The Irish standard., 1903-11-21

We're laid to effect the liberation of
the prisoners. Meetings were held
and it was decided to intercept the
VAN which was to convey the prison
crs from court to prison. The Eng
lish authorities We're warned that
such an attempt would be made, and
accordingly sent twelve policemen
with the prisoners. Kelly and Deasy
We're mndcuffed and locked in separ-
ate compartments in the van. With
them in the van was one policeman.
Sergeant Brett, three women prison.
ers and boy. The other policemen
rode on top of the van or followed
after. The van started from the court
house to Stafford prison. On the way,
under railway arch, party of
about thirty men sprang from the
side of the road, surrounded the van,
shot one of the horses and ordered
the policeman within the van to un-
lock the door. This he refused to do,
and refused to surrender the keys.
The attacking party attempted to
blow open the lock by shooting
through the key hole and in so doing
shot Brett dead. One of the women in
the van then handed out the keys,
and a young man entered unlocked
the compartments in which Kelly and
Deasy We're confined. brought them
out and they We're hurried away to Il
place of safety, while the rescuers
prevented pursuit. Meanwhile, large
reinforcements hatl come to the as.
sistance of the police and many of
the party engaged in the rescue We're
arrested. One of those arrested was
identified as the young man who had
entered the van and who turned out
to he William Philip Allen. The re-
suit of this days work is thus de-
scribed by a. NJ. Sullivan in his New
Ireland: "That evening Manchester
WAS filled with CONSERVATION. The
story of the rescue, with many ex.
aggel:tions, spread like wildtire The
people throngcd the streets. discussing
the alarming topic. The police, in
famed with passion and wounded in
pride, burst in strong bodies upon the
Irish quarters of the town, making
wholesale arrests in a spirit of fury.
The anger and panic of Manchester
spread next morning through all
broad Britain. The national pride
was wounded, the national safety in
vaded; the national authority had
been bearded, defied and for the
moment defeated, by handful of
rebel Irish in the very heart of an
English city" Amid the general ex-
citcment and fear which pervaded
Manchester, it could not be expected
that the prisoners would have a fair
trial. They were brought into court
in irons. something which had not oc-
Cured in an English court for cen
turies. In vain the English lawyer
for the prisoners petitioned for the
removal of the irons, and a recogni-
ton of the usual presumption attend
ing defendants on trial. On Monday,
October 2Sth, 1867, William Philip
Allen, Michael Larkin, Thomas Ma
guire, Michael O'Brien and Edward
Condor were arraigned for the wilful
murder of Sergeant Brett. The crown
alleged that the killing of Brett was
wilful and deliberate, that the shot
which killed him was aimed through
the ventilator of the cab, and the
principal evidence to this effect was
that of a female thief who was in the
cab on her way to prison to serve a
third term of imprisonment for rob-
berry. The evidence of men who were
present was that Brett was killed by
a. bullet fired into the keyhole in the
attempt to break open the lock. All
five were found guilty and sentenced
to hang on November 23d. Before
sentence they addressed the court
protesting their innocence. "No man
in this court" said Allen, regrets the
death of Sergeant Brett more than l
do, and positively say in the pres
ence Of the Almighty and everything
God, that I am innocent, ay, as inno-
cent as any man in this court. 1
don't .say this for the sake of mercy;
want no mercy; I'll have no mercy.
I'll die as many thousands have died,
for the sake of their beloved land, and
in defense of it." Condor, who was
the last to speak, said, 1--WE have been
found guilty, and, ais matter of
course, we accept our death. We are
not afraid to die; at least, 1 am not.
I only trust that those who are to be
tried after us will have fair trial,
and that our blood will satisfy the
craving which, understand, exists.
You will send us before God and
am perfectly prepared to go. have
nothing to regret or to retract or take
back. l can only say, God save Ire
land" AS he uttered these words his
companions advanced to the dock,
and with uplifted hands and heads
solemnly repeated the words, "God
save Ireland" Since that time these
words have been national cry in
Ireland. After the trial, a change Of
feeling took place. The English peo-
r]o Or MANY of thnm rn)1izn1 that thp