The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1868-01-31 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

FENIAN PRISONERS.  THE examination of the prisoners accused of taking part in the Clerkenwell outrage has necessarily been a lengthy one, but the evidence now accumulated leaves little room for doubt that the charge wilt be brought home to some of them, at least. Nine personaeight men and a woman, are included in the charge of wilful murder; and of these, two men, ALLEN and MELLANY, have become approvers for the Crown. By the aid of these men, the whole history of the plot which culminated in the explosion has been brought to light. We are made acquainted with the circumstances of its inception, and the means used to carry it into effect, from the purchase of the gunpowder by a subscription down to the lighting of the barrel at the prison wall. As the prisoners must shortly be placed on their trial for the capital offence, we refrain from naming here the persons against whose guilt the evidence appears most conclusive. This it will be for a jury to decide. But what we are immediately concerned with is to note that it is plain the right gang, or the leading members of it, have fallen into the hands of the police, whatever may have been their respective degrees of complicity in the affair; and next, that it is also plain that the plot was known to a -tolerably wide circle of persons concerned in the Fenian movement, and that only a few persons who appear to have been more or less active in the conspiracy have been arrested. As to the degree of credit that properly attaches to the police for the capture of the ringleaders and the getting up of the evidence, ! there are several reasons why we should at present withhold our judgment. Indiiidual constables have certainly shown an *mount of courage and intelligence in the matter which does them' honour, and no one would hesitate to give them the praise they deserve. But how far the police force, as an organisation in the service ,of the country, and bound to watch over the safety of the public, discharged its duty from first to last, is believed to be a very open question. We may probably hear a good deal on ibis head before many weeks have (lapsed, and the evidence that will be given on the -trial will be narrowly watched with more objects than one. If it should be clearly shown that the police were so far acquainted witlet.he intended outrage and the movements of its perpet raters that, by timely arrests -or more :active vigilance, they could have prevented it Nkogether, the responsible members of the form will most certainly be called to :account hy.the public, if not by the Government. We have seen a Committee proseeuting.one pithlif servant for doiwn, too much :tune in a ne of exigency and peril andwe may now haa-c to see another placed on his trial by similar meanslor doing too little. To return to the Tenn' in prisoners, it is satisfactory to notice that, although the dence of informers has bemmaken, and is found to supply certain important gaps in the chaia of proof submitted at the exanimetion, the case does not by any means rest on their evidence alone. There is a intiss of other testimony which, although diseected .and often apparently beside the mark when given in a fragmentary iniuiner at the 'hearing, will enable those who may have the case in hazel at the trial to weave `a perfectly suacinct, and we might almost say conclusive, narrative. Viler° is always a reluctance to take the • widence of an informer when it can be dispensed with, and certainly, in a case of such woinent as the present, it would be 'infertunate if the prosecution could proceed only on au.:ll testimony. But the Governmftit will be relieved on this occasion of the vidious Aask ; and the result of the trial, whatever it may be, will therefore be the more satisfactory to the majority of the people, and the wore useful as a warning to the misguided persons who have worshipped the fetPib of Fenbralaw.