The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-18
A PAGE OF ENGLISH HISTORY
An 0ld-Time Fenian Tells of the Plot to
Kidnap the Prince of Wales.
The Cause and Object of the Proposed Kid
naping-The Conspiracy Thwarted by
the Explosions at ClerkenwelI.

An sold-time" Fenian, who is now in business
in Chicago, has been in New York few days on
the affairs of his firm A Herald reporter hear
ing that he could tell little bit of history. if he
would, obtained an introduction to him, and yes
terday drew his attention to the man Magee,
who has pleaded guilty" to an attempt to black
mail the Prince of Wales, on the pretense that
his Royal Highnesss life was threatened. Grad
ually the subject uppermost in the reporters
mind was approached. and this old reyolutionist
was asked if he would give sketch of the Fe-
man attempt to kidnap the Prince of Wales
some years ago.
''Oh, that little affair."" said he laughing; 'that
was in 1867, and had almost forgotten all about
It, Well, / am not in that business now-Par-
nell has monopolzed it; I mean the agitation
business-and don't mind telling you. as it is
very ancient history. Only four men know of
1t besides myself. 1t was welllaid plot, and
had 1t been carried out would have created
sensation in the world-more even than the kill
ing of king. The Clerkenwen explosion, how
ever, spoiled it. because it brought to the sur
face some informers who had knowledge enough
TIC put the police on the track of the men who
were guiding the Fenian movement In England
1.-THE four other men who were in this scheme
never fell into the hands of the police they were
too smart for the conceited English detectives
One of them was wheelwright, born in Dublin
with face the very counterpart of that of Ma
poleou Bonaparte He a smart brainy
young man, and was the trusted lieutenant of
James Stephens. Another was cork-cutter
who had served in the Tenth Hussars the Prince
of Wales's regiment-in fact in several other reg
iments--and deserted from atEem all. and at the
outbreak of the civil war in this
country came here, landing in his
hussar uniform, and Immediately enlist
ed in the Union army. He joined a light
cavalry regiment corps by his dash and gallant
war, in 1864 went to Ireland to take part in the
contemplated rising. Ha was the man who shot
Colonel Awkward, subsequently the leader of the
Beers, on the banks of the Royal canal, in Dub
lin. installing him one dark night for an in
former Awkward acted nobly under the circum-
stances. This soldier of fortune had face
gulltless of hair, was one of the quietest looking
men you ever saw, but nevertheless was a terror
he had shot don't know how many intormers
and policemen.
man, ready at any moment to lay down his life
for the good of the cause. He had soldiers in
stinct and never inquired the reason for any
thing he was required to do The handspring of
the plot was a remarkable man, who had trav-
eled all over the world He full of courage
and daring, and fertile in resource. His namo
is we'll known. In a subsequent Irish movement
he has achieved reputation as successful or
ganizer, and as a man who can play with alleged
leaders just as an expert biliardist can with the
ivory balls
1.-THE cause and the object of this KIDNAPPING
scheme were these: The Fenian organ the Irish
People, had just been seized by the government
Its editors and pubishers-O'Leary, Luby,
Rosa and others-Burke, Dewey, John Boyle
ORely Costello, Warren and host of other
well-known Irish patriots, had been sentenced to
long terms of penal servitude. We wanted these
men released at once by hook or by crook l
and the successful organizer, whom / will call
No. A. talked the matter over, and No. hit upon
the scheme of seizing the Prince of Wales some
night while leaving one of his haunts and hold
ing him as hostage until the government re-
leased our friends.
perhaps at no time has the Prince been so
popular with the people as at the period speak
of, and we felt confident that his mothers fears
and the love Of the people would prevail with
the crown officers and compel them to grant our
demand. We we'll knew that the officials cared
less about the Prince than about the 'upholding
of the majesty of the law but we relied upon
the two forces | have mentioned to gain our
object.
1--WE did not underestimate what we would
have to contend with. We quite understood the
hue and cry that would DO raised, the lavish ex-
penditure of money and the employment of the
keenest intellect and the best talent in discover
ing the whereabouts of the Prince. But we drew
our plans accordingly. Our own safety and the
absolute success of the plot depended upon keep
five men engaged in the scheme. On this account
it was hard to get all the money necessary. We
could not expect much from the Central
Council. because they would want to
know, you know We managed however, to
scrape together sufficient to carry us through.
The wheelwright, who had been working at his
trade with an Irish Nationalist rented small
house and shop in the busiest part of one of the
suburbs. Had we gone to quiet place the ad-
vent and movements of strangers would have
hoa nfaHk fha ncc1n Of fhn ;~hh onl
The ex -hussar and the Kerryman were both
handy men, and were supposed to be the wheel
wrght's assistants The wheelwright was mar
ried and had one little child. His wife was
model woman. She never asked any questions
She knew only that her, husband was An active
Fenian, was devoted to him and silently obeyed
him.
ut was in this house that the Prince was to be
imprisoned, and it was our intention to furnish
the two apartments designed for him in the
most luxurious manner possible under the cir
cumstances. He would have had the best of
wine food and cigars at his disposal, and if the
cooking, excellent culsiniere though the wheel
wrlghts wife was, would not be co. i to what
the heir apparent was accustomed to, still he
would have found it not so very unpalatable
He would have had all the periodicals he
wanted and some good books The minutest de-
tails were thought of. We contemplated getting
him before his capture good stock of linen
Had he cared to play cards or chess with his
jailers he could have been accommodated But
the most serious discomfort to him would have
been the lack of exercise. We could afford to
give him exercise only III the halls and at night
He would have been treated with the utmost
respect, and were he to attempt to escape or
struggle with his custodians no more force would
be used to restrain him than was necessary Our
idea was to show, in the event of success, that
Fenians were not the rufians the London press
asserted they were.
''As soon as the capture was effected was to
start for Paris, see one of the members of the
Fenian Directory, tell him what had been done,
but without giving him any idea as to the loca-
ton of the prison. The Central Council would
then negotiate for an exchange of prisoners To
prevent the possibility of q clew being obtained,
was to hold no further communication with any
of the directors. MY business then was the
manufacture of rumors to the safety or danger
and the location of the Prince. just as circum-
stances might dictate Our first idea would
be to convey the impression that the Prince had