The Irish standard., 1908-05-23
An IRISH heroine
Fate of Emmet's Faithful Ser
want, Anne Devlin.
Resisted Torture and Threats
ofDeath For Patriots.


Devlin, the heroic Irish girl who re-
sisted torture and threats Of death
rather than betray those who trusted
to her faith, says the Ulster Irish
Weekly.
| When the patriots chose the house
in Butterfield Lane, Rathfarnham, IN
the spring of 1903 to preparr their
plans, they must have known the fam
lily who were to be their nearest neigh.
bors. The occupier Of the nearest
mouse was Bryan Devln, who had
married sister of Michael Dwyer, the
! famous Wicklow hero.
In selecting the Butterfield Lane for
his retreat, Robert Emmett relied upon
these friends of his cause. Bryan Dew
lin had seven children-three sons and
four daughters. One Of the eldest was
Anne, whose sufferings have won for
her memory an enduring place in the
story Of Irish patriotism. Anne Devlin,
with the wife of James Hope, kept
house for Emmet. After the disasters
Of July 30, 1903. it was to the house at
Butterfield Lane that Emmet and his
comrades first repaired. When the
search for Emmett begun the Butter
field Lane house was one of the first to
which the authorities directed their
attention.
Not only Anne Devlin, but her par
ents, brothers and sisters were arrest
ed. The Yeomanry who effected this
arrest were commanded by Charles
Frizell, magistrate of Rathfarnham,
who at once proceeded to use those
methods of "extricating information"
which had been used in 1898. Sur
rounded by yeomanry with fixed bay
onets, she was examined as to her
knowledge of Emmet and his where
abouts. She refused to identify En-
met with Ellis, which was the name
under which Emmet had taken the
lease of the house.
The half-hanging, which was one Of
| Tic LdVOIllC 1ICIuOuS NY WHICH kcluCe
tant witnesses were pressed to reveal
what they knew or what they did not
know, was next resorted to-.
A common cart was tilted up, and d
rope fixed to the shafts. The rope was
put about her mock. and the brutal yeo-
men closed round with their bayonets
| i~,a ;o1
blood flow. Again she was asked to re-
veal the whereabouts of Mr.. Ellis.
She answered: You may murder me
but not one word about him will you
get from me-" Then she had barely
time to cry for mercy on her soul
when the rope was pulled by the yeo-
men, and she was suspended from the
cart. When she was almost uncon-
scious she was lowered to the earth
amid the brutal laughter Of the yeo-
n1anry, which recalled her to hel
senses.
Bribery was next tried to make hel
reveal her secret. She was brought
before Major SIR, who promised hel
"flne fortune" of 500 pounds If she
would tell where Emmet had gone
sured her he knew all about the visi
on July -, and repeated to her the
words of reproach with which she hac
J met the party on their escape from
Dublin. Some one of the band that ac'
companied Emmett even then wal
! known to SIR. Upon her repeated re-
! fusal to give any information she wa
! flung into Kilmainham, where she suf
! fered till her release two and a hal
years afterwards.
Anne Devlin was born on Feb. IA
177S. After Emmet's failure on Jul.
90, 1908, and when he was in hiding
she was the messenger between hin
and his friends in Dublin. When ar
rested she absolutely refused to inform
the military as to his whereabouts
The day after Emmett and his compan
y ions went away from Butterfield Ian
IL troop Of yeomen came With mag1s
trate and searched the house. Ever
place was ransacked from top to bot
tom. AS for Anne Devlin, she wa
} seized on when they first rushed II
} She was kept below by the yeome
/ with their fixed bayonets pointed
! her.
: When the other came down she wa
: examined. She said that she kne,
: nothing about the gentleman, excer
that she was servant maid. Wher
. they came from and where they Wen
III to, she knew nothing about, and S
long as her wages were paid she care
= to know nothing else about them. Th
magistrate threatened her with deaf
\ II she did not tell She persisted
asserting her total ignorance Of NJ
Ellis acts and movements and of thos