The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-04-24


that dungeon remained from Friday
until Monday. when ] was conducted
to the Ballally to receive my punish
ment. No trial had yet interviewed,
nor ever after. I was stripped ond
tied up: six soldiers stood forth ;or
this operation. some of them right
handed, some of them left handed
mon, two at time Gas | Judge from
the quickness of the lashes,) and re-
lieved at intervals. until I had received
two hundred and seventy-five lashes
so vigorously and so deeply inflicted
that my back and the points of my
shoulders were quite bare of the
flesh.
AT that moment letter was hand
ed to the officer presiding, written, ]
understand, in my favor by Captain
O'Brien, of Rostellan. 1t happily in
terrupted my punishment. But I had
not hitherto shaken the triangle. a dis
play of feeling which, it seems, was
L
ate the spectacle a wire cat was in
troduced armed with scraps of tin or
lead Ito judge from the effect ard
from the description given.) What
ever were the appendages I cannot
easily forget the power of it. In de-
fiance of shame. my waist band was
~, t1,o ffo;e of Ia 4,
decorating instrument. The very first
lash. AS it renewed all my pangs, and
shot convulsive agony through my en-
tire frame, made me shake the tri-
angle indeed. A second nfliction of
it penetrated my loins and tore them
excruciatingly; the third maintained
the tremulous exhibition long enough;
the spectators were satisfied
"a court of inquiry (was) held to
investigate my case the year following
in Youghal, under General Graham by
order of Corvallis. Before this court
was not brought; nor any friend of
mine summoned thither to speak fer
me. 1t was even a subject Of sarcas-
tic remark in tho prison ship that
while / stood there among the sailors,
my trial, as they termed it, was going
on in Youghal. With the proceedings
of that court I am to this day unac-
Quainted. 1t was ordered, I know, in
consequence Of: memorial upon my
situation handed to distinguished no.
bleman, and by him presented at the
Castle. I was not consulted with re.
for me it was penned with more zeal
than accuracy, setting forth, among
other hardships, that, after my pun
I had been left without med:-
cal assistance Con the report, pre-
sumo of sister-in- law who visited
me within the interval between the
whipping and the apothecary's arrlv-
ALL 1t further stated that I had been
Whipped and thrown into a dungeon
instead of stating, as I should have
done. thrown into dungeon ana
whipped This inversion was fatal to
me-"
BY this torture, by threats of death.
it was hoped to extort a confession
of guilt from Father O'Neill; but ne
was an innocent as we'll as a power
full man. His innocence was after
wards proved beyond any shadow of
doubt, and afterwards Lord Corn
wallis unhesitatingly issued an order
for his removal from the transport.
But" says Father o'Ncill 81 hal
sailed before this order arrived. On
the passage out a mutiny arose among
the convicts, who, taking advantage
of the moment when the captain Wa.
fumigating the ship, suddenly set up
on, and tied him. The sentinel, a Ma
lay, cried out to me in his own lar
gon, as I was walking on the main
deck, that there was war below, Of
fering me his drawn sword in order
to fortify my interference. What my
conduct at that critical moment was
will come better from others. I shall
only say that the most prompt and
athletic exertion preceded my cntreat-
les, and rendered them cffcctual. How,
as we'll as by whom. the captain was
cxtricated. without even the interview
ton Of an officer, he himself can tell.
Another gentleman. Mr. Piper, of the
New South Wales Corps. can also tell.
Mr. Roberts. the surgeon. told it 50
circumstantially to the Lieutenant.
Governor. Major Foveaux. that he aft
erwards treated mo with particular
kindness. This powerfully contribut-
cd to reconcile mo to my fate. I ha
almost made up my mind to remain
there for ever: the thought OF home
ceased to be importunate."
On his return, at his own urgent re-
quest he was reinstatcd by DR.. Cop
pinger in his former parish of RaIy-
nacoda. In connection with Father
O'Neil1'S convict life for tmo ,,o,r, Il,