Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-02-02
JUST MISSED HANGING.
A MAN WHO STOOD IN THE
SHADOW OF THE GALLONS.
HE WAS IN ELLSWORTH LAST WEEK.
AND TOLD THE STORY OF HIS
THRILLING EXPERIENCE.

perience which few have, and lived to tell
of it. lie is Capt. Edward O'Meagher
Condor, and lac was in Ellsworth in his
official capacity as United States inspector
OF government buildings.
At the close of the civil war in this
country, where Captain Condor won his
title,he went to Ireland and soon made use
OF the exclamation, now so often repeated,
"God save Ireland
The Manchester martyrs have left
names behind them that will endure.
But it was not due to any love OF him, nor
any concern as to his fate that O'Meagher
Condor was not added to the list Of
men who died for Ireland on that bleak
November morning in 1867.
He had faced the danger as well as any
OF his comrades, the same sentence which
sent them to the gallows had also been
pronounced against him, every prepare
ton for doing him to death had been
had been doomed to die that he found
that, unlike his comrades he had a coun-
was powerful enough to save him from
the seaffold.
The story OF the attack In Manchester,
about quarter OF a century ago, which
raised he dropping spirits OF the Irish
rebels and rescued Kelly and Deasy from
the prison van, and which resulted in the
accidental shooting OF Police Sergeant
Brett, " no was in charge of the prisoners,
will ever interest.
The world is aware how, when the van
bearing the two American Fenian cap
tives had passed under the railway arch
that spans the Hyde road at Bellevue,
point midway between he city and the
Stafford Jail, an attack was made on it and
the prisoners rescued.
The driver, who was accompanied by
five policemen on the box. four on cab,
after the van and one inside the van in
charge OF The prisoners, suddenly saw
man standing in the middle OF the road
drivers head shouting to the driver
''halt". There were but few houses in he
place, and the moment the policemen saw
crowd OF men swarming over the wall
they took to their heels and ran as fast as
their legs could carry them.
The Fenians crawled through the graf
ing in the van to hand out the keys, so
that the door could be opened, but Brett
refused. They tried to batter in the roof
of the van, but as the effort was fruitiess,
one OF their number put his revolver to
the keyhole and fred for he purpose OF
blowing 1t apart. Brett, who was stand
ing i'll front OF the keynote, received the
contents OF the pistol in his body and was
killed.
Those engaged in the attempt OF rescu
ing were arrested. One OF the prisoners
was put forward few days later in the
police court to answer to the charge OF
having murdered Sergeant Brett. He
gave the name OF Edward Shore on being
arrested. His fellow prisoner, Michael
O'Brien, who WAS subsequently hanged
for his Anticipation in the rescue, gave
the name OF William Gould. On October
%, 1867, after having been returned for
trial by the lower court, while bound in
chains, Allen Larkin, O'Brien, O'Meagher
Condor and a soldier named Mcguire,
were put on trial for murder. All five
were convicted in short order.
Condor, when asked the customary
question, whether he had anything to
say why sentence OF death ought not to
-, h. At,
companions had done, that he had done
no wrong and was not guilty OF the
crime which had been laid at his door.
The accounts OF the affair at the time
speak of him a, being 'more of an orator
than any of those who had preceded
him. and speaking with remarkable
huency, grace and vigor". eve have
been found guilty. he said, land, as n
matter Of course we accept our death as
gracefully as possible. We are not afraid
to die-at least am not
Nor l. - Nor :" Nor !, " shouted
his companions in the dock.
Condor continued: II am citizen of
the state OF Ohio, but am sorry to say
my name is not Shore. Iy name is
Edward O'Meaghe Condor. / belong in
Ohio and there are loving hearts there
that VIII be sorry for this. | have moth
ing but my best wishes TO send them
and my best feelings, and assure them |
can d lie as a Christian and an lrishman
and that am not afraid or ashamed of
anything l have done, or the conse-
quences before God or man. You will
soon send us before God, and am
perfectly prepared to go. | have nothing
TO regret, or to retract, or take back.
can only say, God save Ireland
His companions joined in the chorus
and Good save Ireland" rang through the
court house. The newspaper men, who
attended the trial for the London and