The Irish standard., 1892-11-26
were brought into requisition on the van,
but with very little effect. Blows we're

but with very little effect. Blows were
ahowered upon it, and . few splinters
only was the result, Meanwhile the
runaway constables had spread the
alarm, and some of them returned fol-
lowed by large and menacing crowd.
The leveled revolvers Of the Fenlans
had, however, the effect Of keeping them
back while the work went on in the van.
Again and again Brett was appealed to
to open the door, but he steadily refused
tosurrender.
Time was passing rapidly, the crowd
growing larger and larger, and strong
reinforcements we're on the way to the
scene. Not moment was to be lost it
Kelly ard Deasy were to be free men.
just then some one shouted "Blow the
lock to pieces" and a revolver shot was
fred, not by either Allen, Larkin or
O'Brien, but by man named Peter
Rice, who subsequently escaped to this
country. Three years ago he returned
to Manchester and died there soon after
ward.
At the moment the shot was fred
Sergt. Charles Brett happened to look
through a peep hole near the lock and,
unfortunately received the fatal bullet.
The door was then opened and the res
cuers got possession of the keys Of the
cells in which Kelly and Deasy were
confined. BY the time they had got out
of the van the crowd on the side OF the
police had grown to very considerable
proportions, but they we're held at bay
by twenty or thirty leveled revo]vers.
The Irishmen never moved an inch
uutil the handouts had been broken off
the rescued chiefs, and they got safely
over the wall skirting the road. Had a
man in command provided the party, as
he had been commissioned to do, with
proper instruments, the handouts would
have been removed in an instant, and
not single man of the rescuers would
have been captured.
Directly Kelly and Deasy had got
away each one of the rescuers began to
think of himself, and made dash for lib
erty. Their loaded revolveIs they de-
clined to use in their own behalf on the
police and Manchester mob, ROW mad
dened when they found that Sergt. Brett
was dead. a .g-
A number OF the rescuers We're cap
tured and Jared badly at the hands OF
the mob. They were smashed with
stones and trampled in the mud. a
young man who was afterward identified
as William Philip Allen, and who had
entered the van to liberate the prisoners,
received very severe beating. He was
knocked down with a heavy brick, and
stoned and kicked.
That evening Manchester was IN a
state of siege Large bodies of policemen
ransacked the Irish quarters of the city,
aud ill-treated every Irish man and
woman they happened to meet. All
over the city there went up roar for
vengeance, which was re-echoed all over
England.
Attacks from the Fenians were ex-
pected all over the country, and the peo-
pie were in a panic. There came the
news that a special commission had
been appointed to try the rescued pris-
oners, and send them speedily to their
doom. Irishmen knew what this meant
judicial murders to satisfy
the mob. Jussice could not be thought
of. Dozens Of mon had been arrested
who hal nothing to do whatever with
the rescue.
The prisoners were treated with the
utmost brutality, and when brought be-
fore the magistrates for committal on
October Is, they were in irons. Their
counsel, an Englishman named Jones,
protested against such treatment, but
while the audience applauded, the magis-
trates decided the manacles must remain.
Mr.. Jones, an honest Englishman, was
indignant at this triumph of mob law,
and he flung down his brief and retired.
Three days later, Monday, October 18th,
William Philip Allen, Michael Larkin,
Thomas Mcguire, Michael O'Brien and
Edward O'Meagher Condor wers ar
ra,cned for the wilful murder Of Sergt.
Brett.
It was alleged by the crown that Brett
had been deliberately aimed at and shot
through the open ventilator over the
rear door, and the principal evidence in
support of this allegation was that OF q
notorious woman, who was being sent up
for fifteen years The entire evidence
against the prisoners wae OF the most
reckless sort, fact which the govern
mont we're afterwards compelled to ad-
NIT. 5 ;l.. sa.
The Eve prisoners were arraigned a and g
tried together on the one Indictment and
,,,.are w,,.are convicted on tho one trial on the
one 81 ! verde Immediately after 1 convic-
lion all Eve we're sentenced to be hanged
e ia "a a &4lb