THE IRISH TROUBLE.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 281, 2 April 1889, Page 3

THE IRISH TROUBLE.

FATHER McFADDEN COMMITTED FOB TRIAL. London, March 30. A great .-ensation has been caused by ihe committal for trial of Father McFadden ai d others, who were charged with biing connected with tbe murder of an Inspector of Police at Donegal. Pigott, the Irish informer, is not altogether unknown in Australia, and (the Melbourne Argus observes) his recent extraordinary conduct is said to be precisely what might been expected by those who were acquainted with his past career. In the earlier period of his public life Pigott was regarded among the Irish nationalists as a man of “ light and leading,” and he was implicitly trusted until he proved himself to be “a traitor to the o iuse.” Aseditorand proprietor of the Irishman, whilst it was organised as the organ of the Nationalist party, he exercised a powerful influence ; but his writings in that journal became characterised by such violence of

vituperation and such recklessness of advice as to offend the moderate men of the party, and bring him under the especial displeasure of the Irish ecclesiastics. He openly advoc ited the abandonment of the old policy of the Irish Nationalists, and recommended the adoption of the “ new mode of warfare.” In its palmy days the Irishman had an extensive circulation, finding a wider acceptance among the adherents of the National party than the Nation. When the Irish People, which was the official organ of the Fenian party, succumbed to financial impoverishment, the Irishman became its successor. Its popularity had for some time past been on the wane, and Pigott, doubtless, hoped by these means to restore its influence, and con ■ sequently its profits. That expectation was not realised, however. Getting into pecuniary difficulties, Pigott boldly applied through Patrick Egan for a sum of £5OO from the funds of the Irish National organisation, and backed up his application with an attempt to levy blackmail by threatening to turn informer and yield up the secrets of the League ’o the British Government if the money was not forthcoming. From that time forward Pigott was naturally regarded with distrust, and, in fact, looked upon, it is said, as “capable of any treachery,” his “ patriotism " being always dependent on the benefit he was able to realise by its possession and use. Eventually the Irishman was bought by Egan on behalf of the Parnellitec, and for a time its publication was continued. The United Irishman was still regarded as the official organ of the Land League, and after the eunpreerion of that body of the present Irish National League, and that paper is now in its eighth year of existence, The Irishman did not long continue, having to be abandoned as a profit, less undertaking, Pigott was indicted, it will be remembered, for publishing in the Irish* man an article on the so called “ Manchester Martyrs,” which article, it was alleged, ” seditiously brought the Crown and Govern, ment into hatred and contempt." By a skilfully devised legal manoeuvre, Pigott managed for a time to evade justice. The indictments were sent before tbe county grand jury, and when Pigott was called upon to plead, his counsel (Mr Heron, Q.C.) insisted that as the prisoner had been indicted in the city venue and committed for trial to the City Commission by a city jury, he was, legally speaking, in the custody of the city sheriff in accordance with his recognisances, and could not without legal process be removed to the county venue, The Court took till next day to consider the point, which was decided against the prisoner. When Pigott was about to be arraigned the Attorney-General said that in order that the prisoner might not be prejudiced by having attended the court pending this decision he would shut his eyes to the fact that Pigott was in court and would have him called as if not in custody—an intimation that Pigott, if so advised, might try the course of refusing to appear. He took advantage of this oppor-

tunity and did not respond when his name was called, and at the next sitting of the Court he was not forthcoming. The police proceeded to his residence, but he was not to be found, and theAttorney-Genoral announced to the Court that the prisoner had “ fled from justice,” Subsequently, however, he was arraigned, convicted and sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, and actually spent half of that period in " duranoa vile.”