The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1883-08-04 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ASSASSINATION OF JAMES CAREY.  Immense excitement was caused on Monday night by the publication of a telegram that James Carey had been shot dead at Port Elizabeth, South Africa, by a man named O'Donnell. It will be remembered that Carey for a long time resisted the efforts of the authorities to send him to a place of safety in the colonies, expressing a desire to remain in Dublin. The authorities, however, declined to be responsible for his safety under such conditions, and urged him to select a home abroad. Carey thereupon placed himself in the hands of the Government. and it was arranged that he should be sent to South Africa, but whether Carey himself was aware of his destination is doubtful. The police were aware all along of the strenuous efforts made by the Irish Irreconcilables to obtain some clue to Carey's movements, and the utmost secrecy was observed by the police with a view to throw the notorious informer's enemies off the scent. Montreal was mentioned as the destinationsemi-officially, but this, it is now evident, was merely a ruse. So stringent were the authorities that itis doubtful if more than one or two of the higher officials in Dublin Castle knew of the arrangements for Carey's disposal. The informer himself was only ordered a few hours previous to the time of departure to get in readiness, and the police who accompanied him on the first stage of his journey were likewise unaware of the ultimate destination, although they had orders to report themselves in London for further instructions. From all present appearances it seems probable that Carey's enemies were made aware of his departure directly he left Kilmainharn, and from that hour his steps were dogged, and his doom was sealed. In some mysterious way the Fenians must have ascertained not only the port whither Carey was bound, but also the ship by which he was to sail, although the passages were secured secretly in fictitious names. A man named O'Donnell, who afterwards consrnitted the murder, took a passage by the Kinfauns Castle, the vessel by which Carey sailed. The Kinfanns Castle left London on July 3rd, under the command of Captain Winchester, and I sailed from Dartmouth at noon on July sth, reaching Cape Town on Friday last. Here the passengers who were proceeding to Port Elizabeth and Durban were transferred to the steamship Melrose Castle, which works with Donald Currie's mail packets from that port. Carey was just about to land, when O'Donnell drew a revolver and fired, wounding the notorious informer mortally. The murderer, who made no effort to escape, was immediately secured. A few days previous to the departure of the Kinfauns Castle berths were • baoked booked for Port Elizabeth for Carey, his wife, and seven children. The berths were thirdclass, and the name they were taken in was that of Power. The passage-money was paid at Donald Currie's Dublin office. Whether the Invincibles became aware of this fact is a mystery, but two days later on July 2nd, the murderer, O'Donneil, booked second-class berths for himself and his wife by the same steamer. This is in accordance With the view taken that Carey was followed from the moment he left Dublin. It may be, however, that O'Donnell was unaware of the identity of his fellowpassenger, and only decided on revenge when the fact became known to him. There were only comparatively a few passengers on board. Before being transferred to the -Melrose from the Kinfauns Castle at Capetown, passengers usually have a few hours on shore, and then O'Donnell must have satisfied himself as to the identity of his victim. It seems a singular oversight on the part of those who booked the berths for Carey that they should have been taken at one and the same time for a man, his wife, and seven children, so completely answering Carey's family. This would afford a clue to those on the watch for Carey's departure. Moreover with the two wives and seven children on board it would be a most difficult task for Carey to conceal his identity. Messrs Donald Currie and Co. were ignorant until yesterday that the passengers, however, was really Carey. The passengers by the Kinfaun Castle remained a day and a half at Capetown before proceeding on their  voyage. . _ _ ...„._ •:- , -.---,.. ....: -' , ..:5....„. • „,4 A., catik4 , ?pp ... ~.:` _..-Tff z--,-,--___ _ . --‘,.-_,-,,, vit 0.,,....-;-‘ --c: -•-.1-i-N, \ ----z---,----„_.------- _---,...:‘ ?,,,-- ---,I- if--- • ,N, :...---..„....- —,,..._.--...-r.s,:t.- -------.-_-_, --- -- .....- ..-Orr--------- --_,4.-_---- a