The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-12-25
RODOCK & J.

] reflected that SmuSgllnS poLneen was
not, after all, a hanging matter. In
deed, l was rather surprised that the
detective police should notice it al all.
1t was the business of the eXcisemen
or "gaugers.
"They must have little to do at the
CASTLE | thought. However. had
better face the music"
At the appointed time presented
myself at the Irish Scotland Yard.
Phallon received me civilly enough,
and conducted me t&Ba room where a
couple of magistrates and Mr.. Phil
lipson, the crown solicitor, were seated.
''This is breaking butterfly on a
wheel in earnest" | said to myself.
"What a fuss about a jar of whisky
"Mr. -" said the senior magis
trate, cit is my duty to warn you that
you need not answer the questions we
are about to put to you. You might
have been here as a prisoner, but we
hope you are an innocent agent of this
atrocious conspiracy. You can, think,
best prove your innocence by CONF lete
candor. But, remember, your stat
1nent may be used against yourself"
"Ask what you like" / replied; Il
have had any share in any 'atrocious
conspiracy"
':We hope not" said my interrogator;
"at least not guilty one. However,
you will not deny having carried ii
black bag which you received from a
young woman at rs circulating
library in kingstown, to 10 York street,
the day before yesterday"
Certainly not" l answered. 1.-THE
young lady asked me to do trifiing
commission for her, and l did it,"
81 ask you," said the magistrate, sol
emily, did you know the contents OF
that bag?"
| hesitated, but 1 did not think it
right, or perhaps wise, to tell lie. so |
said, with a smile:
Yes, sir; knew the contents of the
bag. Very good stuff it was, too.
hope his royal highness will get some
before he leaves Ireland"
"Silence, sir" cried the magistrates
together, then the senior said:
81 think we may stop the eXamina-
ton and commit this wretched youth,
who glories in his guilt, to Kilmainham.
He actually smiles at a crime that
might have resulted in death and de-
struction."
Gentlemen" | cried, Indignantly
"surely you will not send me to prison
for such trifle? l did wrong. | sup
pose, but | was reared in Sligo, where
every man, woman and child-magis
trates and ministers included-drinks
potheen. To circumvent the gauger
by carrying it to friend, is considered
an act of piety and charity, which no
Christian man would refuse to perform
The British empire will not come to az
end because half crown duty has not
been paid on quart of good liquor.
[ will pay the sum three times over.
and fine as well. But you have no right
to send me to gaol-at least in this
hole-and-corner manner. / demand
public examination and legal assist
ance."
The magistrates looked greatly re-
lieved. Tell us plainly what you sup
posed was in the bag" said the inquis-
tor, mildly.
"a quart of potheen, or illicit
whisky" | replied. "And l say again
that wish his royal highness had some
If he once tasted it, am sure he would
never send a subject to Jail for making
or carrying or drinking it."
Would you be surprised to hear
that your friends jar of potheen was
a nitro-glycerine bomb, intended to
have been flung into the princes car
riagc by the Fenian B, alias Sander
SOM" asked the magistrate.
| nearly tainted with horror. "And
who is Ellen Mcguire? p gasped.
"B-'s wife," said Detective Phallon,
"as dangerous an anarchist as there is
in Europe. She carries the weapons OF
the conspirators, and sometimes per
suades young fools, who admire her
black eyes, to help her."
"The serpent" l exclaimed. Il will
give evidence against her with pleas
ure, and will go to see her hanged.
slept with that awful thing under my
pillow 1t might have blown me to
pieces"
"And half Kingstown as WE'LL" said
the officer. "A fall or even shake
might have done it. But we have got
to catch Mr. and Mrs. B yet. /
fear they are in France by this time. =
1t appeared that the police, having
obtained news of the plot in the usual
way Through an informer), searched
the room in York street shortly after |
delivered the Internal machine. They
found the bomb; but b, alias Sand
erson, having stepped out to neighbor
ing bar, saw the officers, OWNED their
errand, and managed to escape.
Neither he nor his wife was captured.
The latter, some years later, achieved
an infamous notoriety as 1.-The brave
little woman" who conveyed to Dublin
the knives with which the Phoenix
Park murders were committed. Her
friend T, whose acquaintance
dropped after these events, became es-
pecially notorious, and l am not likely
to hurriedly forget the evening spent
with "Numher One."-Tit-Bits.
SHE CARRIES THE MAIL.
n - f.. -