The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-09-19
ROBERT fMMfT'S
MEMORY HONORfD
In All the Large Cities Of the Country
Executed September 20, 1903.


just one hundred years tomorrow
since Robert Emmett, in the twenty
sixth year of his age, was hanged in
Kilmainham Jail, in Dublin, for loyal
| ty to his country, but construed
as treason 10 the British government
| by jury and judge.
For years the anniversary of EN-
NETS death has been annually cele-
brated in Chicago and other cities of
America, and some of the most bril-
/ liant orators in the country have told
again and again the thrilling story of
the young patriots hazardous life and
ignoble death. But this year the Gel
i ebrations are to be of still greater
Importance, some of the most notable
OF them to be held in this city, Colum-
bus, Buffalo, Philadelphia and else
where.
While, of course, interest naturally
centers in Emmett, the Irish-American
women have not forgotten his broken
hearted fiance, Sarah Curran, whose
devotion to the martyred patriot has
never been forgotten by students OF
Irish history.
Sarah Curran was the daughter of
John Philpot Curran, Irelands most
brilliant attorney. In period con-
spicuous for its wit. Curran's was the
brightest Of all. His was the most
genial nature that flowed and spark
led at the social board. In a crowded
school Of orators, each one of whom
was prominent and towering, he
stood, if not the foremost, second on
ly to the foremost. When corruption
was let loose he was unpurchasable
an inviOlate. and, in reign of ter
ror, dauntless and invincible. From
the beginning to the end Curran chung
to the fortunes CT his counIry-gave
to her his love, his labors, his sor-
rows. the inspiration of his courage,
the exhilarating warmth of his genius
gave them all to her in the fullest
measure.
Robert Emmet's fance was the
daughter of this great man. She was
one Of the most gentle. tn mogt
amiable, the simplest minded, the
freest from affectation. the most pa
tient, the least willful of womankind,
and yet there was no sacrifice she was
not capable of making for the man
she loved
Through her devotion for Emmett,
Miss Curran had strained relations
between her father and herself and
in her home life the patience and self
remuneration manifested by her were
indeed elfsacrifcing. Curran un-
doubtedly, treated his daughter with
harshness and severity, but it cannot
be wondered at how vexatious to him
must have been the arrest and exc
cutiOn Of Emmet. who was engaged to
his daughter, and which event left him
at the mercy Of the government and
rendered 1t necessary for him to ap-
pear before the privy council in the
character, no longer of an intrepid
advocate for others, but Of a suspect
ed person. who had to enter into ex-
plantations Of his own conduct Cur
ran had rendered himself obnoxious
to the government by so many years
increasing opposition to every admin
istration and by the part taken in the
various state trials from 1894 to 1898.
But all through this period of tur-
mon and discomforts of home Miss
Curran remained faithful to Emmet,
but after his death she did not remain
long in her fathers home. Her
wretchedness found no alienation
there, and the very constraint i'm
posed On her freedom was produc-
tive OF additional misery. She quit
ted her fathers house at length and
went to Cork, where, at the house OF
Mr.. Penrose, a Quaker, she met
Captain Sturgeon of the Royal staff
corps and married him