The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-12-22
O'BRIEN KENNEDY IN DULUTH
Tells Of the Treatment in British
PenitentiarleS,

|
Last Sunday afternoon Catholic AS
ISOLATION hall in Duluth was filled by
| the members Of the A. o. II. and
| friends, who had assembled to do hon
or to Edward O'Brlen Kennedy, one
OF the Irish eX-political prisoners re-
Gently released from British prisons.
The meeting was called to order by
John Flood, who introduced Mr.. Ken
nedy. Mr.. Kennedy said:
40 all who have laborcd and en-
d,rcd in the cause Of liberty and jus
tice it is cOnsoling to note that the
spirit which still animates those who
are striving TO perpetuate the struggle
for freedom against oppression is rs
ancient as the most primitive estab-
lsllment of social existence. In this
conflict for national freedom the Irish
present conspicuous figure in the he
redtary struggle to rid their native
land of the presence of the incubus
which mars the beauty of it's situation
and retards the prosperity of its low
ing people, whose ardor both time and
oppression has failed to efface. The
Irish in America are set down by
England as the propagators of all
modes of aggression against British
rule in Ireland, and, therefore, the pres
ence of any lrsllman from America in
Ireland is looked upon with suspicion.
charged with conspiracy to blow up
buildings. and with four others hurried
off to Liverpool for trial. After Il mock
trial for three days, during which
eighty witnesses were examined, the
jury retired and in Il few minutes re-
turned Il verdict of guilty on all counts.
Ihe rlilrf charge against me was that
] had interviewed several chemical
men on the explosive qualities of Ger
tain chemicals. and the principal wit
ness. an expert in chemicals. who testi-
fled against me. held five different
positions under the government SO
alarmed was England ut this time of
the situation in Ireland that every
small can seen was supposed to con-
tain nitro-glyccrinc. Diabolical de-
signs were made by which few cas-
rs of explosives were placed in differ
cnt parts of the city by government
agents and seized. Numerous arrests
followed and sham Investigations were
held. 1t would prolong the recital to
cnumcrate all the barracks and gun
boats that We're alleged to he do
stroycd. Everything was magniticd q
thousand times. and troops paradcd
Cork, and g,lnboats patroled the river
Lee in anticipation of the instruction.
ARRIVING ut Liverpool, after being
arrested. when almost the whole pop
llation of England was frantic seeking
for victims. and burning to retaliatc,
1T Is needless to remark our condemna-
| ton was forcgone conclusion. But
one thing they failed to secure, a pub
lie nformcr against us. They made
the most tritling facts suffice to CON
denim us. Before my trial | was placed
in prison cell, susceptible to weather
influences. so that the wind used to
blow hurricane through, and the
water tap was so arranged that during
the night the water flowed and COW
cred the entire floor of my cell, and
when l arose III the morning | was
obliged to stand in the water. as every
article of my clothing had to be put
outside of my cell door the night priv
iors. This process was tried to exact
information from me- but it failed. The
outside world is innocent to the dark
means employed by England to elicit
information in cases of irish treason
and while alone and unaidcd, secluded
from all worldly encouragement, sub.
iect to the terrors of hidden vengeance
vet defiant to all this power and its
base temptation.
II was doomed to penal scrvitudt
for life with my companions, and fol
the first thirty successive nights had tC
sleep on the bare boards. In order tC
keep us from sleep. the warden al
night would shout to us and we woul(
have to answer. After being borne il
: chains to London and confined in Pen
tonviile, where we spent four days. w,
!, | b.
where many weary day and slecpless
night awaited us to chill the love OF
liberty we so ardently cherished. After
my first year the result Of imprison
ment was telling on me. 4 little
swelling OH my cheek, the doctor
lanced, cauterized and made it so ser