The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-02-07
John Fltzgibbon Has Been Imprisoned for
Denouncing Landlordism in
Co. Roscommon.
How He Confounded the Constabularv Who
Were Trying to Deprive Him
s-zzHazHo of Sweet Liberty

In Il letter from Castlcrea, County
Roscommon, Ireland, to the Philudrl-
phia North American, Mr.. Hugh
Sutherland says in part:
We sat, John Fitzyibbon and I, OH
either side of his big fireplace, where
the turf cmbcrs glowcd redly. My
mind pictured again the country had
ridden through, the fair lands where
there are only the sears of lcvclcd
homestcads and the cruel barrcns
where men and women strive in help.
less misery.
1t was good to think that this man
with the sturdy frame and rugged,
honest face and straight-thinking
brain had devoted himself to the pco-
pie. Yet it seemed a pity, too, that
the state which rules this country
should have made him and his kind
implacablc enemies of it's system of
government. The authorities had
tried to brand him II criminal, and
eyes. he is tracked by police MS though
he were plotting sinister violence.
Here was Il man Of solid sense, hon
est in every fibre, his training ana
his social position influencing him to-
wards conservatism. BY his own
efforts he had built up prosperous
business. the success of which he ell
dangercd every hour lie remained
actively in politics. Why should such
a man be subjected to hamssmcnt, to
persecution, to the indignity OF con-
vict stripes? Was he really menace
to the peace Of the empire or the lives
of the kings subjects? I asked him
those questions, and his answer came
ut once, without n show Of resent
mcnt.
"You see these two hands?" he said.
holding them forth. ~ would give
them both, If the need came. to save
the life Of the worst landlord in Ire
land. Yet with these hands l have
broken stone and picked oaIium as n
common criminal. 1t is charged TINT
l am n dangerous person. Oh, tell
You. the officials Of the English gov
crnment are fools that they pursue
such methods. They sncer Mt Ireland
because she Is disloyal. and all the
while they use the utmost cndcavor
and ingenuity to make her dlsloyaI."
"Tcll me why you have been in
prison?"
"Would that interest Americans?
Well, perhaps it would. From all
know OF your country l don't think
they understand this part of our sys-
TEN.
'In spite Of my interests as n mer-
chant, which ought to make me eau
tious, l have been unable to keep out
OF this land fight. You'll understand
that because l know the people; /
live among them and see their suffer.
ings day by day. Well, my first Of
fcnse was in 1887, in speech at II
public meeting Mt CIonfad There
had been some evictions that were
not justified and there was good
deal Of feeling over the matter. Some
of the people were bitter because GER
tain men had been selling food to the
police in charge Of the empty houses.
When | spoke of the evictiOns n man
In the audience cried out: How
about those who are supplying milk
to the policeY
"There was n kind of laugh, and
thought best to pass over the ques-
ton as joke. So said: Il don't
know anything about the milk, but I
am inclined to think they won't get
much cream.' There was another
laugh and the subject was dropped. I
got month at hard labor for that"
"In the name Of Gilbert and Sulli-
van, why and how?"
"You know how the police watch
public meetings? One of them, sup-
posed to be m expert shorthand
writer, is sent to the meeting. He is
surrounded by guard of policemen
armed with rifles, who force way
for him, If necessary, until he is