The Washington weekly post., 1900-06-05

/ ment- And, indeed, 10 more effective plaT
! could have been devised than this out.
come Of the Invincibles' conspiracy. Il
| arouse all England against Mr. Glad.
/ stones programme of an Irish parliament
/ TO deal with Irish affairs
| The two men, Fitzharris and Mullett
who escaped the scaffold on which their
/ feLow-cOnspirator died. were not actual
/ paTticipatOrs in the act itself: that is
( their hards did not drive the daggers. fntc
/ the breasts of the murdered men. But they
were privy To the proposed assassination
! OF Under-Secretary Burke, the only vic
( tim, by the way. marked out for slaughter
and Fitzharris, alias skin the Goat
gave the signal from the vice regal en-
trance to the park roadway. to the wait
ing assassins Of the approach of their vic
Tins.
Origin of Term "Roycott-
1t has been stated that Under-secrefarv
Burke. an Irish L1yaiist. who was held
responsible by the Irish public for the
severe measures of Lord Frederick's pre-
decessor, "BUckshot' Forester, was the
only man marked out for the vengeance
OF the invincibles; this bears correction
only in 50 much as that his former mas
cluded, but that gentleman fortunately
escaped by his timely departure for Eng
land.
To indent this article, detailing the
struggle Of the victims and their cruel
murder, with an historical incident as to
the origin Of the term boycott" now so
universally used in this country to ex-
press an agreement not TO patroniZe or
h.fyr rF,rg
dlvidual, 1t may be of passing interest
10 note that the term first originated in
Limerick, Ireland. In that county land
ed magnate named Boycott, supported by
buckshOt Forester, distinguished him
self by his radical. If not eccentric oppO-
sition 10 home rule, and by his less eX-
cusable oppression of his tenants He
was one Of Mr.. Forester's numerous mag
istrates, and was the first official TO adOpt
Mr.. Forester's suggestion of ordering the
Irish constabulary to load their rifles with
buckshot to the end that a greater num-
Der OF people could be hit and placed hors
de combat, than with a load Of bullets.
And, by the way. in this manner the
chief won his sObriquet Of 'Buckshot''
Forester Landlord and Magistrate Boy
colt had a hard time OF it when the whole
population of his district united against
him and refused TO sell either himself
his bailiffs Or policemen supplies Of any
kind. Not a loaf of bread nor d pound
Of meat could the magistrate or the
'peelers' secure for love or money. and
so strict was the boycott" that food and
other supplies had to be shipped into the
district from Dublin
signal to the Assa,sins
Coming back to the Phoenix Park trag-
edy. when, as stated, "Skin the Goat
signaled to the murderers that Mr.. Burke.
and as he supposed "Buckshot' Forester.
had left the vice regal lodge and were
debouching on the main driveway or park
road, the actual assassins broke from
cover, and proceeding quietly along the
pathway running parallel with the road
arrived a few yards north and opposite
the vice regal lodge as the two victims
emerged from the grounds of the lodge
and crossed the road to the opposite path
way
The constabulary barracks for the
training Of the police was not to exceed
800 yards south of the lodge In the bar
racks there were at the time not less
than TWO or three hundred cOnsta bles.
while pedestrians and soldiers were nu-
merOus in every pathway, and bicycists
and carriages were passing and repass-
ing on the principal driveway5 of the ex-
ceedingly handsome park.
Three Of the assassins who had passed
the spot where Lord frederick and Mr.
Burke entered the park proper. turned IN
their tracks and walked toward the two
gentlemen who were COnVersing in low
tones and so deeply interested that they
old not notice the approach Of their mur-
derers, or noticing, paid TO attention, not
dreaming of harm.
As the assassins came abreast Of Mr.
Burke, who was on the inside Of the
walk and nearest to them, they roughly
Jostled that gentleman, and as he raised
his eyes in astonished inquiry. ne beheld a
cleaning dagger aimed AT his breast. He
recOiled on Lord Frederick. and
the nobleman's quick glance took in the
situation, as he exclaimed. Villains,
would you murder" AMI gallantly
throwing himself partially in front Of Mr
Burke, he raised a light walking cane TO
,rike the murderer, whose dagger kai
H. its downward stroke cut the waist O.
Mr. Burke's frOck coat and gashed the
flesh underneath sufficient 10 draw blood.
The Double Murder.
The two or three assassins in the rear
now closed in, but Lord Frederick heroic l
ally grappled with those ia his immediate
front and without a single CRY for help
gTimly fought for ms life Meanv -.ile the |
who nad closed in from the
rear plunged their knives into Mr.. Burke's
sdes and back. and the under secretary
fell al the feet Of his mUrderers without
q struggle or gr0an. Having dispatched |
their victims, the Iaurderers re-enfarced |
their comrades, who were siill hell al I
bay by the TEST OF the CGVendishes' and |
striking at aim from every point OF the
compass. he being enclrcIrd ~ The assas- /
Sins The chivalrOus nobleman fes! at
length, covered with mortal wounds. and
died as some bicyclists who saw wha, |
they supposed to be a scuffie rode 10 10 |
the spot.
The assassin5 having accomplished their |
bloody work, fed and found shelter before |
the dazed policemen and officials who |
were summoned could give pursuit.. The |
bodies Of Lord Frederick and Mr. Burke /
were removed 10 the vice regal lodge. |
, here act even q premonIti0n existed that |
such bloody tragedy had occurred al |
most under the windows. and. indeed. |
Sithin sight and hearing Of the occu-
pants had their attention been attracted /
~ the struggle.
But all was gayely al the lodge while |
he bloody drama outside was beln. en-