Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1910-07-15
THE HANGING -.
OF PAT DOOLAN
BY MARTHA INQUIRE.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

Pat Doolan was the bravest, hand
soonest, quickest witted, most reckless
harebrained scamp in Ireland Every
body knew Pat, and every one who
knew him loved him He was always.
getting into trouble. and his facility
for doing so was equaled by his tai
ents for getting out again. His hair
was red and curly, his complexion soft:
and peachy as that Of girl. but he
was strong and wiry and not afraid Of
the devil himself.
Pat was an Irishman and a patriot
from the crown Of his head to the sole.
of his foot He was always getting in.
the way of the British officials. who.
willy nilly were obliged to stumble
over him, and that meant that he was
constantly being brought up before
magistrate for some breach Of the
law. But the magistrates and the
bailiffs all loved him so we'll that they
were always either letting him off
openly or conniving at his escape from
justice. The trouble Is that Pats esca
pades were always connected with
some movement against British rule.
and In this be had a large proportion
of the people with him.
But when the rebellion of IT. came
on and failed Pat, who had given the
government more trouble than any
other ten rebels. was tried, found
guilty of treason and sentenced to be
hanged. There was great lamentation
through the country at Pats fate, and
in those parts where he was personally
known had the people not just failed
at one rebellion they would have start
ed another to save him.
Pat continued to crack his jokes, eat
all that was given him-good things
came for him in basketfuls to the Jail
and drank the health of his jailers
when bottle was struggled in with
the rest. AS the day approached for
his execution knots Of his friends gath
cred and debated different methods of
saving him Some talked Of rescue.
but rescues are seldom successful, es-
pecially when those appointed to carry
out sentence are prepared. to resist
the rescuers. No one could learn
whether any Of the plans proposed
would be undertaken. There were
those who looked knowing and those
who were full Of fight and those
whose close tongues-an unusual thing
tor an 1rishman-gave the impression
that they were ''stiil waters running
Deep" But the day for the execution
came round. and there was no evi.
dence of any well defined plan to save
Pats life.
Though as many of Pats friends as
wished we're permitted to- be present
at the. hanging. there were plenty OF
officials within call to prevent the pos
sibility Of interference with the carry
ing out Of the sentence. Indeed. there
were not more than half a dozen of
those who loved Pat gathered about
the scahold. and they were there with
cart to remove the body after it had
been taken down.
Pat assembled the scaffold with a
jaunty step. Eileen McKenna, his
sweetheart at the time, had sent him
a tremendous flower. which he wore
in his buttonhole; his hair had been
carefully attended to, though no brush
could get the kinks out Of it, and he
wore beautiful smile. He approach
ed the rope. examined 1t, tested it to
discern whether it would hold, then
tried to get the loop over bis head.
II can't do it." he said. land If l
could l wouldn't hang with any con-
venience. for the rope is too short. !
demand my rights to be hanged safely,
and there's no safety in that gallows
at all. at ALL