The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-16

LONDON. March 10.-A story has reached
here that has caused many expressions of
deep indignation by the English papers.
To the westward of County Mayo, Ireland,
there lies in the Atlantic small patch of
land known as Clare island. The inhabit-
ants are mostly fishermen and are miser-
ably poor. A number of them ran into
debt and their creditors took legal proceed
ings against them and sent bailiGs to
seize the few cattle owned by the debtors
to satisfy the claims against them. The
islanders resisted the bailiffs, and as a re-
suit eighty of them were summoned to
answer at louisburgh, the nearest town
on the mainland in County Mayo, for re-
sisting officers of the law The eighty
islanders Obeyed the summons and pre-
scented themselves before the magistrate.
They all appeared to be in a starving con-
dition and their thin garments afforded
them little protection from the inclement
weather. The magistrate listened to the
testimony of the bailifs and then
calmly ordered that further hearing
of the case be held the next day at the
court house in WestpOrt, thirteen miles
distant To reach Westport in time for
the hearing it was necessary for the island
ers to start at night They had no money
to pay for conveyances and were COM
PEELED to walk the entire distance over a
road that is meme too good in fine weather.
That night a binding snowstorm set in.
The road runs alongside the ocean and the
poor people stumbling along in the dark
ness were exposed TO the full fury of a
stinging gale that swept inland from the
sea. Many OF the poorly clad islanders,
weakened by their long abstinence from
nourishing food, fell by the roadside, TN
able to proceed and would have persisted
had it not been for the kind-hearted viii
layers along the route who, when they
learned of their sufferings. went to their
assistance and succored them with food
and shelter.
OF the women in the marty not a single
one had strength enough to drag her
weary limbs TO WestpOrt. The men who
reached the town at once proceeded to the
court house and presented themselves be-
fore the magistrate there sitting to hear
the case. Many of the islanders were
almost completely exhausted by their
Journey, and all of them were lamished
and half frozen. When the magistrates
learned that all persons summoned were
not present they were incensed at what
they were pleased 10 term disrespect for
the law. They held forth at great length
upon the strong arm OF the law and how
all, rich and poor alike, were amenable to
its provisions.
Then they spoke of the great goodness
of the crown, how it tempered justice with
mercy, and after dwelling upon this
subject to the painful edifcation of the
shivering wretches before them. they
announced that as the defendants had
pleaded guilty to the charge against them
the crown would extend its clemency to
them. The court then ordered that. the
men be liberated upon giving bail for their
good behavior.
The dispatch does not state whether the
bail demanded was furnished, but as the
islanders were not known in Westport
and as they have nothing of value OF their
own the probabilities are that the bonds
were not furnished. Many OF the Clare
islanders. though ostensibly fishermen,
have neither boats nor nets to follow
their vocation. All the male defendants
in this case have been enabled during the
winter TO earn little money by employ
ment on relief works, the employment
being given to them as matter Of charity.