Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-11-23
MANCHESTER MARTYRS.
Twenty-Fourth Anniversary Of the Hang
ing of Allen, Larkin and O'Brien.

Twenty-four years ago today occurred
the anniversary of the execution OF the
Manchester martyrs. How many OF the
present generation have personal recol-
lection of the daring act for which these
men were murderedf Yet there are few
who have not heard of the story how,
with that indomitable perseverance and
hope characteristic of the Irish race in
their centuried struggle against wrong,
this rescue OF Colonel Kelly and Captain
Deasy, two of the most active of the
agents OF John O'Mahoney, was planned
and carried out i'm the English city Of
Manchester.
In September of 1867 Col. Thomas j.
Kelly left Dnblin to attend a council Of
the Fenian Brotherhood in Manchester
In company with Capt. Deasy he strolled
through the town, and the detectives soon
arrested him as a suspicious character.
Colonel Kelly was one OF the organizers
OF the Fenian invasion of Canada in 1866.
After the failure OF that attempt he went
to Ireland and organized the rising of the
year following, he having supplanted
Stephens In the control Of the national
movement. That rising was another
miserable fiasco, but it had given England
much trouble, and Kelly was man whose
arrest was especially desired. His
identity was disclosed while under arrest,
and the next day, Wednesday, September
is, a formal commitment was made out
against him and his companion.
But the news OF the arrest and the
knn VA aHora hat hot N ~
ted spread quickly over town and the
Fenians Immediately convened and took
steps to rescue the prisoners. About 3
o'clock on the afternoon of the day of
their committal Kelley and Deasy were
transferred from the court to the prison
van under the escort OF twelve policemen.
On the way to Stafford Jail, on the Hyde
Park road, near Bellevue, force picked
from the Fenian circles Of Manchester,
stopped the van and carried of the COM
rades.
Constable Brett, who was inside the
van, relied on the door to withstand all at
tacks and refused to give up the key in
his possession. One Of the Fenians fired
through the keyhole with the intention
of breaking the lock, but Brett happened
to be looking out at the time to ascertain
the strength Of the attacking party and
the ball entered his body, killing him
almost Immediately.
One Of the prisoners handed out the key
through the window. The door OF the van
was unlocked and the two Fenians were
placed in care of a few friends. A crowd
gathered around the little band, but the
prisoners escaped, although five Irishmen
were left as hostages in the hands OF the
police, who were soon upon the scene. The
names OF the captives were William
Philip Allen, Michael Larkin, Michael
O'Brien, Thomas Mcclure and Edward
O'Meagher Condor. They were tried un-
der the same indictment, convicted OF
murder and senten ,ed to be hanged.
reaction OF public sentiment soon set
in and Mcguire was pardoned and Con-
don reprieved. The latter is one of the
prominent Irishmen in New York today,
and was the organizer of the demonstra-
tion held in that city on the day of the
Queens Jubilee to honor the memories OF
"the thousands of the Irish people mur-
dered during the reign of Queen Victoria"
Unprejudiced people can see no reason,
except the satisfaction Of public clamor,
why Allen, Larkin and O'Brien were not
also pardoned or reprieved. They were
tried on the same charge, judged on the
same testimony, and il two were innocent
the other three must also have been guilt
less.
Allen protested his innocence before
judge and jury, and declared that no one
more than he regretted Constable Brett's
death. 81 do not say this for the sake Of
mercy" said he in court. al want no
mercy; an have no mercy; I'll die, as
many thousands have died, for the sake OF
my native land, and in defense of it,"
The five men then stepped back from the
dock, lifted their eyes to heaven and In q
firm voice shouted in unison the words:
"God save Ireland" This scene has been
made the theme of Ireland's national
anthem. The words were written by T.
ID. Sullivan. His name figures often in
the cable dispatches and will live with
this song while the Emerald Isle rests in
the arms OF the Atlantic. Here is the
chorus:
God save Ireland" said these heroes,
God save Ireland" said they all
Whether on the scaffold high,
Or the battle field we die,
Oh, what matter when for Erin dear we fall 90
The morning Of the execution OF Allen,
Larkin and O'Brien, Just twenty four
years ago tomorrow, was cold and foggy.
All precautions had been taken against
rescue, and the Seventy second Highland
ers were drawn around the scafYold with
bayonets fixed. Firm and dauntless as
ever, the three patriots were led to the
scaffold. Nothing i'm their manner be-
trayed the fact that they knew their time
on this earth was limited to few min
utes. They embraced each other tenderly
and quailed not at the hamgman's touch.
Their souls were speedily sent to eternity,
but their name and their fame remained
as inspiration to Irishmen.