The Warwickshire Herald. — 1887-11-17 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

IRELAND. DES'PER.ATE AFFRAY WITH POLICE.  ARREST OF AN ENGLISH DELEGATE.  MR O'BRIEN ROBBED OF HIS CLOTHES.  It seems the residents on the island of Innish!lrian, off the coast of Galway, have proved themselves too strong for a body of thirty police who were acting as the escort of the collector of the , county rates. Mr. Mongan, the collector referred ' to, was, with an escort of 30 police-constables, conveyed from Clifden to Innisboffin in her Majesty's gunboat Banterer. They were landed, and the Banterer proceeded to Newport, off the coast of Mayo, intending to return to re-embark the party. Tuestley and Wednesday were spent in seizing for etipaid °minty rates cattle, sheep, pigs, geese. Ste., which were auctioned by the collector, and were bought in by the owners. There was • considerable show of resistance, but nothing very serious happened until, on Wednesday afternoon, the venue was changed to Innisharkin. On landing they were met by a crowd of men and women numbering about 150. Not a living thing—cow, sheep, goat, or pig—was to be seeen on the island, everything having been locked up iu the houses. At one place they made an effort to enter the house, but, says the account, were confronted with an angry crowd of not less than teo hundred men and women armed with stones, and exhibiting such a determined front that the High Constable deemed it prudent to return for the remainder of his protection party, which he accordingly did. The entire force of police on the Wand then quickly turned out and proceeded te the dwelling-house of Conneely for the second time. Between Couneely's house and the police barrack lies the cemetery, over which is a high and dangerous precipice, and the police being obliged to pass directly under the brow of this stupendous cliff, a shower of stones was flung upon them by a large and fast-increasing crowd of people, which had assembled on the top. Having passed this dangerous spot without suffering much damage, the party continued their way to Conneely's house, being followed by the crowd, which was supplemented at every step of the way, until at last by the time the house wasreached almost every person on the island bad assembled round the spot. They were all armed with stones. The police having failed to get near the door by peaceable means, began to push their way by force. The islanders stubbornly resisted, and a desperate struggle began, blood flowing froerF. Stones were flying, and the High Constaiee received a blow of a stone on the head, after which the police fixed bayonets and charged the crowd. Mongan drew his revolver, and tke fight was renewed with increased vigour. One old woman was knocked down in the melee, and was so seriously wounded that the priest and doctor were sent for at once and the last sacraments quickly administered. The fall of the old woman was a signal for a renewal of the riot, which ended by the pollee beating a hasty retreat towards the barracks, without being able to affect an entrance to the house in which the cattle were looked up. An inquiry was held, the result of which was that Mongan was exculpated from all blame in the matter. The High Constable then abandoned all further attempts to prosecute his mission in the island, and he and his protection party quickly embarked in their hooker, and arrived at Clifden. He intend, to visit the island again in a short time, when he has been granted a sufficient protection force. Mr. •O'Brien's clothes were stolen early on Saturday morning by a warder, who entered the room to light his fire, and suddenly rushed away with them. Mr. O'Brien declared that they intend to kill him. He said :—"They mean murder. They have acted like dastard,. I feel I shall never leave this place alive, but I ask you as a favoer to let the public know what is being done." Pointing to the blue snit of hospital clothes, he added:—" Though I die here, I shall never put these on. I cannot say anything more until I see Dr. Ridley and speak to him about the breach of faith." Mr. O'Brien states that Dr. Ridley had promised him that his clothes would nut be interfered with.—Dr. Moorhead, • visiting justice, who saw Mr. William O'Brien, M.P., in Tullamore Prison, states that Mr. O'Brien complained to him bitterly that his clothes had been taken from him, and a suit of blue garments, not the ordinary prison garb, substituted. Mr. O'Brien, who was In bed, said he could never wear the clothes. He further said: "They have brought me here to murder me. I don't know how loog this slow torture will continue." Mr. O'Brien also intimated that he would take as much food and get as much warmth as possible, so that it might not be said he had committed suicide.