The Irish standard., 1913-11-29
Anniversary Celebration under Au-
spices of St. Paul A, O. H, Ad-
ress by Hon. Dan w.
Lawler
Asks Public Support for President
Wilson and Secretary Bryan in
Non-lntervenion Policy
in Mexico

as follows: e.
On Wednesday, Sept. 16, 1867, van
in Manchester on the way from the
Criminal Court to the prison, was at
tackled about four p. m. by thirty armed
men. Prisoners were being taken to
the county Jail at Stafford about two
miles distant. Under an arch by
railway bridge, the van was halted by
an armed man and Immediately after
ward party of about thirty sprang
over wall beside the road, killed one
of the horses, and surrounded the van.
The van was protected by twelve pc.
licemen, one of whom, Sergeant Brett.
sat within the van, which was locked.
Two prisoners were men and there
were in addition three women and
boy, twelve years of age.
A shot was fired to break the lock
and it accidentally resulted in the death
Of Sergeant Brett.
News that night flashed over the
world that the two prisoners who were
rescued were Col. Thos. j. Kelly, head
of the Fenian Organization, and his
assistant Capt. Daisy.
pale-faced young man entered the
van after Brett was shot; took the
keys from his pocket and opened the
van and liberated the prisoners. He
was afterwards knocked down by a
brick thrown by some one in the crowd
and was discovered to be VIM. Philip
Allen.
On Monday. Oct. %, VIM. Philip AL
len, Michael Larkin, Michael O'Brien,
Thos. MCGUIRE and Edward Condor,
were arraigned for the wilful murder
of Sergeant Brett. They were convict
ed and the five were sentenced to be
hanged on November 23rd, 1867.
At this point the speaker described
the legality Of the verdict and pointed
out how Brett's death was an accident,
how the characterize the trial was
shown when Condor was reprieved and
MCGUIRE pardoned. In this Mr.. Law
Ter attempted to show that the yer.
dict in reference to Allen, Larkin and
O'Brien was foregone conclusion and
hatred which. inspired the trial was
not satisfied with having taken the
lives of the three young men, but at
tempted further to satiate itself in
having their bodies consigned to un-
consecrated grounds and covered with
quicklime. He reviewed the feeling
in Ireland. and the demonstrations in
Dublin where sixty thousand people
marched in a funeral procession behind
three hearses as tribute to the men,
DRY of the martyrs and out of respect
for the love and esteem in which they
were held by their friends in ireland.
Mr.. Lawler then described Fenian
organization and its doctrine of physi-
cal force and declared it to be the same
as the doctrine of Washington and
Adams. He showed how its main sup
port both in men and money came
from the United States and included
in its membership many officers and
soldiers in the civil war both from the
North and the South. Discussing the
situation during the Civil war Mr..
Lawler analysed England's attitude
toward the United States in recogniz-
ing the befligerency of the South.
Referring to the Mexican situation,
the speaker counseled forebearance and
caution, and advised implicit reliance
on President Wilson and William ].
Bryan. Secretary of State.
Il am speaking tonight to a great
audience of men and women the repre-
sentatives of race, against which,
many criticisms have been hurled, but
which has never been called a race of
towards. 1t is known to history as the
fighting race
In the presence of the great crisis
which confronts the American people
today there is no place for boasting or
prediction as to the part which would
be taken in the impossible contingency
of war.
In the history of the world no PEG.
pie has suffered more by war than the
people whose representatives are here
tonight. Its sons have shed their blood
In every land where freedom has con-
tended against oppression. Its daugh.
tiers know as do the women of no other
race, the awful hardships and horror of
war. In the history of this fair land
you have been true to the principles
and institutions of America and your
blood has been poured out on every
field of American battle.
There is no possibility, therefore, of
misunderstanding me, when l say that
the present is a time for caution and
moderation. The life of one American
boy is thousand times as precious as
all the money which has been invested
by Americans in the Mexican Republic.
l know that speak the sentiment
of this splendid audience when say
that in the great problem which con.