Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-09-09
Release of Fitzharris from Kill
mainham Recalls the Ter
rible Affair.
Dramatic Doom Placed Upon
Cary, the InfOrmer, Car
ried Out.
IT WAS In The DAYS OF COERCION

The British Government has finally car
ried out its promise of clemency to the
last of the "Phenix Park" prisoners and
has released James Fitzharris, alias "Skin
the Goat, who was serving life sentence
as an accomplice in the assassination of
tary for Ireland, and of Thomas Henry
Burke, Permanent Under Secretary, in
Phoenix Park, Dublin. in 1882, writes
John A. Dillon in the New York World.
On the evening of Saturday, May 6, IN
that year, just before sunset, Lord Fred
erick Cavendish and Thomas Henry
Burke, while walking together across
Phoenix Park, in Dublin, were suddenly
set upon and stabbed to death by band
of unknown men, who as suddenly disap-
peared. -. :,
The deed was a shock to the civilized
world hardly less severe than that of the
assassination of our own President Gar
field the year previous. And yet public
opinion was divided as to whether it was
a political act or a mere murder. The
British Government dealt with it as a
murder, but the French republic refused
extradition to a refugee charged with
participation in it, and the United States
took the same view in the case of several
others who escaped to this country.
British justice had its way with those
whom it caught and tried. Five OF them
were hanged in the execution yard of
Kilmainham Jail. Three, who had re-
Gently been released, received sentences
of penal servitude for life; FIVE received
sentences of ten years and one of five
wears. Three turned informers.
All of those who were punished were
men in humble life, the agents of men
higher up, who planned the deed and
who escaped its consequences. With the
remission of the last of the life sentences
Great Britain declares that justice has
been satisfied and that the account is
closed of the Phoenix Park tragedy of
1882.
1t was in the days of coercion-and of
reprisals. Forster the head and front OF
the coercion policy, had dropped his
Office in disgust--and in fear of his life.
His murder had been planned, and the
tradition runs that the train which car
ried him from Dublin was searched in
vain by armed Invncibles anxious to get
q shot at him.
"Buckshot Forster was safely out of
Ireland, and Cancellation, represented by
Lord Frederick Cavendish, had replaced
him. Against Lord Frederick there was
no grievance, nor was his death intended.
But Burke had been sentenced by a secret
tribunal; his executioners had been selec-
ted; it was mere accident that involved
Lord Frederick Cavendish in the doom.
After his installation as Chief Secretary
he had started 10 return on foot through
Phoenix Park to the viceregal lodge, and
Secretary Burke, seeing him walking, had
dismissed his cab and joined him. 1t
was drawing near sunset of beautiful
day in May. The park was almost de-
serted. An Irish car driven by Myles
Kavanaugh and having four occupants,
Zoe Brady, stonecutter Tim Kelly, a
coach builder; Pat Delaney and Tom Calf
rey, was driving slowly up and down the
path, followed by the cab of Fitzharris
.(Skin the Coat.
In the cab were Dan Curley, Michael
Pagan and Joe Hanlon, all armed with
revolvers and intrusted with the work of
rescue if it were needed.
In addition to these nine were also
James Carey-afterward the informer-
whose duty it was to signal the presence
of the victim, and Joseph Smith, who
alone of all the party knew Secretary
Burke by sight.
The four occupants of the car who had
been selected to do the deed were armed
with surgeons knives brought over from
France. Brady, who was Hercules in
strength, was their leader.
AS the victims approached the car the
signal was given from the roadside by
Carey. The four leaped down and ran to
the encounter. Burke was instantly killed
and gashed with the sharp knives of al
least two of his ASSISTANTS, Brady and
Kelly. Lord Frederick Cavendish might
have been let go uhhurt, but his manly
instinct prompted him to resist. if it was
only with his umbrella, and knife
thrust in his heart ended his life.
Not less sudden than the deed was the
fight and escape. Within a minute after
the murder every one OF the eleven had
disappeared as completely as If the earth
had swallowed them up. Carey and
Smith turned and went away as soon al
the signal was given, Fitzharris started
back with his cab before blow wal
struck. The four jumped back on the
car, Kavanaugh whipped up his little rec
mare and kept her at full speed on race
around the city of Dublin, driving out b,
Chapelizad. keeping outside of the cit,
until he re-entered by the south side