The morning call., 1893-05-01
IRISH PRISONERS.
The Amnesty Committees.
Want Them Freed.
They Will Agitate for the Release of
!, Men Convicted. Of the Eenian = :
!. I. Outrages in London. -: =. J..

i
: A:committee formed OF :members.ef Sons
<.of. ST: Patrick, knights Of the Red Branch:
and. other Irish: Societies of.lhis citymet
yesterdays fternoon: at. the X. L. b. Hall,
Mason sire et.:to discuss, their course of.
action.:fn the. matter of Identifying itself
with. the annest y=com ittees. nos being
formed. in other parts of=:the United States
= The amnesty commlttee has for its OBJ
jett AN agitation to effect the release of
various Irish Americans who were con-
:ylcted. of e0mplicily.*in the many Fenian
outrages. perpe,rated*in London about nine
yea fs:ago: :.:..:. ..::. ~ "
.ItIis: claimed" that the men now under
going the sentence of%the. British law were
probably in II oeent:of the crimes for which
zttieY were Imprisoned, and that the strong;
publjc=feeling. in. England at lhat time
>createdsuch a prejudice that no fair and
:. impartial: Jury could be fouHd,,: and that
:constqilemtly any man charged with the
.offeBses WAS convicted: as a ;foregone con-
.olIfsion: =. -: .. = -"
! I.he.nepting which. was. called as a pre-
e linfnary gathering, consisted of some fifteen
persons :of the iIish+A American circles, eX-.
!: Police: Judge Michael COoney In the chair.
T. *ln0pening. the meeting Mr., Cooney briefly
stated he;dl!I6ct of. the committee and re-
cited lie elleged..injustice under which the
many victims of British la5y. were. now suf-
fering. III 9 ::st ated that 1T was his firm
cOnvetirn chat the.men n0w<laugujs hing in
the jgids. of = England and Ireland. were as
pOcent I, of. Inc crimes Imputed 20 them rs
he@hluseIf was, but.Qwing to the,bitter anti
T Irish feeling hen ranlpant.no lrishman was
all owed<to .escane The vengeance Of thelaw.
A mans. nationa lily scented, to-.be' all That
was. N &c IS ry. to con Wet HIM.: ~
F. Even allowing, for the sake n argument,
thai the con yctious were. just. SURELY the
Hperperrators Of. the explosion. We're, suffi-
+ cient YxpuIIls lfed::. =: =: ::
:: Mr.: j. C6ni1re. ~axed eloquent on behalf
ofh!s prosecuted and down trodden coun-
I:tfyfnen. ::.:-.; !: :, :,
NV hafeyar. con ces sfons gland has ever
granted to 1relan4 have been prompted by
f fear and by justice. he. said. 'and it Is;
| to such m9n who are at this day chained in
British dungeons that Highland owes what
little lberty:she has: It was net until part
of the House OF Commons had been blown
up and a portion OF tile debris came near 10
striking him that Mr.. Gladstone had leen
reused to take up the cause Of the Irish
and work for home rule. Therefore these
men are the benefactors of their country
and should be upheld and supported by their
copntrymen.
The chairman interposed an objection to
the line OF MI CODiffe's remarks, he (the
chairman not admitting that the impris-
oned men were guilty of the crimes laid to
them.
They were Irishmen from America who:
had merely returned to take look at their
old home or the land Of their fathers, and
| were no more responsible for the explosions
| than any American citizen would be who
| happened IN be in London at the time.
a resolution was passed 10 the effect that
| 1t Is the sense of the committee that it
should cooperate with the amnesty commit
| tees In bringing about an investigation into
the evidence on which they were convicted.
with view of bringing about the immedi-
| ate release of the prisoners.
Further, that demonstration should be
| held In San Francisco on the Goth day of
MAY for the purpose Of obtaining the SYM
pathy and cooperation Of the people in car
| rying out their plans.
Committees ON arrangements, inyitatlo ms,
| etc, were formed, and they will meet on
Friday eveping al o'clock sharp at the K
X. b. Hall 10 complete the arrangement IS.
ii is proposed 10 invite Senator White
ana other well-knOwn orators to speak upon
| the day oil the demonstration. which will
| probably be held in the metropolitan
| Temple or the Grand Opera house.