The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-30

and poor. O'Donovan was one OF twelve
children. In consequence he got little
schooling n was put to work early.
As a boy he spoke Gaelic he harmed
English In young manhood and educated
himself to a great extent.
All Of the family emisrated to Amer
lea in the famine times OF the '40s
exopt the boy. He was left in care Of
relatives In Skibbereen because he said
he preferred to remain and work to
free Ireland. He was a erocer's appNn-
tice, but already had a lofty idea.
When he had set up in the grocery
business for himself he bacame a re-
lieving oficer--a petty official provided
to assist In local relief under the Eng
lish poor law system. Although he was
taking the Queens pay O'Donovan
Rosa was an uncompromising Irish
patriot. In 1856 he joined the Phoenix
Society in Skibhereen. This was a quasi
literary organization which was at first
harmless enough. but which began to ac-
auirs new characteristics when James
stephens came over from Paris and be-
gan secretly to organize the I. r. r.
the Irish Revolutionary brotherhood.
Stephens turned the ~Sklbbereen Phoenix
Society into a circle of the evolutionary
society, and he found in u Rosa
a h~otheaded and willing propaganda.
The new secret society spread all over
Counties Cork and Kerry. A drillmas-
ter who had served in the American
army came over and secretly whipped
the ardent patriots into something lin
military organization. As Rosa after
ward said. they drilled one night on a
mountain top. the next night In n fairy
fort and the next In a cellar but they
drilled.
Lodged in Jail.
In 1858 the Government became
alarmed at the spread OF the society.
the aims OF which IL vaguely guessed.
one December morning Rosa was
awakened by the pounding Of policemen
on his door. lie and several other
leaders were arrested and lodged in Cork
Jail. After six months in Jail all the
prisoners pleaded guilty by arrangement
with the Crown prosecutor and were re-
leased by order OF a new Ministry
In England. which WAS anxious to be
rid of so dangerous a problem as the
imprisoned patriots presented.
In 1862 Rosa came to New York and
started n saloon near Sweency's Hotel
In Chatham street. but this, like many
Of his business ventures. proved a fail
ure, although he was satisfied that he
had lone much to advance the cause
OF the Fcnians. then fomenting In Ire
LAND and America. lie returned to Ire
land and became the business manager
OF a Fenian organ, the irish People, and
through that paper n great attack was
made on the English rulers. Rossa
wrote three OF the articles.
Finally. on September IL. 1868, the
police charged Into the printing shop
where the Irish People was published,
destroyed the presses, overturned the
type cases and o the fighting manager
and the whole stan to jail. Rossa's
subsequent trial on the charge OF trea-
son-felony was one long talked about in
Ireland.
He refused the services Of counsel he
cause he thought conviction "A gertrude
and d!dnt want to waste money, In con
Quoting his own case he began a brilliant
campaign OF obstruction which eXasper-
ated the presiding Judge almost to the
verge of apoplexy and in the end worked
harm to Rosa, although II pleased him
nightly and sustained his reputation as
a fighter, At one point in the trial, hav-
Ing wrested from the Judge the oonces-