The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-04-16
COLLEEN BAWN. y
Novel and Drama Not Exactly ia
Line With the True Story of
Girls Fate.
GERALD GRlFFIN'S ATTEMPT
To Suppress "The Conegians" The
Revolving Murder, as Related
by Monteagle.

by Monteagle.
The true story of this unhappy girls
fate was very different from that de-
scribed by Gerald Griffin and dran.atized
from his novel, ''The Collegians," by
Boucicault. The real details of her muir
der and of the execution of her betrayer
were too revolving to be given in their
naked deformity by the novelist, and
we're transformed by him into something
less horrible; and even though he did
not attribute to "Hardress Cregan" a
positive and deliberate intention or con-
sent to the murder Of the unfortunate
victim, yet the glamour he threw about
the character of her lover, which made
him much more interesting than the
good and pious Kyrle DAILY, troubled the
soul of Gerald SO much that he en-
deavored to buy back the copyright Of
"The Collegians," with the intention of
it's utter destruction. The true facts, as
related by Lord Monteagle, then Mr..
Spring Rice, to an English gentleman
travelling in Ireland, are asfollows: SILLY
O'Connor lived in the county of Inner
ick, to the east of Foynes, with her uncle,
an old man possessed of some property
In the same district lived the family Of
Scanlan, connected with the best blood
in the county. Mrs. Scanlan was a De
Lacy. Her husband was connected with
the Masseys and the Fitzgibbons, bo b
noble families. Young Scanlan, tbs heir
Of the Scanlans, who had been himself
an officer 10 the army, persuaded Ely to
rob her uncle of a considerable sum and
to elope with him to Glin. Here they
lived together for some time, until
the money was spent and he WAS tired of
his mistress. He had in his employ a
man named, I believe, Sullivan, con-
nected with him by what in ireland is a
strong tie-that of Foster Brotherhood.
One of the "last times,' said Lord Mont
eagle, "that she was seen alive was near
this promontory, from whence she and
Sullivan got into a small boat on the
Shannon, while Scanlan sat on rock
playing the flute. The boat: and Sulli-
van returned during the night, and he
reported that they had boarded vessel
on the Shannon bound for America, and
that Eily OConnor had taken her pas-
sage in it
"About three weeks after a female
body wrs washed ashore at Kilrush. It
had no clothes, and the features of the
face were quite obliterated. The skull
had been extensively fractured. A sus-
picion arose that this might be the body
OF Elly O'Connor, but there did not ap-
pear to remain any means of identifying
it. A Glin man, accidentally present,
stated that if it were the boi ~ OF Ely
O'Connor it would be recognized rs hav-
ing had q double eye tooth. On exam
ination it was found that the teeth had
dropped out, but the sockets of double
eye teeth were visible in the upper jaw.
Sullivan Immediately disappeared. Tt
was plain that the story of the embarka-
tion for America was false. The coro-
ner's inquest had brought in verdict of
s'murder" against Sullivan and Scanlan.
and warrants for their apprehension
were issued. But no one seemed, for a
time, disposed to arrest man SO we'll
born and 50 highly connected as Scanlan;
he not only walked about at libtery, but
even appeared in shooting parties un-
molested I wrote to the castle, urging
that they should take measure to put an
end to such scandal as this impunity
to crime. I was answered that the
scandal was not more theirs than mine.
as I, being magistrate, ought to enforce
my own warrant. l felt the truth Of
this, and acted on it. l knew that if my
intention to do SO were suspected Scan
Ian would receive notice and escape.
went after sunset to the officer COM
manding the military force of the dis
trict, and made requisition for body
Of the Eighteenth Hussars to be fur
nished that very night, to be employed
on service which I could not commu-
nicate even to him. After some hesita-
tion he placed them under my command.
Without telling them whittier we we're
going, I led them by by-roads to Scan
lan's house. In this was assisted by
Mr.. Lynne IA county magistrate), who
accompanied me. posted sentinels all
around it, and then, accompanied by q
party Of the Eighteenth Hussars, knocked
at the door and asked for Mr.. Scanlan,
the father. A minute or two passed,
during which there seemed to be some