The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-02-27
An Irish Rebel
A Story For 81. Patnck's Day
BY NORA MCCARTHY

of any importance was made to free
Ireland by violence. These revolutions
have always been the work of the
Catholic party, which lives almost any
where in Ireland except in the province
of Ulster, where many of the people
are Protestants. So Ireland from the
beginning of her revolts has been in
the position she is now with reference
to home rule, Ulster against the rest
of the island.
One of the most earnest rebels in
this 1893 trouble was Patrick Mulligan.
young fellow, who. like many an.
other Irishman, was named for st.
Patrick. who introduced Christianity
into Ireland
After the Irish revolt of 1893 Pat
was found to be so deeply dyed in
treason that all his inventive powers,
assisted by those of his friends. were
not sufficient to keep hiln from indict-
ment and trial, and he was sentenced
| to be hanged by the neck until he was
dead. When the judge put on the
black cap he asked the condemned man
if he had anything to say why SEN
| tence of death should not be passed
| upon him.
"Divil word, your honor" said Pat,
with an impressive bow to the judge.
| shave | to say why sentence of death
should not be passed upon me, for I'm
the worst rebel in Ireland, but | have
something to say when shall be hang.
ed. ] have the honor to bear the name
| of the patron saint of Ireland. This
year St Patrick's day comes ON Fri
day, two weeks from tomorrow, and
1 should be obliged If your honor would
| sentence me to die ON that blessed
day"
The Judge granted this modest re-
quest and after he had passed sentence
asked Pat just why be wished to be
hanged on the saints anniversary. Pat
replied that st. Patrick was stronger
than the king of England and would
have care for any one who should be
swung off on that day.
The following two weeks were a
series of receptions on Pats part,
everybody he knew coming to the jail
to see him and bringing him delica-
cies. Instead of acting like man
who each day was twentyfour hours
nearer the gallows. the nearer drew
, the time of his execution the merrier
he grew. When asked by his friends
why he was in such good spirits he
said that he was named for st. Pat
rick, was to be hanged on st. Pat
rick's day and divil bit would the
saint suffer him to hang at all.
His faith affected his friends to such
an extent that they set about trying to
get pardon for him. But Pat had
given the government so much trouble,
not only in times of open rebellion. but
to get rid of him. So Pats friends
were obliged to try another plan. One
of them, q cobbler, riveted together
some straps to go under his arms with
a hook at the back OF the neck. An
other told Pat of the plan to save him
from DEATH while third the night be-
fore the execution got the sheriff
drunk. and in the morning he was not
in a condition to oticiate on the scaf-
that deputy was the man who got him
drunk.
When Pat was brought out to be
hanged he made bow to the crowd
waiting TO see him swung off and said:
Good morning to you. 1t gives me
great pleasure to afford you amusement
ON this blessed morning" He was led
up on to the scaffold and, acting on
the instructions he had received, OBJ
jected to the rope Oh the ground that
1t was not safe, being too light and
might let him down and hurt him. SO
another rope was produced, and the
deputy sheriff when he came to slip
the moose over Pats head contrived to
catch the end In the hook at the back
of the neck.
Now, there were those present who,
if they had perceived what was going
on. would have reported the fact, and.
though Pat might have been saved for
the time being, he would have later
been strung up in earnest without
waiting for another St Patrick's day
to come around. So the deputy was
obliged to so through the motions, ana
the rope was put around the neck of
the culprit. 1t was intended that the
hook should relieve, the strain entire
ly, but it did not work as well as ex-
pected, and Pat was Jared senseless.
The deputy was obliged to let him
hang an hour, but by setting ahead the
hands of his watch he reduced the
time to forty minutes. Then Pat was
cut down. put into coffin and driven
away In a cart.
The jogging Of the cart resuscitated
him, and he was about to sit up when
he was held down by friend, and 1t
was not till the cart struck a wood
that he was taken out of his grewsome
receptacle. He was then given a dis
guise and some money that had been
collected for him and told to make for
the coast and take the first vessel sail
ing for America. Pat bade them all
goodby and the next evening was con-
cealed on ship about to sail for Phil
adelphia.