emergency
Continuing his opening address, the solici-
tor tor the treasury said that Cunningham
was but 22 years of age and not IS, as he at
first claimed. By occupation he was a dock
iaborer. he was not alone in causing the
explosion in the Tower of London, but was
in league with others whom the government
hoped soon to have in custody The prisoner
had lived in the United States for several
years. He arrived in England last Novem-
Der. He came aboard the steamship Adriatic
and landed in Liverpool 1t will be shown
that the prisoner began lettering around the
Tower after his removal from Prescott street
ard that he passed in and visited the Tower
building few days before the explosion, at
least once.
Cunningham was remanded for week and
removed to his cell in Clerkenwell prison.
In concluding his address Mr.. Poland
called attention TO the conduct of Cunning
ham on the day of the explosion in the Tower.
He was the only one of the visitors examined
who was nervous and unable to give salts
factory account of himself He had been
seen acting suspiciously in the armory OF the
Tower, where it would be proven by the
evidence that Cunningham deposited the
dynamite and lighted the fuse.
Almost every step of Cunninghams career
in London, as traced by detectives, led to the
conviction that the prisoner is one of the
principal criminals in that days outrages.
Poland exhibited the delonator instrument
used in exploding dynamite, found in the
prisoners luggage and which was similar to
those found near the scenes of other eXplo-
sions.
Poland concluded by saying that one of the
worst features of the panic was found in the
fact that the employees in England were
discharging all employees of Irish birth, and
gave several instances of this. Cunningham
was remanded, and even his counsel was not
allowed to converse with him without written
permission of the home secretary.