The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-07
AN IRISH LANDLORD,
Went Mad When His Tenants Voted
Against Him.

Election.
The recollections Of Aubrey de We're
printed in the Century, are full of strik-
ing stories of life in Ireland a generation
ago. In the October number he tells of
the great struggle in which the cry was
Repeal of the Union" Mr. de We're
writes:
An election took place in the county of
Limerick, and both sides prepared for the
conflict. Nearly all the proprietors were
banded together against repeal, and
O'Conneil, including the few who had ad-
vocated Catholic emancipation. The can
didate on the opposite side was a man of
ancient family, excellent character, and
not, l think, repeater, but it suited
the repeal game 10 support him,
order to separate the tenants from
their landlords. OF these the most pow
erful by far was a certain nobleman, the
Earl of k, whose territories. 60, 900
acres, with rental of SAG, 900 per annum,
extended through a large part of three
counties, and included much Of those Des-
mond lands, some 5000 acres of which
had been conhscated by Queen Elizabeth
in a single day He was also. | believe.
descended in the female line from the
White Knight" to whom that title had
been given after a battle fought many
centuries previously by the white
Knights father, the Earl of Desmond.
The despotic temper of the Earl Of k
was no doubt increased by scenes which
he had witnessed as a boy. When he
was but IA, during a great social gather
ing at his fathers residence, a prohigate
neighbor, one of the county gentry,
though a married man, induced daugh-
ter of the house to elope with him. The
moment the crime was discovered the
earl, accompanied by the boy, went in
pursuit of the criminal After several
days pursuit the outraged father ar
rived, late in the night, at an inn which
the fugitives had reached a few hours
previously. He got out of his carriage,
accompanied by his young son, and with
the stairs. A door was pointed
out to him. 1t was locked; but
the earl kicked it open. man rushed
forward the earl fired two pistols, and
the betrayer fell dead at his feet The
earl was arraigned for this act before the
Irish House of Lords and made no de-
tense The peers walked professionally
in their robes, and each, as he passed the
throne, land his hand On his breast and
pronounced the verdict, mot guilty
upon my honor" A few years later the
boy witnessed another important event.
He had become young officer; the Irish
rebellion of 1898 burst out, and with sew
eral other persons of Importance he was
suddenly captured and detained as a
hostage. When fortune turned against
the Insurgents, in the first rage of disap-
potntment massacre ensued, and he mad
narrow escape from death.
When the family estates had become
his own, the earl is said TO have ruled
with sway almost as absolute as that of
one of his forefathers, who, as was re-
ported, transported several persons to
America on his own sole authority. He
had been for a long time kept out of the
family residence by the protracted life of
his mother. On her death he sent at once
for an architect. Build me-" he said,
"a castle. | am no Judge OF architecture,
but 1t must be larger than any other house
in Ireland, and IL must have an entrance
tower named the White Knights Tow
err No delay IL is time for me to en-
joy" When the castle was half finished
a wealthy manufacturer built huge
chimney in the square of the town which
crouched beneath the hill on
which that castle stood The
earl sent him orders to pull it
down or depart, two invitations which
the man of business declined. The earl
drove down into the town, and, as usual
a crowd collected about his carriage. He
said: Il am come to wish you good-by,
boys. This place is but small place.
and there is not room in it for me, and
that man (pointing to the factory He
says the law is on his side, and dare say
it is. Consequently go to England TO.
morrow morning" During the night the
lord of industry received visit from I'M
invited guests; the next morning no
smoke went over the towers and the
woods, and on the third day he had taken
his departure.
On the day of the election the earl sat
wit hfu Mt IN 81
friend at Limerick, surrounded by a gay
company, while the k tenantry
marched past the window. MIR. de We're
thus describes the scene that followed:
After an hour or two dullness began
TO spread over that gay apartment, and
many talked in whispers. The earl soon
perceived that all was not right, and its
usual sternness returned 10 his strong
face. you are hiding something from
me he exclaimed; something has gone
wrong; what has happened2" After
pause gentleman moved forward, and re-
piled: My lord, what has gone wrong
is this The X tenantry have Voted
What of that2" "My lord, they have
voted with the enemy TO mani The
other tenants are following their example.
The election is lost"
During the whole of the next day he
sat alone in his castle, speaking to none,
ana seen by none. Late the second night
the bell of his bedroom rang without in
Permission, and short time afterward
mounted couriers were securing all parts
of his estates, commanding the atten-
dance at certain specified hour of all
the tenantry in occupation OF its 1000
acres. When the appointed hour arrived,
he sat enthroned on the dais, at one end
OF gallery hundred feet long; his Off
cial persons were ranged near him in a
line at each side OF that gallery The ten
ants thronRed in at the lower end of the
gallery advancing nearer each moment, as
their numbers increased TO where the
earl sat. His eye was fixed upon them
with that look for which it was famed,
but he spoke no word. Suddenly its ex-
preston changed; he leaped from his
seat, raised his arms on high, and ex-
claimed: They are come to tear me in
pieces; they are come 10 tear me in
pieces" The next night but ono he was
In madhouse. There he continued 10
live for many years, faithfully attended
by devoted wife; but he is said never 10
have had lucid interval
THE WIFE OF THE DEVIL.