The Northwestern standard., 1886-02-20
AN HONEST TRIB U E.

AIN HUMEDl ]. hlbUlL
A Faithful Estimate Of the Great
Leader by a Friend Of Ireland
and an Englishman.
He Relates Visit to Kilmainham
Jail in l88lHow He was Impressed
with the Pale, Calm Man.
The following interesting estimate OF
Mr. Parnell is taken from paper con-
tributed to the Wallsall Observer, by
Mr.. w. Ell. Duignan, an Englishman
who has on many occasions proved
himself to be warm friend OF Ireland: !:
Mr.. Parnell is staying here Morri-
sons HoteI, but see little of him, and
that little one at night, when he comes
in late and walks upstairs to bed, with
so jaded and contemplative an air that
say nothing to him. In November,
1881, I visited him in Kilmainham Jail,
by leave Of Capt. Barlow, the head Of
the Irish prison board Kilmainham is
an oldfashioned gloomy pile of gloomy
walls about two miles from Dublin;
sentinels were posted all round it. On
presentation Of the order ! was con-
Quoted to a small waiting room, well
furnished with stout constables and
weapons of war. The suspect could
only see one FREUD per day, the visit
was limited to fifteen minutes, must be
made in the company of two Warders,
and politics were prohibited I was
taken to a dark yaulted room, fairly
furnished, with strongly barred win
dow looking upon small damp court
yard, buried in lofty walls.
This was the recreation ground as
signed to Mr.. Parnell and his friends,
and where they were allowed to disport
themselves for six hours out of the
weary twenty-four. / asked Que of the
warders if the sunshine ever reached to
the bottom OF that we'll, meaning the
courtyard. He said yes, he thought be
had seen it there once or twice. Isug-
gested that might be in June or July,
and he thought it was. Mr.. John Dill
lon, M F., was then brought to me,
afterwards DR.. Kenny, now M. 2. for
South Cork, and then Mr.. Parnell, each
Our conversation was limit
ed to personal matters, the slightest
reference to public affairs being
promptly, butvery politely, resented by
the warders.
l wished Mr.. Parnell to read a letter
l had from an eminent, politician but
it had first to be submitted to the gov
ernor aud initiated by him. MIR. Par
nell was attired in bright-colored dres-
sing gown and smoking cap; he looked
pale, but calm as Daniel in the lions
den; he complained Of rheumatism,
caused by the cold and damp of tue
prison, but said everybody was person
ally kind to him, and he had no griey-
he added, 1.-THE factof be-
ing here.'' His cell was Of the common
kind, about fourteen feet long, eight
feet wide and twelve feet high, dimly
lighted by semi-circular heavy iron
window at the top; there was no fire.
place, but it was warmed by iron pipes,
which caused sickly and oppressive
atmosphere.
The suspects who could afford it were
gracefully allowed to feed themselves,
but the drinking permitted was infni-
tesimal--not exceeding one pint of beer,
or half pint Of Wine per pay. They
were confined to their cells for eighteen
hours daily, and, as the gas was turned
off at 8 p. M, eleven of these were
passed in darkness. The cells, during
daylight, were too gloomy to read in,
except on a very bright day, and the
eyesight Of some of the suspects became
seriously affected. Atouching regard for
their mental and social improvementwas
displayed by the government in the Sc
lection of literature. Books and news
papers "not, in the opinion of the gov
ernor, of an Objectionable kind were
allowed to be read, and letters inspect
ed aud approved by him were permitted
to be written and received. was not
aware, at the time, that all county
newspapers were regarded by the gov
ernment as objectionable, and Lon
don newspapers only as loyal SO (
conidingly sent to my imprisoned
friends verbus numbers of the Birming-
ham Daily Post and Walsall Observer
which I thought would interest them,
but they were all confiscated.
Underneath Mr.. Parnell's window
which looked upon the fosse surround
ing that side of the Jail, was rude sem
trybox, in which one man was stationed
By day and two men by night, and in
the effort to keep themselves warm. I
was subsequently, told, particularly dis
tasteful to Mr.. Parnell. As my order
requested the governor to show me
every part of the prison, 1 went all over
it, and was conducted by the governor
in person. He was a courteous gentle
man; whether oppressed By the respon-
sihilities and cares of Office knew not.
but he had worried and worn express
ion. The Jail was full of suspects, in-
cluding Mr.. Sexton, III. p, Mr. O'Kelly.
NJ. r., and several other gentlemen who
are now IN parliament. I do notsuppose