The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-20

held ont resolutely. and only the threat
of being imprisoned in the darksome
depths of one of the neighboring coal
mines caused her to give way. Event
ually a clergyman. real or mock, made
his appearance. and the weeping girls
were forced, at the pistol point, into
matrimony. Then the. maccap flight
was continued. with fresh horses.
across the hills. Toward morning the
coast OF Wexford was reached, and the
entire party embarked on fishing
smack with the intention OF making for
France.
But in the meantime a courier had
reached Dublin. and the lord lieutenant
was moving heaven and earth TO cap
war put cut of Dublin bay and sped
down the Irish sea An unfortunate
delay on the part of the abductors'
skipper gave the pursuing vessel its
opportunity. and in midchannel the
fishing vessel was overhaulsd. Byrne.
Strange and their servants were all
captured. heavily ironed and taken to
Waterford. where they were trans
ferred to Kilkenny jail
Katherine Kennedy positively refused
to give evidence against Byrne, but the
other sister, whose affections Strange
had not succeeded in gaining, went on
the witness stand and swore her hus-
bands life away. Both the young men
were found guilty and sentenced to
death-the forced marriages being at
the same time declared null and void.
Then began an earnest struggle to
save Byrne and Strange. The machin-
cry and influence of the abduction as
sociations were set in motion. Every
available string was pulled. Petitions
for clemency poured in upon the lord
lieutenant from every quarter, the
prince of Wales afterwards George
IV) being one of the intercessors
for a pardon or at least Communication of
sentence were many famous soldiers
and statesmen in Ireland, England,
France. Spain, Austria and even Rus
STA. Through the gallant soldiers of the
Irish brigade Bvrne and Strange had
distinguished relatives in nearly every
country of Europe, and tremendous in
deed was the influence brught to bear
upon the victory. But the government
proved adamatine in it's firmness. II
was felt that an example must be
made, or that the abduction clubs and
their evil deeds could never be sup
enant refusing to intervene, the death
sentence was pronounced on Byrne and
Strange.
On account of their old families and
personal qualities the sentenced men
three attempts were made to wreck the
Jail and carry them off. In fact it
took an entire Infantry regiment all its
time TO guard the prisoners.
At last the fc tai day arrived, and in
the prensence of an immense multitude
the two abductors were executed. They
went to the scaffold very bravely; the
execution carts being simply bowers of
roses contributed by kinsfolk and adj
mirers. To the last a reprieve was
hoped for Katherine Kennedy having
made journey TO Dublin TO obtain one,
but all hopes were disappointed, and
the execution took place, Byrne and
Strange dying amid the fiery groans Of
the multitude.
Very bitter was the feeling against
the Kennedy girls in Ireland. They
were, in fact, forced to leave their home
and life in exile. Both married again,
and the fact that these marriages were
unhappy was set down by the peasant
ry as "a judgment for the blood of
Byrne and Strange.
But the execution was justified in its
results. From that day forth the alb
duction clubs ceased to exist; and a
pretty heiress could venture out of her
own doors without fearing to be car
ried off and married against her will.
anderson DIGBY.