Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1887-12-10 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

PLOTS TO ASSASSINATE LORD HARTINGTON.  A Dublin correspondent telegraphs a remarkable story in connection with the recent visit of Lord Hartington to the Irish capital. Hardly, he says, had the announcement that his lordship would visit Ireland been made than the Parnellite allies of the Fenians began to urge them to prepare such a reception for that distinguished statesman as would " prove to the world the desperate and deadly hatred, of the Irish to alien rule and to those who sustain it. To put the thing plainly, it was more than insinuated that if, like his lamented brother the marquis were assassinated consequences vastly beneficial to the national cause would ensue, and would fully justify the atrocious deed. But the Fenian leaders rejected the suggestion with scorn and loathing. . They protested that they would no longer permit their organisation to be used as of old in performing " dirty work " for the League, and that so far as their influence extended, they would prevent any attempt to in any way molest the marquis and his conr.painot-T. No means were left unturned to change their attitude, and a great deal was made of the fact that it was during the period of the marquis's tenure of office as Chief Secretary in 1870 that the amnesty meeting in the Phcenix Park in .connection with the release of the imprisoned Femians was broken up by the police, and the people taking part in that demonstration attacked and 'Atoned by the guardians of the law. All this, however, was of no avail, their attitude remained unchanged. Recourse was then had to the American branch of the Fenian organisation with much n-,ore success. No difficulty was found in enlisting a number of IrishAmericans in the vile enterprise. These men, supplied with money, began to arrive on the Continent a fortnight ago, and some, it is believed, reached Ireland. At all events, it has leaked out that some Transatlantic "patriots " had, in concert with a few of the least reputable members of the 1.R.8. in Ireland, arranged a plan by which the train that carried the English statesmen to Dublin from Kingstown should be thrown off the line at a particular point, in the expectation that the lives of both would be sacrificed, in the same way as it was hoped Mr. Forster's life would have been taken. This was to be done by removing the rails at a point of the line where the most disastrous effects might be expected to result. A number of men were to be at a point between the Merrion and Blackrock stations, and when the train was brought to a standstill the carriages were to be tired into, the belief being entertained that general passengers would not travel with the distinguished visitors, and that only those who were connected with the demonstration would be liable to injury. The scheme, however, fell through when it became known that the visitors would arrive on different days, and that the Marquis of Hartington, instead of at once proceeding to Dublin, would be driven to Mr. Power's residence at Leopardstown. It was thought at first that, for safety's sake, Lord Hartington would be entertained in one of the squares of Dublin. Then another design was hatched. The American desperadoes held that nothing would be more simple or easy of accomplishment by a few really determined and resolute men than to attack the carriage which bore the marquis at almost any given point along the long and in early morning exceedingly lonely route from Kingstown to Mr. Power's place, and to either murder him or carry him off to some secret place not easily accessible in the fastnesses of the Wicklow mountains, to be held there until Mr. William O'Brien and the other "political prisoners" were unconditionally released. They referred to the rescue at Manchester 20 years ago of two Fenian leaders by a handful of Irishmen in the broad I:ght of day and in a populous thoroughfare, as proving that to lay hold of the Unionist leader on his solitary route was, in fact, little better than child's play. The project, it is believed, was. fully matured, but, at any rate, it miscarried, as has frequently occurred. The men who devised the plan, and, at all events, those who were to conduct it, failed to put in an appearance at the appointed time, though it is known that they left their hiding-places on the Continent in good time to enable them to reach Ireland at the place and hour arranged.