The morning call., 1890-09-07
THE MANCHESTER
MARTYRS.
A Leader in the ARRAY Tells the
Story of the Rescne.
How Brett Was Killed for Doing his Duty-his
Prains Blown Out Because He Would Not
Open the Door of the Van.

notwithstanding the last that he Will
haye-to give to the world detailed ac-
count of the part which he played as
leader of the famous Manchester rescue OF
1867, feat that has been pronounced by
historians the Cnly real success achieved Dy
the Irish Republican Brotherhood. 1t was
in commemoraton of this daring deed that
Timothy ID. Sullivan, member Of Pariia-
ment aud twice Lord Mayor of DUNN
composed that national anthen-flre 10 III
Irish heart-of which the refrain is coucheu
in these words:
.IGod save Irelandr' said the heroes;
GOD save Irelandw said they all:
whether on the scaffod high.
Or the battlefield we die ,.,
Oh, what matter, when for Erin dear we fall"
An exile from his native country for
twenty-three years. James Canil has all
this time kept lis mouth closed. faithful 10
| his principle ana his oath. upon the IhOsI
| essential features of the Manchester hght
Only by the consent and advice of his OLD
friend and compatriot, Arthur NJ. Forester
! OF this city, once man OF great authority
among the Fenians, does Cahll now break
his silence. His statements are sure to re-
kindle interest in this important historical
| event, which except by those persons most
| intimately associated IN 1t has been wen
| nigh forgotten in the hurry and rush OF re-
| cent national affairs. That Cahill gives Inc
| name of the only man who took human
| life in the Manchester encounter is not me
| least salient point i'll his narrative, but the
| kernel of the story aud the statement tiaI
| is most likely 10 excite comment, il not op-
| position, is his declaration that lie himself,
| and no other man, was in
| COMMAND OF THE RESCUING PARTY.
| 1t has generally been supposed that Col
| onel Edward OMeagher Condor, a thaV
| time an American officer, and now in the
civil employ of the United States Govern
ment led that party TO the succOr II Col
| onel Tom Kelly and Captain Tin lraSy.
| Cahlll says this is not SO, and explains why
| it is not.
| In order to present the outlines Of the
| Manchester episode, it is not necessary to
quote James Cahill. The general facts are
| recalled as q preliminary to Cahi.i's REM
! iniscences. On September II, 1867 Iom
| Kelly and Captain Tim Deasy, two
| lrisl-Amercan officers, were arrested IN
Manchester, England, on charge Of high
! treason. 1hey were accused OF being
| FenlanS. On September 18th, as they were
! being taken from court 10 jail prison van'
| they were rescued by a small band Of mem
| beers OF the Irish Republican Brotherhood,
the military organization to which the So
clety OF FenIans was auxiliary. In the en-
counter attending the rescue Sergeant
James Brett, the guard stationed in the
prison van. was killed The principal Of
Tenders escaped. OF those who were cap
tured by the police three were hanged and
| two condemned 10 penal servitude for life.
