Evening star., 1907-08-19
HOME OF THE BOYCOTT
Mob Rule Brought to a Science
in Ireland.
PlTIFUL CASE OF BRADYS
Conditions an Affliction Both to Peo-
pie and Government.
GYYNYyTYD AuY ENE0p HEn
"UNWRITTEN" LAW ENFORCED
English Papers Naturally Blaming
the Natives for Everything Un-
pleasant That Happens.


keerin, County Leitrm, as follows: Scien-
tifc boycotting has reached the highest
stage of efficiency in counties Leitrim and
Roscommon. 1t Is the ''unwritten law" of
these rich grazing districts, and as the
''unwritten law it is known and feared
by rich and poor alike throughout the
country. Agents of the United Irish
League boast openly Of it's power. A mere
threat to punish man by the "unwritten
law Is often sufficient to bring him to his
knees in submission. No one can appre
ciate the far-reaching effects of a highly
skilled boycotting movement who has not
studied the system at close range in this
part of Ireland Some of its results may
seem almost impossible in a supposedly
civilized land
The cases in Leitrim do not arise directly
out of cattle grazing, for the Leitrim cat
tie are sent into Roscommon to Craze, and
there are very few ranches here. The his
toric riot at Carrick-on-Shannon few
weeks ago In the presence of Lord Dudley
and his fellow commissioners arose out of
an attempt to send herd of bullocks from
Ballinagleragh into Roscommon. They
were met on that side of the Shannon and
scattered. But in Letrim the 'unwritten
law" is vigorously enforced against the
occupants of evicted farms. There are
now sixty-five evicted farms in Leitrim, of
which forty-five are derelict. Some of the
caretakers of these farms are boy
cotted. Seven families at least thus
banished from civilization. AS Mr.. Justice
Wright said at the Leitrim assizes no one
will deal with them, sell to them, work for
them; they cut off sfrom all intercourse
with the human race, except with their
guardians and protectors-the police.
Even in the local annals of boycotting one
case stands out far beyond the others 1t
is known throughout Ireland the most
relentless, persistent case of persecution on
record. 1t is the case of Thomas Brady,
caretaker of two evicted farms in the Bal
linagleragh mountains. For two years
Brady and his family have been ostracized
hunted by mob whenever they ventured
outside the police Gordon around their
farmhouse. forced to travel twenty and
thirty miles at night in order to get food
and reduced to a pitiable state by gradual
starvation and constant terrorism.
Case Of the Bradys.
Brady is a sturdy, well-preserved old man.
a typical Irish peasant farmer in appear
ance with several sons. His farms are 10
Gated on the Crofton estate, on Slieve-an-
Irein, a steep and rocky mountain in the
Ballinagleragh chain. He refused to leave
the farms, which his neighbors thought
should be returned to the former tenants,
and a rigorous boycott was declared, which
has continued without the truce of even an
hour. to the present day. Volunteer pickets
watched the farms night and day.
When the Scanty stock of provisions was
exhausted and Brady his sons started
in their little donkey cart for a village to
buy supplies, the pickets gave the alarm
and all the residents in the Ballinagleragh
region left their work and trooped after
their victims. No shopkeeper was allowed
to sell them food Brady was refused at
Dowra, the town nearest his farms; then
at BallInagleragh, Drumkeerin and Drum
shando. A bowling mob would follow the
Bradys pelting them with stones and occa-
sionaly beating them with clubs. 1t was
evident that unless they had police protec-
tion they would starve to death in their
mountain cabin Consequently, a detach
ment of unwilling constabes was sent into
this wilderness for the sole purpose of pro-
tecting the wretched family from the fury
of their neighbors But even the police
could not raise the siege The Bradys went
to market with their armed escort; yet
their enemies, who assembled 400 and 500
strong, continued their attacks.
More than year ago young Martin
Brady, a thin. half-starved boy, left the
farm at 1:30 in the morning, accompanied
lons for the family had nothing to eat. He
was mistaken however. in thinking that his
prosecutors were asleep. Videttes were
watching the house closely as they did
in broad daylight and gave the alarm
When Brady reached Drumkeerin, on his
way home again with supplies, after a
twenty-five mile drive. the mob met him on
the fair green with horns and drums. They
kin. scattered the groceries and turned the
donkey loose Then the police formed a
Gordon across the road and drew their ba-
tons in order to prevent the Bradys from
being murdered The boys were finally ta-
ken to the local barracks for the night and
returned home next day under guard.
Eight residents of the Ballinagleragh dis
trict including a county councillor were
charged with unlawful assembly in con-
sequence OF this attack The result of
these prosecutions has been almost as ex-
traordinary as the boycotting itself. The
prisoners were tried first by Sligo fury
which disagreed. They were tried again at
the next assizes by a Leitrim jury, which
disagreed They were tried for a third
time by another Leitrim jury this month
which disagreed And they are to be tried
a fourth time at the Connaught winter
assizes. After the third disagreement the
| Bradys returned despairingly, amid boots
and ieers. to their mountain home.
This boycott compels the authorities to
maintain an expensive force of police on
Sievean-Irein. In fact 1t may be regarded
as a separate punitive expedition, having
no connection with the other cases Of boy
cotting. for the constables exiled on this
mountain are not available for other duty
| There are various degrees of boycotting in
Leitrim. The Bradys have taken the high
est degree, but there are several other Of
Tending families which are qualifying for
the same distinction by obstinately ref,ls-
ing to leave their farms. The Bradys are
held up a terrible example of what may
DeIall any resident VINO VIII not obey mob
law. No one denies that the effect has been
salutary. and that many persons submit
solely because they are afraid of being
boycotted.
Strike in Belfast.
The strike situation in Belfast does not
improve materially The following letter,
signed by the three Belfast members of
parliament has been sent to the employ
ers and men In Belfast:
In view of the grave situation which has
arisen in Belfast and the great evils which
are likely to arise from a continuance OF
the present labor dispute, we have waited
upon Mr.. Brreil, the chief secretary of
ireland, and appealed to him to use his
| influence to bring this deplorable dispute
70 an end by consenting to arbitrate. Mr..
Birreii, at our request. has offered to act
as arbitrator. or to appoint some one to
| act In his behalf, provided that the repre-
sentatives or the masters and the men are
| willing to accept him or his representative
| as arbitrator. We feel that in taking this
| step as the representatives of the city we
are acting in the interests of the city as a
| whole, and we believe that In the course we
| have taken We represent the undivided SEN
| tment of the great body of the citizens of
| Belfast"
| In letter to the Daily Telegraph a resi-
4 dent of Ireland says: 1.-The present con-
| dition of affairs in certain parts of Ire