The Irish standard., 1891-10-17

B
ment here grew eventually 70 large
dimensions New York CITY was the
headquarters Of the movement here.
The central offices were in the oele-
brated marble mansion in Union Square.
Money poured into the Golfers Of the
organization, and even the poorest OF
Ireland's sons and daughters pressed
eagerly forward with their contributions.
Fathers and mothers brought their sons
to be enrolled; servant girls brought
the savings of their wages and ,Califor-
MIA miners gave freely of their boards.
In November, 1868, Stephens started
in Dublin the Irish People" It was de.
voted to the propagation of the ideas of
the advanced Nationallsts, and helped
raise the spirit of the people to the
highest pitch. At the close of the Amer
lean var the Fenian leaders felt that the
hour for action had arrived. Arms
we're being daily imported and dis
tributed, Every steamer from America
brought Irish officers and prlvates who
had fought under the stars and stripes.
Dublin Castle took alarm. For more
than year man named Pierce Maggie,
a confidential agent of Stephens, was in
the secret pay Of the government. At q
critical moment he gave information to
the castle authorities, which caused
them tolmake raid on the Irish People
Office. Several of the leaders were ar
rested. but Stephens escaped.
The paper was suppressed and intense
excitement ensued throughout Ireland.
Midnight arrests and seizures, hurried
flights and perilous escapes. wild ru-
mors and reports scared every consider
able city and town. Stephens all the
time was living calm and undisturbed
IN a pretty suburban villa two miles
from Dublin Castle. Proclamations
offering 5000 for his arrest were scatter
ed all over the country. Thousands Of
policemen, hundreds of spies and detec-
tives were exerting every ingenuity to
discover his whereabouts, Stephens
at the time might be seen as "Mr. Her.
BERT nearly every day in his flower gar
den or greenhouse, busily arranging his
geraniums or tending his japonicas.
On the night of the seizure of the
Irish People Office he was in Dublin.
The police noticed that while they
couldn't fnd Stephens his wife paid
frequent visits to Dublin, but they al
ways lost her somewhere in the neigh
borhood of ",Mr. Herbert's' house.
Female spies we're employed to shadow
Mrs. Stephens, and by this method
Stephens identity with ''Mr. Herbert
was established, and his asylum located.
Several other FeLians were in the house
when the police in large force entered.
A large sum of money-nearly $4,000
in notes, gold and drafts-was found in
Stephens rooms, and large quantities of
eatables and turntables were also dis
covered on the premises, Indicating that
it was Stephens intention to try and
remain in the place of concealment that
the police did not discover for about two
months. Stephens had become II popu-
lar hero, The van which conveyed him
and his colleagues TO court was accom-
panied by a mounted escort with drawn
sabres, and preceded and sollowed by a
number of cars conveying policemen
armed with cutlass and revolver.
In Stephens house were found a lot
of nominating documents. which we're
put to use by the government author
tiles in Furnishing the leaders. There
we're lists of American officers, name,
rank, travelling charges paid them and
the dates of sailing for ireland. The
seizure of the documents by the govern
ment assisted it wonderfully in it's effort
to suppress the conspiracy, and Stephens
was subsequently criticised sharply for
allowing such discriminating evidence to
come into the hands of the police.
About two months after Stephens
arrest he escaped from Richmond prison
and the announcement of the fact
brought CONSERVATION to the govern
ment. The populace was very different
ly affected. This daring achievement
was all that was necessary to immortal
lze the Fenian leader. The police
and detectives went about
the streets crestfallen and Inundated.
Kichmon prison was one of the strong
est prisons in Ireland. The cell doors
were of wrought iron, fastened with pom
derous swinging bars and padlocks. In
cells cut off from tho rest of the prison.
ers the Fenians were confined.
A young man named mcleod, con-
tined for some minor offence, was placed
next to Stephens cell, with instruc-