Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1883-12-29 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

THE DYNAMITE OUTRAGES AT  GLASGOW.  CONVICTION OF THE ACCUSED.  Ten men, napped Terence McDermott, Thomas Devany, Peter Callaghan or Kellochan, Henry M'Cann, Janes -M'Cullagh, James Donally, James • Kelly, Patrick McCabe, Patrick Dunn, and Denis Casey* charged with participation in the recent dynamite outrages at Glasgow, have been tried in the High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh. It was alleged against the accused that they conspired to effect an alteration of the laws and constitution of the realm by force and violence; that they were members of a secret Ribbon society in Glasgow, having for its obfects the overthrow of the authority of the Queen in Ireland, and constraining both Houses of Parliament' with regard to their legislation relative to Ireland ; that they acted in concert with Edward O'Brien Kennedy, otherwise Timothy Featherstone, and Jonathan Henry O'Connor, otherwise Henry Dalton, both prisoners in Chatham, who are said to have been in Glasgow at certain periods, and to have given them instructions in the manufacture and use of dynamite' that they met in publichouses and elsewhere in Glasgow about July of last year, for the purpose of procuring dynamite, lignine dynamite, and other explosive substances, and conspired to explode by its means the public buildings in Glasgow; and that on the 20th of January last they blew up the gasometer at Tradeston, and on the same night attempted to blow up the canal bridge at Posail-road, besides having caused John Francis Ke:Lrney (a signalman, who has absconded) to destroy a brick shed at the Caledonian Railway stttin, Buchanan-street, Glasgow. The clerk of the court read a special defence for eight of the prianners,xhich was in effect an alibi. An Irishman named Huehes said he was ipduoed by Callaghan to jim "Ribbon" society, wh:ch met in a public-b,use. There were present Callaghan, McCabe, Casey, M'Cann, Dunn, and Kelly. He took an oath declaring that he would be loyal to all brothers, and would keep secrets. Two nights afterwards the witness was asked for vitriol, and agreed to supply it. They had several meetings afterwards, and Featherstone explained how to use dynamite. On one occasion they had a lecture on dynamite, and Devany, Callaghan, Dunn, and Kearney were present at it. Evidence was then given to chew that nitric acid had been bought by prisoners of a strength which could only be used for explosives; also large quantities of vitriol and glycerine. It also iranspired that amongst the documents found on Featherstone when arrested was a receipt for explosive material, having a foot-note saying that this was a "Cure for the Gott." The word "gout" was supposed to be a contraction for "govern'tent." Scientific evidence havine been glten regarding the destructive powers of the explosive used at Glasgow, several detective officers testified tohaving apprehended the prisoners, and found in the possession of some of them cards of membership in the " Irish Republ,can Brotherhood " and copies of seditious papers. William Lamie, the Dublin tailor, whose evidence chiefly served to convict the murderer Poole, was called, and explained bow the " Brotherhood " secured obedience from its recruits and its plans for upsetting the Queen's Government. With Lainie's examination the prosecution closed. The evidence for the defence was mainly in the direction of an alibi, and it was also suggested on the testimony of two witnesses that the Tradeston gasometer had exploded through a light coming in contact with a leakage of gas which had been noticed. It was also sought to discredit the revelations of Hughes, the informer, by the imputation of personal malice towards the accused. The Lord Advocate having summed up the case for the Ci,,Wll, and counsel for the prisoners having addressed the court in their clients' behalf, Lord Moncrieff stmined ' up the case to the jury, who in returning their v,rdict recommended five of the prisoners to the merciful consideration of the court. M'lleimott, De% any,  Callaghan, M'Cann, and Lousily were seriteno, penal servitude for life; the other prison ra to pens servitude for seven years.