St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1910-08-26
rENIAN BELL IN CHURCH.
souvenir OF Fatiis Attempt Made In
Is0a 60 Invad. Canada.

souvenir OF ratiie Attempt Made In
Is0a 90 Invad. Canada.
There was recently installed In the
belfry OF the Catholic church In Mara
thon an old bell that has something OF
remarkable history.
From sounding the tocain OF battle
for the FenianS In 1866 10 the peaceful
work OF summoning the people TO wor'
ship. this bell has come 10 be looked
upon almost In the light OF a liyins
witness 10 the futile attempt OF the
patriotic but foolish men who sought
20 invade Canada.
The bell was first cast for n church
in Niagara Falls. but how Il came into
the possession OF the Fenians has
never been told, according TO the But
falo Courier. They used Il In the
camp instead OF a huglo or trumpet,
Az night and morning the bell was
rung. IL was taken into Canada by
some OF the more foolhardy OF the
Fenlans and after the iaseo OF inya-
sion had passed away the bell was car
rled by roundabout way TO oswego.
where Il was hidden for many years
In the basement OF 81. Johns Catholic
Church.
Il was discovered here one day by
the Rev. Charles V. Mcclure, who was
anxious 10 procure a bell for his pret'
~ church on the hills OF Marathon,
He obtained permission from the
church authorities 10 take Il away and
Il was carried secretly 10 lie future
home. where II was only recently in
stalled with great ceremony,
The exterior OF the bell has several
Gaelic characters engraved upon II. but
what they mean no one has ever
learned. There are also other charao-
ters on the body OF the bell. inside and
out. which would indicate that II was
the Official toesin OF some secret organ
ization. A prominent Irishman OF Buff
falo, who has been Identified with all
the movements for the cause OF Ire
lands freedom. said in speaking OF the
bell:
TO those Irishmen. Fenians and
others, that bell is as sacred as any
instrument connected with the church.
II was supposed 20 have originally
been brought from the top Of croagh
Patrick on the Atlantic coast, and
whence ST. Patrick is supposed 10 have
driven the snakes out Of Ireland. In
the early '4Os one of the largest mum
ber OF immigrants that ever left Ire
land on one ship came from the west
Of Ireland 10 Montreal On the ship
was the caretaker OF the little shrine
on the mountain side In which this
bell is said TO have been originally To-
Gated.
This old sexton, who rang the bell
for generations. hated 10 leave II be-
hind, so he brought Il with him on
the ship to Montreal. During the long,
weary voyage across the seas TO their
new homes many OF the immigrants
died and were buried at sea with
prayers and tears. These poor crea-
lures we're never heard OF again and
the bell was the only requiem at their
obsequies as they we're thrown into
the watery grave. The bell sounded
out over the sea and tolled as each
one was lowered.
From Montreal the bell was taken
TO Niagara Falls and subsequently TO
oswego, but since II went there moth
ing has ever been heard OF II. Could
some Gaelic scholar be found who
could decipher the characters on the
bell something valuable might be add
ed TO the Gaelic treasures in the Dub
lin Museum"