The Irish standard., 1892-05-28
T.Np,rl I,EITRIM's AVENGER.

LORD LEITRIM'S AVENGER.
The Story of Hugh Boyle Who Rid the
World OF the Irish Tyrant.
short tirue since there died IN Cam
brja County. Pa, al Irishman known az
Hugh Boyle. He was about fifty
wears old and, although only an ordinary
laborer. was much respected for his tenn
paranoe, integrity aud industry. About
+ha same time the English journals an
,ornced this decease Of Robert R9rnalng
han, Clements, Fourth Earl Of Leitrlm,
in the county of Donegal, Ireland. The
connection between the peer and The
1ahorer il due to the tragic fact that
Eov,a WAS the last survivor OF the men
who. in 1873, shot to death the third
Earl. by whose removal Robert Clements,
then a poor lieutenant in the British
,,avv YVES raised to rank and wealth.
Tt il a fact that even the Protestant
<,ontrv Of the North Of Ireland who are
she first to denounce agrarlan CRIME, 70
<~arded the killing Of the "Wicked Lord
Ie;trju,.n as hs was usually styled, az
the, inevitable result of his evil life and
character.
Fov,.'s right name was Stephens, and
ae belonged to family Of yeomen pecu
liar to the North -sturdy, law abiding
and INDUSTRIOUS rigid Presoytarians.
whose strongest motive in lifels TO main
tain the Tenant-right Of Ulster, which
sac,,ras 10 them settled tenure in their
land and freedom from the tyranny that
onnrasses their Catholic brethren IN the
South.
FOR thirty years the Earl Of Leitrim
hal been at strife with his tenants; he
had 10000 acres Of land stretchiog across
three counties and giving him a rental OK
over $4,000 per annum, and he spent the
hast mart Of this in harassing his poorer
neiehbors by suits at law; but his worst
trait was shown in his brutal and lustfui
attempts to d;shonor the wives and
daughters of his tenants, and to accom-
n,ish this his influence as peer and
MAGISTRATE, aud his power as landlord
were used without fear or restralnt-~An
fact. there was not worse scoundrel IN
F.urope. aud it was with truth that his
t.k;op off was described as "a wild act
of natural justice"
Hugh Stephens had served in the
British army for five years, and with an
excellent record as soldier. On his re-
turn home he rented small place and
commenced life as q farmer, One day
ha mes his landlord driving on the road
ond was ordered to ditch his little cart
40 as to make room for the peers coach
md this comm md was enforced with
horsewhip; and this Stephens resented
with a cudgel, the Earl getting much
tha worst of it. This was the beginning
of tronble for Stephens-he was evicted
and cuined by litigation, aud his sister,
beautiful and Intelligent girl, was as
saulted by ruffianly retrainer OF his
landlord. and her character assailed.
Some of the ueighboring gentry took
th;s nm, the man was arrested, tried and
sentenced to ten years imprisonment.
I1eitrim was furious and swore vengeance
on all concerned.
In March 1878, dozen of the tenantry
met at, q rath in the mountains overlook
ing Tough Foyle. One OF the Oldest and
most respected of the men on the estate
said q few words to the effect that the
TYRANNY of their landlord was more than
thew could endure, and it was now neces-
aary to resort to the last means in their
mower to preserve their lives and the
honor of their daughters and wives; and
al, awore to be true to the cause in life
= death, A sum of EGO was raised. II
was resolved to act at once, andssix men
were chosen as the instruments OF JUS
tice and vengeance They had brought
i thamaelyes to believe that in the remova
/ 81 tyrant they were doing right
Il Stanhens was their leader and he pro
4 cured the necessary arms.
q ono of their most active and trusted
49, SAL HI (.S,