The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-30
IRISH PIXIES.
Formidable Weapons Being Made IN Min

neapols for an Emergency,
The st. Paul Globe Of Wednesday
says:
What may prove to be very sensa
tional discovery was made in Minneap
oils yesterday by a Globe reporter, ane
its bearing on the joint question Of co
ercion in Ireland and a second uprising
in the Northwest territories, may be I
most important one. Il her majesty
Queen Victoria, should succeed II
forcing upon Ireland the harsh and co
erciye measures snggesi ed by her re-
cent speech to Parliament, the eyes Of
the civilized world may be directed te
scenes in which Minneapolis will haYe
played a star part. Taken in connec-
ton with the presence of William I'll
Jackson, secretary OF Louis Rel, the
revelations made yesterday have q
startling significance, and certain
prominent Irishmen, to whom the facts
which follow ars not new, conceded the
tiuJH SI UtIC SGGtC1ACltS EAdCuO d!lO
smiled grlmly in the concession.
Yesterday morning a mechanic en-
tered an office on Washington avenue,
and upon a table placed a package
which. gave out a metallic ring. Re
moving thu paper which inclosed it, he
displayed the steel head Of an Irish
pike and exhibited it with a degree OF
satisfaction, amounting to pride. The
astonished friend demanded what it
was and to what use it was to be put,
and the answer was:
That ls a sample of the Irish pixies
now being made i'll Minneapolis for use
in the event of a second uprising next
spring in the Northwest Territories z
Then to his astonished nearer he re-
lated the following: This pike is one
made as an experiment and in certain
events is to be used in arming the
Metis in case it becomes necessary to
draw the attention of Canada to her
western borders in order to distract it
from scenes over the water What do
/ mean Il mean that ii coercion in
Ireland is resorJed to the next uprising
in the Northwest will be by men thor
oughly armed with these pixies. They
are now being made in Minneapolis and
could be put to that purpose. While
lrishmen feel very kindly toward the
Canadian government, that portion
known as the Irreconciliables and Fee
mans would give considerable trouble,
partly Because of their sympathy for
the Metis aud partly because Canada is
an English dependency. And armed
with these pixies Middleton and his
tesas,Ees sgill ffiSte he arthRast forces
foemen worthy Of their STEEL
This much Of the conversation was
learned by a Globe reporter, who could
not, by the most dilligent search, learn
anything further of the manu-
facture of the pixies, except
that he found Irishmen who had seen
one or two of them and had an linking
of the secret, if such it is. 1t was
learned, in conversation with a promi
nent member Of the league, chat w. Fl
Jackson went to Chicago at the time OF
the meeting, on January 20, of the ex-
ecutive committee of the league, land
if there is any significance in that" he
added, You may draw your own con-
clusions." This member had exhibited
no surprise when told of the mannfac.
ture OF the pixies, and blandly said he
had seen one. and it was a formidable
weapon But all efforts to obtain a
clue to the location Of the factory or the
names of those engaged in the work
were fruitless A refusal was also made
to divulge the Washington avenue store
in which the pike was exhibited. There
was no objection on any side to the
publication of the few facts CLEANED,
but a search far into the night failed to
elicit any further information, and the
story is given just as it was related and
at it's face value. The formidable
weapon referred to is the Irish pike,
used with such deadly effect by the
Irish insurgents against the British
soldiery in the days of '9Sh The one
seen yesterday is described as resem-
bling saber bayonet. but broader,
stronger and double. edged. On one
side Of where the hilt would come is a
sharp pointsix inches long, and on the
other a razor edged hook, much like a
large pruning hook. The main blade is
nearly two feet long and ends in sock
ct, in which is fixed the pole or shaft,
ten feet In length. 1t is made of the
best quality of steel The pike has
been of principal service in receiving a
cavalry charge, the long pole enabling
the wielder to thrust before the rider
comes within sabre distance, while the
hook sewers the bride in the first en-
counter The speaker was of the opin-
ion the weapon would dc effective SER
vice in the warfare of the Northwest
and we'll armed body would be certain
victors in hand to-hand encounter, OIL
upon ground of such character as t1
render the Calling gun unavailable
The pike would not be the only nipple
ment of warware used by the half
breeds and their Irish auxiliaries. They
would have repeating rifles and revol.
vers, with belts around the waist con
tanning several hundred rounds of am
munition. The pike would supersedt
the sword and prove a more effective
weapon in the hands of the rebels
Even cavalry could use it and find il
more destructive than the lance.