Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-06
RossA's EvENTFUL CAREER,
A GrOceryman, a Liquor Dealer, a
Consniratnr. and an Editnr

n Uroceryman' Liquor Dealer q
COnspiratOr, and an Editor
The career of O'Donovan Rosa has
been a checkered one-a life of action
from his early days in County Cork to his
assumption of the leadership of the dyna-
mite band in New York. His name is
jeremiah ODonOgan, and he was called
| O'DOnovan Rosa first to distinguish him
from the other O'Donovans in his native
land. The Rosa, or the ''rusty red, >"
is the clan appellatiOn of the
! clan from whose chieftain O'DOnO-
van is said to be a lineal descendant
His father was small farmer in Ross
Carbery, near Skibbereen, County Cork,
where he was born in 1881. He studied
in the national schools at Skibbereen, to
which place his parents moved while he
was boy. be was apprentice when
about u years old, to a small grocer. and.
having learned the business, he started a
little stand OF his own. Rosa at this
time obtained the position of relieving
officer, position in which he was re-
quired to make distributions to the poor.
and it was charged against him that he
did not do this justly.
In 1886 a society was started in Skib-
bereen called the Phoenix Society. 1t
was simply an open organization in which
Irish literature and politics were dis
cussed. Rosa Joined it, and not long
after James Stephens went over from this
country organizing Fenian societies in
Ireland. He was known as the Chief
Organizer, or the Head Centre. These
societies were organized as the II. r. Bs."
irish Revolutionary Brotherhood. Ste
phens went down to Skibbereen and
turned the Phoenix Society into a Fenian
organization. This society spread all
over counties Cork and Kerry, and Rosa
became a leader among them very soon.
In 1898 the leaders in the society were ar
rested, Rosa among them, and their
trials excited great interest. Lord O'Ha-
gan, who has just died, defended the Fe-
mans. Only one was convicted. how
ever, as change of Ministry came in
who wished to become popular, and the
prisoners were released. Rosa reopened
his store in Sktbbereen, but he was not
successful. In fact. all his business VEN
lures have been failures,
In 1862 Rosa made his first visit to this
country and started liquor store near the
site Of sweeney's Hotel, on Chatham
street. This proving failure, he went
back to ireland, resuming business at his
old home. He became connected with
tenIan organ, the Irish People, published
IN Dublin, and was made its business
manager. On Sept. 10, 1865, the paper was
seized and Rosa and the editors were
thrown into prison. Then began that
series of remarkable trials ending in the
execution Of three men at Manchester.
ROssa insisted on defending himself read
ing files of his paper in the trial. Judge
kehogh was on the bench, and Rosa read
all his fiery invectives against this great
advocate. AS result he was sentenced
to imprisonment for life.
Rosa was taken to the prison at Port
land, where he was in hot water nearly
all the time. He complained of his food
and his treatment. He also sent out let
tiers surreptitiOusly, and for this and
other acts of characterization he was pun
ished at Milbank prison, where he was
also taken at one time. His hands were
tied behind his back for 80 days. He re-
celyed this punishment for throwing
water into a prison governors face
During his first years in prison he would
not work, but when the governors stopped
Furnishing him he became mIlder and
worked at Garning stockings. He was
finally liberated in 1870. a result of the
amnesty meetings.
Rosa then made up his mind to 60
to Newt York with the four well-known
Fenians, Charles w. O'ConneH. John
Dewey, John Mcclure and Henry &. Mil
leda. Great preparations were made to
receive them. When they arrived there
on the Cuba on Jan. 20. 1871, two steam
manned
by Collector Murphy and the other by a
Tammany committee, to meet them. A
big reception was gwen them two days
later. In the fall Rosa, who had been
naturalized on his first trip to this coun-
try, came to the front as Il candidate for
the Senate, running in opposition to
Tweed in the Fourth District. He was
nominated at convention of the Reform
Democracy held at the Vanderbilt House
corner of Hudson and Huberts streets.
Tweeds "heelers' rushed into the meet
ing and turned out the gas, but the re-
formers later succeeded in making their
nominations. Rosa was defeated, how
ever, receiving $685. votes; Miller. an
other candidate, got 2,240, and Tweed
80 14S.
Rossa's life in New York from this time
was one of change. He was an agent for
the White Star Line, at No. 263 Broad
way, for time, and afterward was a
clerk with the GuiOn and National Lines.
Collector Murphy got him a position as
clerk in the custom house for a time. He
afterward ran the Northern Hotel at
COrtlandt and West streets, but he failed in
this. He tried selling liquor in Williams
burg, but the business did not suit him.
About four years ago he started his paper,
the United IriShp1dn. 1t was about this
time that the dynamite movement began
to flourish. Rosa, who had been CONVEX
SAINT with the skirmishing fund, was pet
leader of the dyamiters. His life as an
editor is well known, and the apostle of
dynamite has achieved wide notOrfetv.
At his office were congregated leaders in
the movement, and mysterious and dark
schemes are supposed to have been hatch
ed out there. The last important event
la this noted spot was the stabbing OF
Capt. Phelan.
Rosa has been married three times. By
his first wife ne had four children, one by
his second, and four by his present wife,
who lives with him in Duryea street,
Brooklyn, Eastern district. Her maiden
name was Mary j. Irwin, and she has
con siderable literary ability. While her
husband was in prison she gave readings
through Ireland and Scotland. Rossa.is
much milder man than is generally sup
posed. His home life is pleasant, and in
conversation he is an agreeable talker,
and not a ranter.