The Irish standard., 1898-11-26
THE NOBLE-HEARTED THREE. :"

Thirty-one years have elapsed since.
on the morning of Nov %, 1867, in the
city of Manchester. England, three GAL
liant Irishmen-William Philip Allen,
Michael Larkin and Michael O'Brien-
paid with their lives the penalty of a
deed of desperate daring in the cause of
Ireland. for which there are but few
parallels in the records of Irish herpism
For the instruction of the juvenile read
ers of the Irish Standard we will give
the facts that led to the judicial murder
of these innocent men. who forfeited
their lives on the English scaffold with
the dauntless bravery of their race. 1t
was in the hope of freeing Ireland from
British thraldom that these three heroes
risked and sacrificed their lives. 1t was
in the days of the Fenian movement,
which was revival. or. more correctly
speaking. continuation, of the old
struggle of the GItisK people for the re-
covery of their right to govern them
selves without any interference from
England. That struggle has been going
on in one form orianother for 700 years,
and is going on today and will continue
to 90 on until IrelHnd is self-governing
nation, with power to make it's own laws
in its own capithl9' Ireland has been
subjugated by England, but never con-
quered. Though keIN down by superior
force, she has never thrown up the
sponge and cried 'f5f quarter from her
oppressor: She lis as determined today
to assert her rights: Of autonomy as in
81, '4S and '98. Z ~
In 1865 the Fenian organization sprang
into existence to compel England by
physical force to let go her hold of Ire
land. This movement was formidable
one, and extended its ramifications
around the globe. 1t struck terror into
the hearts of British statesmen, and
caused Gladstone to abolish the English
church establishment in ireland, in de-
f1ance of the threats of Orangemen Ito
kick the queens crown into the Boyne."
The British army was permeated with
Fenian ideas, Irishmen having enlisted
for the purpose of inoculating the SOL
diers with sentiments of disloyalty to
England and allegiance to Ireland.
Thousands of Irishmen in America
who had fought in the war of the rebell-
ion longed for an opportunity of strik-
ing blow for their mother land. Among
those who went from this country to
Ireland to participate in the instruction
against England were Col Thomas ].
Kelly and Capt. Deasy. The insurrec-
ton did not materialize as anticipated,
as the British government had an army
of 10000 in Ireland, and was thoroughly
prepared for the expected rising. Kelly
and Deasy went to England, and were
arrested in Manchester on Sept. 10, 1867.
when they were placed in the dock and
charged with high treason. They
were relnanded for trial, and it was
during the conveyance of the prisoners
from the police court to the Jail that the
daring rescue took place, for their part
in which Allen. Larkin and O'Brien were
executed five days afterward. The two
Irish American soldiers escaped, but a
Sergt. Brett who guarded them within
the van and would not surrender the keys
to let them out, was accidentally killed
by bullet fired by an outsider through
the keyhole, for the purpose of blowing
the lock to pieces.
Such was the famous Manchester rescue
for which Allen, Iaskin and OBrien
yielded up their lives to satiate British
vengeance for boarding the power of
Great Britain on British soil. and in one
the most populous.of British cities. Two
other Irish patriots-Thomas Mcguire
and Capt. O'Meagher Gondon-were con-
victed ano sentenced to death with the
other three, but afterwards pardoned.
The three Irishmen were entirely inno-
cent of the death of Sergt. Brett. but on
the suborned testimony of disreputable
witnesses. they wsre i, sentenced to die
the ignominious death Of malefactors on
the gallows tree. 4,
After the verdict of guilty" had been
pronounced by an English jury. whose
minds were imbucd W it'll prejudice, the
condemned men were asked the usual
question. and each answered for himself
in an address-eloquent, touching and
MISUNDERSTANDING most solemnly that
he fired the fatal shot that deprived the
policeman of his life. On the day of
execution they bore themselves manfutly,
and died not only true patriots but true
Christians. 1t is proper that their men,
cries are fondly cherished by their coun-
trymen on every recurring anniversary.
They died with God, save IrelanS' on