The sun., 1885-08-16
! PAGE IN IRISH HISTORY.
v oxyoY DI<cLOsEs zBE SECRET
SVns ,,Sry srEPHENS'S ESCAPE

,ryoY DT<CLOsEs TBE SECRET
"c q, Jlxsy srEPHENss ESCAPE
go. or tie Fa'rieis whs Tsss sseIr Lives
s.,.tr Hssds-Jahn nrestia the orissns-
81 a.. rian- II ow u was Carried Ost.
-. rur EDITOR OF The Sun Sir: Mr.. John
.,no, nv IN a .reech delivered in Dublin recently
"S.h,lf of a testimonial fund for James
~ sss.sh.ns said that but for this Fenian chief
ps' W ,hs movement which he led the Land
s's.ns ~ would have been impossible. No man
Esh.. made a careful study OF contemporary
w. nolitics can have any doubt as to the
n ..s ~ this assertion. Fenianism was the
N.s,,sor ~ and the parent OF the movement
es,.h AT present dominates Ireland. just as the
snn.nr,cy led by stcphens and O'Mahony was
- Mid and successor OF the Young Ireland
Ns,,.,ne. Wv Every Irish effort for the attainment
:, .sli. government. whether 1t be peaceful.
81 and constitutional" like CConnelrs
~ psrnell's. or revolutionary and appealingto
..s s.... ,ts those OF the United Irishmen and
~ ~. vsnisns, is only q phase OF the struggle
.N.,ue.thed from bleeding sire to son."
-s,,h has been continued in one form or an
s.Nsr slnoe strongbow and his band OF mailed
s...hooter, landed on the shores OF Erin In
,,so II tho Irish burn like chips" as has
-, .aId by well-known American reformer.
! h strsngo that the work Of Quenching tho
s,ss Of liberty In the island has taxed tho abil-
n, Al Enalsnds greatest statesmen and sol-
si.rs for seven centuries. and that to-day they
-. burning with fisrceness that gives proof
y unirnpared vitality. Augustine Thierry
"a 40 struck with the stubborn tenacity with
vhicb the Irish have clung to the idea OF ma
Hoosl Independence that he pronounced 1t In
N Norman Conquest" the most remark
he example ever given by any people,"
Now that the attention OF tho Civilized world
n axed on Ireland. and that frequent refer
,sess are made by public speakers and writer's
n the man recently expelled from France By
Ia Ferry Cabinet. an authentic account OF the
most remarkable episode In his life will be OF
lstsrest to American readers. Thousands OF
irshmen still believe that the Fenian chief was
usased with the connivance Of the British
Government The late A. NJ. Sullivan. although
sorrected in public letter By tho principal &C.
br In restoring the captive to freedom. says
sven in the last edition Of his New Ireland"
that Mr.. Stephens made his exit through the
iront door Of tho prison. Many miles OF rope
have been sold at Fenian fairs on this side OF
Ina Atlantic as pieces OF the sacred cord by
which the G. o. I. r. crossed the outer wall.
last hut not least. the British Government
has never done justice to the Portuguese Gov
amor. Marques. whom the Castle officials dis
m,sssd for alleged criminal negligence In oon-
psction with the escape.
THE ARREST OF STEPHENS.
The principal actors in the affair are all now
Ia this city. Five OF those who took part in it
srs dead. Another ono is In Australia. and
two only are still living in ireland. so that there
h no longer any reason for ooncealing the
facts, They will serve to illustrate both the
strength and tho weakness Of Fenian!sm. its
poVer OF commanding sacrifices from large
portion OF the people. including men in the
psrvice OF the Government. and its utter power
h Of resources for the physical struggle with
England which was the object OF its existence.
James Stephens was at that time unoues-
honably the most popular and powerful man
In Ireland. He was hated by the loyalists as
no man had been hated since the days Of Daniel
O'Conne and II his influence over the masscs
vas considerably less than that OF the great
class Of the people. His will was law to an or
Hanization mum bering fully So. QUO men, The
Irish 10 America regarded him as the pre-
The movement inaugurnted BY Stephens
nrst attracted outside attention on the seizure
Of It's organ. the Irish People, In September.
Of the leader some weeks later. The arrest ol
Eephens. Hickman Duty; and BrSphy OF
1entxry evidence found there were naturally
Sgarded by the Castle as the death blow Of the
sonspraoy. Itsprsad dismay among the rank
snd Ale OF the 81 Fenians rs While this feeling % was
sould not help recognizing tho fact that thsir
iollowers were much discouraged by the blow.
They went on with their preparations. how.
convinced that. had Mr.. Stephens remained IN
prison IN inSurrection Of o much more serious
ssn hs M Esa Eaua SO Sasksn sasy
Stephens. on being brought before the mngis
trate for preliminary examination. made de-
puS beeve SS bacIss by
resources. He was credited with ontertainins
aconfdence OF ultimate success which. unles!
really felt. A few days later every one was sat
ished that he knew all ABOUT the escape which
afterward took place. and that this knowledge
since encouraged this belief. but tho simpl,
truth is 1t was utterly without foundation. Mr.
Stephens at that time knew nothing wtntevel
not yet entered the mind OF the man who after
ward conceived ard executed the plan whici
restored the Chief Organizer to liberty.
THE MEN WHO TOOK THEIR LIVES IN THEIR HANDS
Here are the facts: Among the officers OF tn.
aud Daniel Byrne. one OF the Two nigh
watchmen. Both are now residents o
this city; Byrne being, on the poiic'
force aud Breslin in Commissioner Colemani
department Byrne was a member Of tn
fenian o'gsnization. having been sworn In b.
Capt John Kerwan. tho ex-Papal zouave. no,
also OF this city. but Brcsliu. although mai
Of strong nationalist opinions. did not belonl
10 any organization. All his brothers. however
were Fenians. Ono O! them. who has sine
Deen Vice. President of the Land League In thi
CITY. WAS at that time an ectng Inspector o
me Dublin poli"e and clerk IN the Superin
tendent's office. a station which enabled him t
tors, Learning from conversation with on
oi his brothers TINT the arrest nf Stephens " q
regarded By the Fenians ms serious blow. an
having been favorabiy impressed by some con
ver,ation with and observation Of the man him
eef In prison. John Bresiin determined to sc
him at liberty. Through his brother Neal b
GOT into communication with Col. Thomas
Kelly. now Of the New York Custom Houst
whose rescue by nm armed band OF Fe
mans In the streets OF Manchester tw
years aithrward led to the hanging c
Allen. Larkin. and O'Brien. Kelly had almor
from the seizure Of the L;sh People newspaper
Two months before. heen the actual manager @
Tue movement. aith0ugh everything WAS don
i1 the name OF the C. O. !. II. After the arres
oiSicphens Gen. F. +. Millen had been eiects
70 nil his pl acs temporarily. and Kelly. who va
not favorable 70 the new appointment, eaxrrl
grasped at Breslin's proposal to release tn
Chief whom all would recognize. Kelly was
man Of great Intelligence and force OF charuc
Yer. who had resided many years In The Unite
States. hal served through q portion Of tn
civil war, had risen to the rank of Cnptain h
IN OHIO regiment. and had been on the staff q