Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-06-01
THE CLAN-NA- GAEL.
A NgYBBR0FTHgORDsR TELLS WHAT ITS
MISSION Is


The charges oi conspiracy connecting the
Can-aa-Gssl ,sith the murder of DR.. Gro
min. make some facts regarding that orr
csnzsdou OF peculiar interest A uem-
Der of this society, wto for twenty-five
years past has taken q prominent part 10
Irish aaurs on both sides of the Atlantic
was induced 70 couhde 90 d reporter yes
terday such Information AZ be could a. 20
. The general character of The C.au-ns-Gael
"rh,s Cr0uu murder IS a very uufortu-
nate sfai-." be said and 90 phase Of 10
+ 81 more derl0mble than the unpleasant aud
uudezarved ucioriety brought upon this
great Irish society Most people are aware
. that the Clan na-Gael is AS much a secret
society as the Order of Free Ma ons and,
indeed. has been Condemned ss such hy the
Roman Catholic church. without viola
ting my Obligations ] may tell You that
the Clan numbers nearly 500, 600 members
% The United States, and Is closely afili
ated with a similar. though much smailer
organi zation in Ireland. Every ore Of
those members contribute S. year, Wh'ca
goes go form pretty respectable reyolu-
uorary fund.
"Wbat are it's objects
I'LL ONE OBJECT TO FREE IRELAND
cit has but oue-the independence Of
Ireland. After that fearful hascO-tbe
SteDhens insurrecti0n near Dublin m 1907
and the iruitless invasion OF Can6da-the
Irish revolutionary movement IN this
country split up into several factions, OF
which toe FeDian Brotherhood. the ltisn
Republican Brotherhood aud the United
Irishmen were the most conspicuous.
Presently these factions were combined 10
one organization under the broad Irish
designation Of the Clan-na-Gael. or Family
of the Gael A tIiumvnate representing
the three elements mentioned was selected
IA the central and supreme governing
body. Recognizing the fact that previous
pl,rs had been foiled chiefly through I'M
iue publicity, the strictesl silence and
secrecy were erioined on all "a q cardinal
principle of Gle new society. Its opera
tions were conducted with marvellous
Quiet and caution, considering the SIZE
aud heterogeneous composition of the
I body. and the assumed tendency to lOqua-
I ciousuees in the Irish character"
"What are the relations Of the Clan-Da-
I Gael DO the Parnell movement
"Our attitude toward the so-called Par
I Gameutary home rule campaign is one of
/ absolute neutrality. ASS body We neither
I oppose nor uphold Parnell and his follow
ers. We lcok upon their object at triaing
and their measures and methods a. half
way snd inadequate Nothing less than
I the absolute autonomy Of Ireland as q ma
tior-the falnilment of Emmets dying
bope-will satisfy u.s. The only possible
means % that END are the phy means
of war.
The patient dint aud powder shock
MAJ blast an empire as rock,
I is our guiding idea. sud in carrying on the
war We feel ourselves iosti6ed In ayailing
ourselves 20 the fullest extent Of what Mr.
Gladstone so aptly termed the resources
of civilization.
Then YOU have no utilization with TIE
Irish National Leagut2'
eve have not. There is no tie between
ma bn. the sentimental one Of common
nationality. Still there are many earnest
n,triots among rs wto are also members Of
he league. Taey believe, / suppose, 10
The doctrine of expediency, and that ball
"a loaf is better than no bread. III they
sbonid have any mental aud conscientious
reservations about Rrasping the other nall
when the time comes, they do not deem u
necessary TO proclaim them from the
hou stops
'Do the rules OF che Clan-Ns-Gael sane
ton murder g. u cans OF dispcsing OF IN
formers or other-,'
CRONIN not CONDEMNED TO DIX
That is question my oath does not
permit me 90 answer j will ssy, how
ever. that C-onin was NOT officially con
demued 10 die by ans committee Of the
I Clan Na-Gael. ss some OF the newspapers
+ have so sensationally and circumstantially
reported. Ills death was probably the re-
suit OF personal quarrel, and in no way
connected with the Clan Ma Gsel, though
/ it happened that Cfonin and perhaps his
murderers were members OF the order
Jones Approximations.