Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1890-09-28
MADE THEM LAUGH.
IRISH NATIONALISTS ON TRIAL PROTEST
AGAINST MAGISTRATE SHANNON
Sitting in Judgement on the Charges Preferred By
the Governmsnt-His Reply Causes Great
Hilauty in the Ranks Of the Defend
ants-Sensational Scene.

DUBLIN, September 25-There is no
abatement of interest in the trial of the
conspiracy cases against the Nationalist
leaders now in progress at Tipperary The
proceedings yesterday created a very gen
eral impression that the government was
deliberately trying TO prOlong the tria, as
far as possible The adjournment took
place yesterday afternoon before Mr..
Roman, the crown prosecutor, had finished
his opening speech The speech was con-
cluded this morning. II was the desire of
the crown prosecutor that the cases should
be tried separately, and the magistrates
were at first inclined 10 consider this the
proper course. To this the defendants
unitedly objected urging the court TO hear
all the cases at once The magistrates az
last yielded to the persistence of the de
defendants and decided in favor of the
collective hearing Mr. Roman was eyi-
IDENTIFY disappointed and was reluctant 20
accept it.
a SENSATIONAL FEATURE.
The sensational feature Of the morning
was 4 renewed attack by the defendants
on Magistrate Shannon twill be remem-
bercd that on Thursday both John Dillon
and William O'Brien protested against
Shannon's sitting in the case, and gave
reasons why they thought he might be
biased in his judgments where they were
concerned. The peremptory manner in
which these protests were decided as of no
weight was very eXasperatng 10
J the Nationalist. They decided after care
/ full consultation 10 bring before the court
their objections TO Mr. Shannon In a more
formal way. They prepared with much
care a statement of the reasons why the de
| PENDANTS seyerally and collectively objected
/ to being brought before the magistrate This
Of
Wit, TO which each of the defendants affixed
/ his signature and took oath. This affidavit
the defendants took in the Court this morn
/ ing and when a favorable moment came
attempted to present it TO the Bench. The
NatiOnalists, who were in the secret were
on the alert TO see what the effect Of their
bombshell would be. The magstrates
who had received no intimation of the de-
PENDANTS purpose, were taken completely
/ by surprise. As soon as they understood
the nature of the document they peremD-
torily declined 10 receive il.
1T MADE THEM LAUGH
Instantly Mr. Roman, counsel for the
Crown, was on his feet, denOuncing the
action of the defendants. 10 was difficult
he declared, to find language strong enough
TO tittngly characterize IT, The document
they had sought to present TO the magis
trates was an infamous libel on Mr.. shan
non. Mr.. Shannon himself pronounced the
affidavit, IAN attempt 10 make a scandal
of justice" This expression was greeted
/ by the defendants with roars of hilarious
laughter, which was not easily checked
despite the rcbuke OF the bench. When
the preliminary matters were disposed of
and the time had come for the taking OF
testimony TO begin, IL was found that two
of the defendants were not in the court
A short recess was thereupon taken %
give time for the absent ones TO be- sum-
moued.
1t was subsequently decided 20 adjourn
I the case until Monday, without taking amy
testimony.