| Captain Deasy, made their way to the l nited
| States. where as many as survive have
| their homes to-day. On November y, 1861,
| month after the event, Peter Rice, one
| OF the party who came to America with
| James Cahill. declared from public plat
form in New York, at a meeting called by
| his compatrlots, that it was he who killed
Sergeant Brett, the Jail guard. Three men
had already paid with their lives the penalty
OF that act. II Peter Rice told the truth-and
MS statement, never authoritatively den led,
Is corroborated by James Cahill when he
cannot be suspected of telling all untruth-
II Peter Rice told the truth, the English
Government committed an GORGEOUS
uiab - hastily FxecutinE three
men ra ST.. Ish not entirely inno-
cent 0te aiIiy not directly 70
sponsiole Il, S5zf ant BFett's death. From
arthur II eerssiers vino is co7, and
always ha JseD, cogElZant OF rue where
acoulS Of tho Manchester rescuers, it is
iearned tltat Rice died in 1885 at n hospital
IN butlln, His return to Ireland after six
teen years of exile was not noticed by the
i5ritIsn authorities, VINO were probably VIII
Ing to accept rs conclusive the expiatlon al
ready made fo1 the Manchester murder. as
they regarded II, Kice's death Is one Of TIE
reasons for Cahllrs now breaking his
silence, IL is Only lately that he learned it'ee
was gone. Another reason IS me stateAent
made by Michael DaytS under er0ss-ex-
animation in The Pafneii trial, 20 the eftpet
that Cahili was the real leader OF the Man
chester aiIair. These circumstances couI-
hned with his possible death Ia the near
---'Hre and his friend Forresters advice,
prompt
1t is to be noted that Forester although
he took part ia planning the rescue u
Kelly and Deasy, V q confined In kiimain-
ham Jail on the DAY u ,lat event
Here. in effect is what Cahill said 10
Herald man, Ia tbs presence Of Arthur
III. orrester. at the Massachusetts Gem
eral Hospital: "In the year 1867 |
was Sergeant-Major IN the grenadier
ment Of Infantry. For fifteen years had
been in the British service, and ] wore Two
medals won in the Crimean ar i! bad
not engaged In struggle IT, liberty ~ my
native country ! wOuid Eow DC Crineaa
pensiener. As IL Is, | can never be forgiven
by the English Governments: ! was SOL
der, and they never overlook the revolt Of
one Of their soldiers. But Tor this l might
have returned 10 Great Britain.
ION the eve OF the rescue OIL Ioionel
Kelly and Captain Deasy, the Committee OF
Safety of the Brotherhoo completed its ar
rangements. O'Meagher CandOn was Ia "a
iigye vvIJruRnG VI tAe party, out =,
inspire cur confidence; he said tAe tesbao
was impossible, and u was feared that ne
would back ont Il the last moment
egfam was gent 10 Colonel klc burke ~
come and make Condor do his duty, uut ~
did not come. ,
w Htn Tie llNluIuB VI tLt udy aiAi'N'
and the district center, John Neary, gave
his final instructions, he commanded me to
take CondOn's place. This | did. Through
out the fight | led our party. Condor vas
one of the first when the encounter was at
/ its height to run away; and he would have
| retreated sooner had not presented my re-
| yolver at his head and made him remain.
There were about dozen OF US, armed
| and prepared to take the Initiative. Inc
remainder, to the number OF 100 or more
were concealed in brick-yards near by,
| ready to render assistance. The stieets
were crowded with people, as 1t was hoh-
day. Placing ourselves in the path oil tile
| prison van, we awaited its approach. As
the driver saw us in the road, suspect,
ing something was wrong, he whipped
up the horses. but we sprang to theiI
heads, stopped them and fired at the
men ON the seat They were wounded, anu
surrendered. Our friends rushed TO give
aid. We had possession Of the van, but !.
was not open. Condor had been intrnsteu
with the duty of bring hammers and crow
bars to force the door of the van, but he
had lett them behind. We were in guam
dary. Our auxiliaries jumped on the ROOF
OIL the van, and. with heavy stones, tried 70
beat 1t In, but with no result. 1t was made
GETTING THE KEY.
AT this moment when valuable time was
being lost. and it seemed as though our at
tempt would be wretched failure, Peter
Rice mounted the van. Inside the grating
sitting as guard over the prisoners, lie saw
Sergeant James Brett, with the key OF Tue
door in his hand, Open that door, said Rice,
pointing ms revolver at Brett's head. NO,
was Bretts answer. "A second time, said
Klce, command you to open that door,
No. SAID Brett again; 4 will die first
Then said Rice I will give you the sol
dieI's word, and order you to open the door
or Die. 10 which Brett answered: / WI
r At this Rice discharged his revolver, and
, the sergeants blood and brains despatched
i the interior of the van.
! meanwhile the mail prisoners in the van
, were confined in little cells on either side of
) Jail for drunkenness, were free in the cen.
ter between the lows of cells. One OF
these, Emma Holiday. wac commanded by
Rice to selze the seTgeants key and open
: men entered the van and forced open the
cell in which Kelly and Deasy were con-
a | fined, While the rest of ia each with q