The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-17

he had been captured by tribe of In.
dams from Patagonia and esca-ed by
enticing the king" of the tribe with
whom he had become a favorite) out
side bounds. The king bore the sus-
piciouslv Irish name of ''Fabricius Pat
ricius O'Connor." Judgment has not
yet been given by the Master of the
Rolls, but most persons hope that it will
be in favor of the returned American.
A very curious prosecution has just
taken place in Westport, in the county
OF Mayo. That town is the headquar-
tiers of an association recently estab
lished there under the title of THE
United Irish League" The president
of the league is Mr.. John McHale. and
he instituted the prosecution in ques-
ton against sergeant in the Irish
constabulary for forging his name to
letter melting to the commission of
crime IN the interest of the league. The
evidence against the police constable
consisted of that of an expert from
London, who gave 1t as his deliberate
opinion that the handwriting in the let
ter was the same as that in certain
letters admitted to be those of the po-
nceman, and 1t was also proven that
the policeman in question was, with
some or the men under his command,
IN ambush on certain night at the
place at which the outrage suggested
was TO have taken place. On this evil
oence the magistrate before whom the
preliminary investigation took place
refused to return the accused for trial;
but the prosecution is to be renewed,
and, unquestionably, there is something
very curious about the whole affair.
The Pigott forgeries, which were de-
Vlsed to ruin Parnell and the movement
which he led, at once arise to the mind,
and while 1t would not be right to as
sumo that the Westport policeman has
been guilty Of anything Of the kind
and do not desire even to suggest it
it is equally right to say that if he
is guilty, it would not be the first time
that agents of the kind were induced
to betray Irish organizations into crime
or, rather, to furnish bogus evidence Of
their completely in outrages.
Galway, the capital of Connaught
and the center of a district in which
an Irish speaking population still sur
wives, is to be the scene of a great
Gaelic festival about the end of August.
The Catholic Bishop of Galway, DR..
Mccormack, is giving it his support and
so is a former Catholic Bishop of Gal
way and native of the town, DR.. Carr,
the present Bishop of Melbourne. The
programme will consist of Irish prose
and poetical Rotations, hornpipe and
Jig dancing, performances by Irish pip
ers and choruses of school children.
The Gaelic League in Dublin is deter
mined to make this festival a success,
and have appointed a committee to
prepare for 1t. The effect, of course
of the whole affair is to promote and
encourage the study and use Of the
national tongue of Ireland. 1t is hoped
and expected that some Irish-Ameri-
cans, especially those connected with
Connaught, will be present; but, If 1
may judge from the number Of Irish
Americans who have come to Ireland
this summer so far, / am doubtful
whether that hope will be realized. I
suppose the war accounts for the COM
parative paucity of American visitors
to Ireland generally this year. If the
war should continue to operate in this
way during the rest of the summer
season, it will be pity, for never be-
fore has 1t been possible to see all the
parts of Ireland worth seeing so easily
and so cheaply as now. On this point
I mean to write a special letter or two
very soon for the benefit of the readers
of The Call.