Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-08-01
IRISH AMERICANS
ASK CATHOLICS FOR
QUICK MEMORIAL
Nation Wide Movement for
Memorial to Confessor of
Hanged Irish Patriots.

FlGndreau, S. d., July 21.--A delega-
ton of 20 from here. and George w.
Egan, of Sioux Falls, leave this week
for indianapolis. to ask the Ancient
Order of Hibernians. or in other words,
the Irish of America, TO express their
protest against the hanging of three
Irishmen in England in 1867. by the
construction of a 100000 memorial
church at this place.
The structure as proposed will stand
rot only as protest against injustice
but also as a tribute to the spirit in
which Ireland has opposed English
rule.
The historic incident which the
church would commemorate is known
as the Manchester rescue, and Flan-
dreau Is chosen because here died the
English priest who heard the last words
of the three Irish patriots.
The delegates from Flandreau will
offer n site valued at $4,000, and, IL
necessary, a cash subscription of S10,-
coo. The project will be presented to
the national convention of the A. o. III.
at indianapolis next week by Vice
President Reagan of st Paul, Judge
Kelly of Milwaukee and Mr. Egan.
The order will be asked to provide
for the construction of the church IN
one of three ways: by an appropriation
from the treasury; or by resolution
calling on the various divisions to pay
q proportionate sum; or by an indorse-
mcnt of the plan and authority to use
the name of the order in asking each
OF it's 225,000 members to contribute so
cents for the church.
II is certain that one OF these three
plans will be adopted by the Hiberni-
ans and 1t may be assumed that the
construction of the church is assured.
Captors Become Captives.
In September, 1857 two Irish prison.
ers, Captain Kelly and Colonel Deasy,
were being transported along a coun-
try road, together with three women
prisoners, on their way to Manchester
Jail Four English police sat on top of
the covered wagon and others marched
alongside. Twenty-Five Irishmen, in
ambush, suddenly set upoE the wagon,
drove of the English police and re-
leased the two prisoners. The alarm
was spread, and, though Kelly and
Deasy escaped to America, the reScuerS
were taken prisoners.
Allen, Larkin, O'Brien, Shower and
McDermott were convicted in Il JOINT
trial on q charge of political treason.
In this country the charge would have
been that of resisting San officer and
they would have escaped with fine.
But all were condemned to death. Two
of them, Shower and McDermott, how
ever, were pardoned. Notwithstanding
the pardon OF two of the five tried
Jointly would seem to throw some doubt
on the guilt OF the others, Allen, Larkln
and O'Brien were hung on November
%. 1867.
English papers were inclined to criti-
else the government for lack of justice,
but the feeling against the Irishmen
concerned In the rescue was bitter
nevertheless.
Father Quick Confessed Them.
Father Quick, an English priest, act
ed as confessor of the three condemned
men and the antipathy of the English
extended even to him. Consequently
he made his way TO America and passed
the remainder of his life in this coun-
try. He died at Flandreau while in
charge Of the Catholic parish here, and
his remains lie in the little graveyard
here.
Father Quick himself was a highly
esteemed character and the proposed
church would do honor to his own ad
mirable qualities as well as commem-
Grating the Irish dead. Illustrating his
resolute and resourceful nature,
story was told by himself during his
life, of an experience while conducting
n school for waits in England. He
found one morning that one of the chill
dren had died of cramps and his body
was distorted and twisted in the pain
with which he had passed away. 1t
was shortly after the execution of the
three Irishmen, and Father Quick was
fearful lest the police might use the
circumstance as basis for Il proceed
ing against him that would cater to the
English prejudice against Ireland.
Consequently he carried the corpse to
his own bed and there he lay, en-
bracing the cold. stiff body for two
hours, until the warmth of his own
blood had softened the limbs and en-
abled him TO straiGhten them.