The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-05-28
IRISH MERICANS
Who are Now in British Prisons
on the Evidence Of
InfOrmerS
DOCTOR THOMAS GALLAGHER
One Of the Four Men Sentenced
for Life, is Reported to
be Insane.

In the Central criminal court, London,
on June Il, 1888, DR.. Thomas Gallagher
of Brooklyn WAS convicted OF conspiring g
30 dethrone the Queen, make war upon
her dominions and jntinidate the Houses
OF Parliament by violent measures.
John Curtin Kent, Henry Hayward
Wilson and Albert George Whitehead
ali IrishA nlericans, were tried on the
same charge. All four we're seute1ced
to penal servitude for life
From time to time during the past nine
years fntile efforts have been repeatedly
made by the friends of the imprisoned
men 50 induce the United States author
ities to demand Of the English govern
ment an investigation into the circuu~
stances under which the men were CON
victed.
The fact that Inspector Black OF Birm-
ingham, Eng, one Of the chief agents Of
the crown in the proceedings against the
four American citizens, was recently
proved to have engaged for years in a
series of matchmaking schemes, encour-
aged several leading Irishmen in Eng
land and Ireland to draw attention 10
the continued incarceras ion of tho uoliti-
cal prisoners.
Besides this, DIR. Gallagher is ncw re-
ported to have become insane The fol.
lowing letter from the London Irish Poll
t'cal Prisoners Amnesty Association was
sent to the editor OF the New York World
few days ago:
"55 AND IS CHANCERY LANE,
... LONDON, April 16, 1892
"Dear Sir: Enclosed we send cuttir*;
fronn the Independent, one Of the leading
Dublin newspapers, containing report
of tine last meeting OF our association 1t
is extraordinary, but none the less true,
that not an English paper would publish
a report OF our pro: eedings. A promi-
nent London physician visited DIR. Gal
lagher on April 6, and states that Dr.
Gallagher is insane. Has he got no
friends in America, he being an Ameri~
can citizen, who would use their infiu~
ence with view to his release? He had
not received visit from the outer world
for years until visited by the physician,
who went to see hlm on behalf of our as
sociation last month. Taking advantage
OF a recent concession from the govern
ment we have now arranged TO pay DR..
Gallagher and the other prisoners quar-
terly visits in future. By eulisting the
aid OF the World, it occurs to us that
some of the leading Irishmen of New
York might join in the agitation for the
release of the prisoners OF mitigation
of their sentences. Yours faithfully,
JOSEPH SHERIDAN,
COUNTESS SoHAACH,
"Secretaries"
The friends beyond the sea, referred to
by DR.. Gallagher in his statement from
the dock, made before sentence was
passed, are again, it appears, about to
bring his case and that of his fellow
prisoners under the notice OF the author
tiles at Washington.
The informer mentioned by DR.. Gal
lagher as having procured his conviction
was New York man named w. j. Nor
man, alias W. J. Lynch.
An attempt had been made to blow up
the House of Commons An explosion
had occurred under one of the arches of
London bridge, and everybody was ask
ing, "Where are the police?" The home
Office put three Of the smartest detec-
tives in Great Britain at work. They
were Inspectors Littlechild and Lang
rish of Scotland Yard, and the notorious
Inspector Black of Birmingham, who is
now frgutiye from home, owing to
threats of an Investigation into his Off
cial career.
On April they arraigned at Bow
street police court John Curtin Kent and
William Ausburgh, two Irish Americans
On April s Bernard Gallagher, DR.. Gal
lagher's brother, was arrested.
After several remands Norman, alias
Lynch, turned "informer." The original
charge against the prisoner was simple
felony, the penalty for which would be
at the outside two years. When Lynch
was secured the charge was made treason
felony.
Ss Lynch's testimony was in the main
that he had been mt The preceding
August il the emI,l W of Merritt &
Co., the n at Brooklyn;
that ia hasd, IA 1duoed BY fellow
'y,v,orl h q Y la y ,aniel q Connor. to