The Irish standard., 1898-10-15
IN THE lNsURREcTIoN OF '9s
He Fell While Fighting for His
C0nntry's Freedom.
SUFFERED A TERRIBLE DEATH
His Severed Head on a Pole Before
the Chapel Gate.

Rev. p. +. l<avanagh, O. S. T., iii the
Dublin Weekly Freeman. gives a graphic
ard comprehensive sketch Of Father
John Murphy. who, ic says. occupied in
common estimation the foremost place
among the leaders of ,hn Wexford in
surgcnts in '9S. After describing Father
Johns valor at the battle of Oulart Hill,
Father kavanHsh gives this vivid de-
scription of the PATRIOTS death:
After the successful passage of Scol-
lagh Gap. which Father John had plan
ned and in which he took an active part,
he suddenly and mystrriously disappears
Cd 1t would soon that he, together
with his faithful companion Gallagher,
was taken prisoner by Il scouting party
of ycomanly. His cap.oTs lid not know
who he was nor that he was II priest, as
he then wore the ordinary dress of the
peasantry. But they suspected that their
prisoner was some person OF Importance
on the insurgcnt side and they brought
him and his companion Hilh them to the
NiIldSc vi ! ullOW, III lue guilty tuIlOW,
to be examined before Il military tribunal
Gallagher was first intcrrogated and
commanded to disclose the name, Occu-
patton and residence OF his companion or
of Ibis MASTER" for such they deemed
Father John to be- Blu, Gallagher rcso-
lutey refused to do this and maintained
a determined silence. Ills intcrrogators
| forthwith resolved to cStort a confession
| from him by torture Ey their order
their prisoner was stripped naked. tied
; to post and logged and questioned al
ternatcly, and was promised pardon if
he Informed his judges who his compan-
ion was. but from This brave man and
faithful follower all their tOrturcS could
! not extract Il wore, HAT would cn1anger
his vcncratcd CHIEF and beloved friend.
After inicting upon him 600 lnshes,
| without obtaining their object they Or
| dcrcd him to be unlonsrna, from the post
| to whcl, he had been bound. While
| their mnnglcd victim lay upon the
ground, writhing in agony from the fear
| full sco,lrging he had undergone they
erected a temporary sallows, hoping that
| by fresh torturcs they might overcome
| the iirmness of his resolutions. When
| the galows was prepared they suspended
| him from il. letting him down at short
| intervals and still commanding him to
| inform upon his friend. I.nt their COM
! nands their threats, their turtur"s were
unavailng not word could they c%tort
| from him--his lips were seen to move in
| prayer to that just and mcrciful Being
who was witness OF his agony and con-
stanry-no doubt he prayed for himself,
for his friend, for his coun:ry. and, per-
haps, even for his ruthless enemies.
Finally, these hard-h hearted men. hope
less of cXtOrting any confession from
him, suffered him to hang Till he was
dead One of their prisoners being now
beyond their power. they turned to the
other whom they Judged to be the moro
important. The hour of the great pa
triot's supreme trial had ROW come his
faithful friend was dead, and he himself
was about to pass through Il similar or
dcal-through torture to death. He had
often faced death on the field Of battle
at the head of his brave ShiInlalicrs. and
! his courage had never wavercd. Death
now faced him invested with strange ter
rors. But even in this dreadful moment
his dauntlcss courage did not fail him.
| He knew his death was certain, that it
was to be preceded by a prolonged agony,
but he was sustained by the conscious
ness Of his innocence and the justice o.
| his cause. He had forfeited his life be-
cause, regardless of his own safety, he
had taken the side of the poor and the
| oppressed; and now he was to suffer
death for this-and lie did not fear it.
He was prepared to die. He was now
brought before the conrtmartial and
| questioned as to his name and occupa-
| tion, but he made no answer to his Qres-
| TONERS. He took his stand. calm and
| unmoveI, before the tribunal of uniform
ed cut-throats and with look and bearing
that showed no sign of fear he awaited
| their sentence with 1ignilind composure;
| but when a certain Major Hall drew nigh
to where he stood and put a very insult
ing question to him his patience deserted
him for n moment and he dealt the ruf-
| nan Il vigorous blow which stretched him
| almost senseless on the ground. His
| enemies now began to wreak their ven-
geancc upon the man whom they had
| failed to intimidate by their threats.
| Their first proceeding was to have his
clothes searched for any document that
might lead to the discovery of his name
or condition. In one of his pockets the
searchers found stole and pyx. On