Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-27
RIEL'S RECENT REVOLT.
THE NAME OK AWKWARD, THE
BOER, COUPLED WITH 1T.


tsrviews Riel on tho Progress and
Causes of the Uprising.
LONDON, May 16.-The press associa-
ton publishes the following. which it says
was obtained from a reliable source ::
Early in January Alfred Aylwards no.
torioUs in connection with the Boer rebel
lion, arrived in London from New York.
He was extremely reticent in regard to
the objects Of his visit, but on one occa-
sion he told friends at a social gathering
at his lodgings in Piccadilly that be-
/ fore long he would again prove sharp
thorn in the side Of the British Govern
ment. He went 10 Paris and remained
! there a fortnight, staying at the American
Hotel, in the Rue d'AnjOu, and describing
himself as a surgeondentist. He care
/ fully avoided English and Irish haunts,
/ ignoring the Fenian leaders.
4 AT THE BOTTOM OF THE REL REVOLT.
/ Our informant states that Aylward's
visit was connected with RieE5 rebellion
and the furthering OF movement among
the French population OF Canada for sepa-
/ ration from Great Britain; that France
/ encourages the idea directly by organ
lied emigration and intrigue far more
/ than the English or loyal Canadians
realize. The Riel affair was simply an
/ experiment designed to accustOm the
| French Canadians to feel and think rs
! distinct race. About the middle of March
Awkward sailed for New York via Havre.
/ giving his address to London
friend as Jackson street, st. Paul, MINI.
/ After his arrival at st. PAU many officers
/ of the Irish Republican Brotherhood went
| westward, including Capt. Thomas $.
! Mullin, who in the years 1865 and 1866
/ was regarded as Capt. McCaferty's
/ right hand man, and Sergt. Crosby. for
merly Of the Seventeenth United States
! Infantry.
TRAVERsING DAKOTA.
| They traversed Dakota at the head of
/ thirty-siX armed men with three mule
/ teams anG thirty days rations. Mullen
made no secret Of his destination or in
tenti0ns. AYlwards directing hand Is
plainly seen in the fight at BatOuch. Ayl-
ward went to Africa in 1868 because his
| life was endangered by unjust suspicious
/ of the assassination committee of the
/ Irish Republican Brotherhood. In October
/ 1883 Awkward voluntarily presented him
/ SELF Before committee of Rossa's imme-
/ diate supporters and justified himself
/ against the charges Of unfaithfuluess.
A MINISTER'S TALK WITH REL.
WINNIPEG, NAN, May 26.-Rev. Mr..
! PithladO, of this city, was on board the
steamer Northcote when Riel was being
conveyed to Saskatoon. He had some
conversation with the rebel leader and
the following is extracted from a report
Of the trip, which he has given in private
letters. Rev. Pithlado describes Rie as
a cunning, intelligent man. Riel said that
he did not know what the authorities
would do with him. He was forced to
fight, he said, by the mounted police and
Hudson Bay officers. They tyrannzed
over the halt-breeds and abused their
power. "They would take everything
from US except the nose" he said. The
following relates to the fight at BatOuch:
Us not this a bad job for yOuW
yes, very bad, but good Providence
/ has prevented it from being worse. Had
/ the Indians we expected joined us we
would have been much stronger and bet
ter able TO resist"
800 MEN IN THE FIGHT.
GLOW many men had you in the fight ?"
"A60ut 500. / expected an attack on
the north side OF the river, aud left $50
men TO resist 1t on that side. This weak
eDed us on the other side"
! Where were you during the fightW
AT first, when the mist was on the
/ river, | was on the north side, but when
/ the attack was made / went everywhere
among the men, and ailthrough the pits"
"HOW many OF your men were killed~
eight, and two wounded-fatally, |
fear. One was wounded in the breast,
and the other in the abdomen"
"Were the priests friendly to your"
"Ihey were not and they were. They
insisted ON us being submissive to them.
They were against our trying to redress
our own grievances"
TYRANNY OF THE PRIESTS.
Ever since the doctrine of the infalli-
biiity OF the Pope was propouuded they
have been very tyrannical. They did not
wish the people to do anything, but the
priests to do all. If they mad been in
favor Of peace l would have been
with them. They were in favor
of fighting tor the priests but not for the
people. They useda double-edged sword.
They turned the people against them be-
cause they assumed civil functions. They
turned Professionals against them because
they opposed them. The priests seek
power for themselves, not the good of the
people. They are against the Protestants
both politically and religiOusly. They are
against me now, not because l rebelled,
but because l did not succeed in helping
Them"
CLAIMING TO HAVE BEEN FORCED.
Riel further said that the people COM
PEELED him to fight, and would not let him
90 back to Montana. lie was on his way
to give himself up to Gen. Middleton when
captured by the scouts.
Another extract from the conversation
reads:
"Will the Indians 6ght?'
81 don't know. Col. Otters attack on
the Indians prevented them from joining
! us. Had they come as they were expect
/ ed, the fight would have been worse, l
4 had about go OF them With me-"
"Did you Send messengers 10 them over
I the country after the Fish Creek battle?"
Yes, l sent to Qu'Appelle and Battle
/ ford, but not TO Col Garry"
As 20 religion, Rev. Pithlado SAYS that
/ he had several long conversations to-day
with Riel on the subject of his religious
/ views. He seems to be quite. willing to
/ talk. and declares that he is not one with
the Church OF Rome.
RTEL's AIM.
/ He is evidently trying TO create svmpa-
+ thy for himself among the Protcstants
/ His great antipathy 10 priests consists ia
his hatred for their Interference In many
matters. They have too much 10 do with
/ civil affairs. The council at Batouch
I passed religious creed OF doctrines which
f they wished TO teach the people. Rev.
/ Pithlado gave a sketch OF the creed thus
/ promulgated from which It is evident that
/ Iiel hoped 70 gain the support OF all de-
nominations on religious grounds.