The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-07-27

English exchanges just to hand an
nounce the death, on July l, of the
Right Rev. Monsignor Charles ]. Canon
Gadd, NJ. R., vicar general Of the Sal
ford Diocese, Protonotary Apostolic to|
the Holy See, and known the world
over as the priest of the Manchester
Martyrs" who We're executed in 1867
for the part they took in effecting the
rescue of two Fenians from the prison
van as it was passing along Hyde road
to the city Jail. The incidents of that
tragedy are graphically described by a
writer in the Catholic Firesire" Lon-
dom:
Come back at once. Five 1rishmen
are under sentence Of death in Stafford
Gaol".
Such was the mometous message
flashed across from the Stafford Cathe-
dral in November, 1867, to young Fa-
ther Gadd, who was on holiday visit
at Limerick Junction. 1t was part of
Father Gadd's duty. as curate at st.
Johns. to visit the Catholic prisoners
incarcerated in the New Bailey Prison.
salford Hence the message. the man
date of which he instantly obeyed.
The story of the breaking of the van
has been often told. Yet its interest is
ever fresh and undying for the Irish,
and brief reptition would form
fitting prelude here as an introduction
to the story of the spiritual ministra-
tions of Father Gadd to the men. the
incidents of whose trial and death have
given a temporary National Anthem to
ireland. After the astounding escape
of James Stephens from Richmond Jail,
Dublin, in 1865. his place as Chief Or
ganizer of the Irish Republic was taken
by Colonel Thomas F. Kelly, an Irish
American omcer, one of the leading
men Of the Fenian movement, a man
of splendid courage and of infinite re-
source in moments Of danger. He came
over to England from America to re-
vive the dropping fortunes Of the
Brotherhood. In London he was al
most instrumental in bringing about
the downfall of the British cabinet.
It will, therefore, be understood that
Kelly was a person of nosn1all import
ance in the eyes of the government,
and one whose arrest would be hailed
with infinite glee by the sleuth-h hounds
Of the law. When his arrest was ulti-
mately effected, there was consterna-
tion in the Fenian camp. 1t was then
that Michael O'Brien, who had charge
of the Manchester district, determined
on the desperate hazard of a rescue.
Eleven determined men set out, and in
the full glare Of day on one of the
leading roadways in one Of the great
est cities Of the empire, Her Majesty's
prison van was brought to halt,
broken open and Kelly, together with
Deasy his fellow prisoner, set free. In
the melee Sergeant Brett, the ony man
amongst the police escort who had
done his duty on that occasion, in re-
fusing to give up the keys of the van,
was unfortunately shot. 1t was the
death Of Brett. formulated into Al
charge Of wilful murder against the
rescuers Of Kelly and Deasy, that ulti-
mately brought about the verdict of
guilty" against five men,, Allen Lar
kin, O'Brien, Mcguire and Condon-
the subsequent sentence Of death pro-
nounced upon the five-and the mes
sage that summoned Father Gadd from
Limerick Junction.
when / got back to the Cathedral 1
hastened over to the prison to make
the acquaintance of my boys" The
monsignor never speaks but in the one
endearing, affectionate way. my boys!"
Il began at once to organize little
retreat. The five prisoners were placed
in five condmned cells-all adjoining
three on one side of the corridor and
two on the other. I used to kneel on
So. - <55s s...sa n -