The Irish standard., 1897-09-11
WAS UNIVERSALLY RESPECTED.
Lost His Fortune in Rescuing
Political Prisoners.
AN ADVENTUROUS EXPEDITION.
Touching Tribute to His Memory
by a Catholic Priest.

The recent death of James Reynolds
in New Haven, Conn, recalls one of the
most interesting characters in the old
Fenian brotherhood, and brings vividly.
to mind an expedition in which he was
the ruling spirit, and which, at the time,
set the world by the ears, says the Chi
cago Times-Herald. 1t was this exploit
that gave Mr.. Reynolds the nickname of
"Catalpa jim"
At the time of the imprisonment of
the Irish patriots in British penal sta
ton in Australia, Reynolds conceived a
plan for their rescue, and he and others
at once became moving spirits in the
expedition which became famous from
end to end of Christendom. 1t was Rey-
nolds' idea to fit out whaling vessel,
clear her for her cruise, and leave Amer
lean shores with no other apparent OBJ
ject in view. They purchased and equip
ed the whaler Catalpa, placing in COM
mand Captain Hathaway, and sailing
from America late in the year 1874. Pre-
vious to sailing there arose difficulty
regarding money matters, there being
deficiency of several thousand dollars,
which, if not Forthcoming at once, would
have resulted in the failure of the whole
scheme. James Reynolds was poor
man, but without the least hesitation he
mortgaged his little home and every
thing he owned on earth, paid the sum
required, and saw his vessel glide from
the harbor, bound upon it's mission Of
mercy.
To those who saw the Catalpa as she
spread her sails to the breeze that raw
afternoon there appeared nothing un-
usual about her--she was simply one of
scores of similar craft that have gone
forth upon the Atlantic on like errands
but to the trusted crew her meaning
was deep. Her whaling voyage would
take her far into the South Pacific, and
destined to cooperate with d land force
under command of Capt. John J. Bres-
lin, who was, in fact geneul-in-chief of
the entire expedition, but whose prnci-
pal duty it was to secure the Irish pris-
oners, convey them to the coast, and
give them in charge Of the captain of
the Catalpa.
The whaler had been busy in actual
whaling, and laid in her hold a large
amount of oil and bone. She would
have paid for herself had there been
nothing more pretentious in her itin-
erary than the accumulation of blubber
and bone. But when she neared tho
shores of the antipodean continent her
captain and crew were ever ON the alert
for the successful consummation Of
their mission.
For weeks and months she cruised in
the cold waters of the Southern Pacific,
attending strictly to her own business,
until one day she picked up the escaped
John Boyle O'Reilly, who told his story
of hardship and suffering; how he was
hunted through the bush for weeks,
torn, bruised and bleeding from score
of wounds; starving and weak, yet ever
bearing up with indomitable courage.
His appearance was a great surprise to
Captain Hathaway, for he was to have
been one of seven prisoners delivered
over to him by Captain Breslin. O'Reilly
had had no intimation Of the plan on
foot for his rescue, and had made his
escape from the guard several weeks
before A price was set upon his head
by the British government for his cap
ture, dead or alive, but the stars and
stripes fioated above him, and he was
beyond the reach of England's power.
1t was some weeks after the rescue Of
O'Reilly that Captain Hathaway again
approached the west coast at point
near Freemantle, where he had been in-
structed to meet the land forces under
Breslil. III order to avoid complica-
tions and respect International law, he
did not approach the coast nearer than
the recognized three-mile limit, but at
this distance coasted back and forth for
several days, when one afternoon he
saw the preconcerted signal from tile
shore, and upon his replying. two small
boats put out and pushed rapidly to-
ward the Catalpa.
No sooner had they begun their jour-
ney thrcngl! the rolling seas than ali
English gunboat hove in xis:.. f-c.a
around 4 point. and made d;Te.:t for
them. There was a pr.!ty raoo foi tie
Thalcr, but the distance o. the =:%=,,s:'-
war gave great advantage 10 IT'S ,sr~-
.ncn. and the majesty oi England was
several miles away when six freed OK