The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-05-26
FOR IRELAND'S FREEDOM.
Ex-Treasurer Mckenna of the Robert
Emmett Club Testifes.
He Talks About Dynamite and War
The Secret Cipher-The
Story is Denied.a

''To the outside world the organization
was known as the Robert Emmett Club,
and was ostensibly a social affair. But
on the inside there was an entirely differ
ent arrangement. 1t was then the u.
b. and its objects were to assist in a
secret preparation that is going on to free
Ireland from England by force"
Mr.. Mckenna, eX-T'reasurer of the
Robert Emmett Club, was on the witness
stand in Judge Van Fleets court yester-
day trying to explain how he became
short in his accounts, and incidentally
gave away the secret business of the club.
PROMISED TO DIsGoRGE.
McKenna's term as Treasurer expired
in 1889, and when he turned his books
over TO his successor he was found 10 be
Sl25 short. A committee was appointed
to wait on him, and to this committee he
said some OF the leaves of his books had
been lost and he cot mixed in his ac-
counts. He promised, however, to
square up' as soon as possible. AS
time rolled along and he did not settle,
the club, through its High Priest, Mr..
German, sued McI<enna in Justice De-
vines court and obtained Judgment Bat
Mex emma took the case to the Superior
Court, and that is how he happened to be
there yesterday.
The club members all testified that the
eX-Treasurer had never denied that lie
was defaultGr, and they always eX
pected that he was going to settle. Suit
was not commenced until they were sat
isfied that he had no intention 10 settle
up with them.
TOO SICK TO REMEMBER.
McKenna, when asked on the witness
stand yesterday if he had not confessed
to the Investigating Committee that he
was short in his accounts and had de-
stgoyed portions OF his books, explained
that at the time the committee called on
him he was very i'll with the grippe and
could not remember what he SAID to
them or they to him.
Mckenna then proceeded to give what
he claimed was the true inwardncss" of
the club.
according to his description. instead OF
being a harmless social affair, it is a
species of HibeTnian Matia-with Il stock
OF dynamite in the cellar.
IN its secret councils, said McKenna.
the organization was the ~. b." and
none OF its members were known by
their names-being called by numbers
instead His number was 6. and MIR.
Gormans was 8. The organization had n
I cipher, by which messages were sent and
received TO and from the
GH-MUCK-A-MUCK OFFICIALS
And arch-conspirators in New York.
This cipher was a simple one and was
fully explained to the court For in
stance, XBS" meant wharf.-the letters
used being those mex. 10 the right ones in
| the alphabet. a gigantic, and at the
same time profoundly mysterious and
secret conspiracy was on foot, explained
the cN-TreasurGr, to suddenly snatch
Erin from the grasp Of Queen Victoria,
or if necessary. blow it out of her grasp
with dynamite. There were branches of
this organization all over the United
States. Negotiations were in progress
with foreign nations known TO be hostile
TO England, and some day, when every
thing was ready, the great blow for free
dom would be struck.
MCAenna'S story was considerably
dampened, however, when the rebuttal
! testimony for the prosecution was given
Mir. German and other parties to the
alleged conspiracy declared that they did
not know anything about the mysteries
referred to by Mr.. McKeuna. So far as
| they knew the organization was the Rob
/ ert Emmett Club pure and simpIe-Witb-
| out any Malta" attachment. They did
not know anything about the cipher nor
/ the dynamite, they declared, and they did
not recognize the alleged constitution and
! bylaws Of the gu. B." exhibited by the
/ eX-Tre9surer. Mr.. German said that
money had been sent to New York, but
! it was to help somebody"
| After all the testimony was in Judge
! Van Fleet decided thaS Mckenna owed
! the club SlZ5, and he gave judgment fol
! the organization for that amount Nc
! kenna was also assessed for the costs.