The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-11-26
BY The PATRIOTIC CHILDREN OF ERIN
STORY OF THE BRUTAL MURDER OF
THE: GALLANT HEROES.
FOUND GUILTY ON PERJuRED EVIDENCE
THE 4sAGEDY WAS THE THEME OF
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

The judicial murder of the Irish pat
riots Allen, Larkin and O'Brien, at Man.
chester, England, on Nov. %, 1867, was
on a par of infamy with any of the exc
cutions ordered upon the patriots of 100
years ago, to whom we have from time to
time referred in these columns.
Our readers are familiar with the story
: of the famous rescue Of the Fenian pris-
oners, Kelly and Deasey, from the prison
van in Manchester in 1867. and the trial
and conviction Of Allen, Larkin, OBrien,
Mcguire and Condor, for participation in
the daring achievement, and the acci-
dental shooting of Sergeant Brett
through the door of the van.
1t will be remembered that the fact
was made SO completely manifest, not
withstanding the perjured testimony of
the trial, that Mcguire was not on the
scene Of the occurrence and knew moth
ing whatever of it. that strong public
sentiment was aroused against the judi
cial murder dccreed against him.
| BY philosophy of alleged law posi-
BILE only under British administration
when 1t was made evident to all after
the trial that the evidence against him
was perjured and that he was entirely
innocent of any knowledge of the crime,
Mcguire was "pardoned," and the other
prisoners convicted on the same evidence
were still held guilty.
1.-THE pardoning of Mcguire" said the
London Star at the time, was not mere
ly just-it was absolutely unavoidable.
Certainly it was acknowledged by every
one that the evidence as to his identifica-
tion has undergone such contradictions
as to render it impossible to found on 1t
even a sentence of a months imprison-
ment.
Obviously, to hang Mcguire would
have been, under any circumstances a
industrious crime. He never ought to
have been convicted. But now arises IL
question Of yet graver moment-a ques-
tion involving not merely the life Of one
man, but the lives of four men,
1t Is admitted that the evidence which
identified Mcguire cannot be relied upon.
Can we forget that the same evidence
likewise identified Allen, Larkin, O'Bricn
| and CondOn3 Tvarv u;ouIo witt po,c ,,,bo
swore to Mcguire swore also to one or all
of the men who now lie under sentence
of death.
| Withdraw from the case the testi-
mony of the witnesses who are now ad-
mitted to have been mistaken in the case
of Mcguire, and what remains? No
human being can say it would be right
to hang men on uch evidence"
| Condor, who was an American citizen,
presented to the British government a
new difficulty when the pardon" Of Ma
guire was announced. The pardon
showed the trial to have been q farce,
and Condon's execution on the strength
Of testimony shown to have been per-
jured, might cause serious consequences.
So Capt. Gordon was sentenced to life
Imprisonment, and the remaining three.
Allen, Larkin and O'Brcn, were led to
the scaffold on the same repudiated and
false testimony.
They met their deaths like true Christ
ian patriots on Nov. 49, At 7:45 in the
morning the solemn procession was
formed, leading by long staircase from
the prison wall to the scaffold in the
yard. A line was formed in the Jail
court The sentrics on duty ceased their
walk, magistrates and reporters stood
aside and a dead silence prevailed for n
moment. At 8:03 o'clock the solemn
service of the priests repeating the litany
Of the church was heard, and the head of
the procession became visible about 80
yards from the foot of the staircase
| Allen and O'Brien, with their attend
ants, having reached the top of the stair,
waited on the inner platform until Lar
kin and the officials came up. Then the
door was flung open and the boy martyr
| WIS ITSL leu OUT upOH Lic uiOp Ills
face, which was pale, appeared working
with the effects of strong mental agony.
| The high priest Of English rule over
Irishmen, Calcraft, came forward and
placed the moose over Aliens neck, pull
ed a white cap over his face and then
tied his feet. The pinioning of the arms
allowed his hands from the elbow down
ward sufficient freedom to clasp on his
breast cruciflX, which ever and anon,
as he spoke aloud the responses of the
litany, the poor young fellow seemed to
| DreSsSelOser and closer to his heart.
Next O'3ricn was led forth. On his
fine, manly face the closest scrutiny
could not detect a trace of weakness. He
looked calmly and sadly around; then,
stepping up to where Allen stood, capped