The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-04-14
THE BRITISH SPY.
The Infamous Major LeCaron is
Described by John Dewey,
the Irish Conspirator.
INTERESTING REVELATIONS.

L
James F. Gallagher is the Only
Clan-na-Gael Who Ever Sus-
pected Him Of Treachery.
LeCaron was the prince of spies, says
John Dewey in the Chicago Times, He
accomplished more for England than any
man who over played the infanous role
for which nature seemed to have speci
ally intended him, and was never uncov-
cred until he chose for his own purposes
to reveal himself in his true colors and
proclaim his own infamy on oath in 8
public court. And then with twenty
millions Of race that hates informers as
does no other in the world supposed to
be thirsting tor his blood not hostile
hand is raised against him, and he dies
peacefully in his bed. There are to-day
some twenty five Irishmen in English
convict prisons convicted on more or less
perjured evidence by prejudiced English
juries Of correction with dynamite plots
during the period when Gladstone pre-
ferred coercion to Cancellation and before
Parnell's mastery political strategy had
converted him to Home Rule. At least
twenty of these owe their sentences and
certainly their arrest, not to the evidence
given in court against them, but to the
private information supplied to Scotland
Yard by LeCaron.
LeCaron's course in the "union" con-
vention of 1883 was sample of his meth
ods, and I may as we'll begin the story
backward by telling it. Not word was
heard from him during the whole pro-
ceediugs, but he never missed session
and voted On tho triangle side every
time. He had tried toget on the "com~
mittee on foreign relations" but was de-
barred by an article in the constitution
aimed at such characters as be after
ward turned out to be. No man ON
either side except one suspected him of
being spy, but the Chicago anti triang-
lers doubted his sincerity in the Irish
cause and disl1ked him thoroughly.
When the report Of the ''foreign rela
tions" committee WAS presented trian-
gle delegate from Illinois promptly stood
up and moved that the report be recon
mitted to the committee with instruc-
tions to bring back a detailed report Of
the location of the arms they say they
have planted in Ireland" I at once
stood up to oppose the motion, and then
for the first time during the convention
saw LeCaron. He was sitting beside
the man who had made the motion. I
did not suspect LeCaron of prompting
him. but / have no doubt now that my
remarks made him think did and helped
to earn for me the supplementary de-
scrirtion of my personal appearance and
| character which the spy gives in his
book. 7 said in substance that there
| was clear and incontrovertible evidence
that there was at least one spy in the
last general convention held in the Pal
n1er house in 1881; that its proceedings
had been fully reported to the British
consul in New York; that the said spy
had never been found out; that he was
an officer in the organization after the
convention and was probably delegate
listening to me in that convention, and
that when there was one spy in con-
vention of little over 100 members
there were probably two or three listen
ing to me then. A rather hot debate fol-
lowed, in the course of which Patrick
Egan conveyed gentle hint that knew
all about the spies, bat the motion was
voted down by big majority. Meeting
LeCaron in the hall as the session broke
up gave him little tongue thrashing,
asking him what the English had done
to him, Frenchman-which we all then
supposed him to be-that he was SO very
anxious to blow them all up. He was
exceedingly nervous and hurried away
from me as quickly as he could. He
evidently thought I suspected his real
character or had information, which
had not.
And thereby hangs tale which gives
the key to LeCaron's whole connection
with the Clan -na-Gael. That he was q
colossal liar, on and off the witnss stand,
goes without saying. All men who ply
the infamous trade of spy are liars and
fill in or omit details to suit their pur-
pose. But not one spy in century gets
such chance of founding his lies upon
facts as was given to LeCaron. and it is
only natural that the people be dnped
and who enabled him to make himself
invaluable to the English secret service
should prevarieate to make themselves
appear as superior persons above being
duped and to minimize the Importance
of the spy's work. As the British gov