DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16880#0010
Vol. LIII.
INTRODUCTION
[July to December, 1867.
PAGE
in it to gaol, and the murder by the conspirators of the
police-sergeant Brett, who, bravely refusing to give up the
keys of the van, was shot in the manful discharge of his duty.
The trial, by Special Commission, of the Fenians implicated
in this enormity followed in due course at Manchester, and
five of them were sentenced to death, of whom three (Allen,
Larkin, and Gould) were ultimately executed. Funeral
processions in honour of these “ Martyrs ” (as their sympa-
* thisers called them), took place both in England and Ireland.
Another outbreak of Fenian atrocity was of a still more
alarming and heinous character, and requires to be told
somewhat in detail. We, therefore, give in a condensed
form the account to be found of it in the ‘ ‘ Annual
Register ”
A most audacious and nefarious attempt was made this afternoon
(December 13) between three and four o’clock, to blow up the outer walls j
of the House of Detention at Clerkenwell, in which, at that time, two per-
sons named Burke and Casey, charged with being implicated in the
Eenian Conspiracy, were confined, with a view, as it afterwards appeared,
to effect their deliverance. The explosion, which sounded like a discharge
of artillery, occurred at exactly a quarter to four o’clock in the afternoon,
when there was still some daylight, and was heard for miles round. In the
immediate neighbourhood it produced the greatest consternation, for it
blew down houses, and shattered the windows of others in all directions.
A considerable length of the outer wall of the prison was levelled with the
ground. The windows of the prison, of coarse glass more than a quarter
of an inch thick, were, to a large extent, broken, and the side of the build-
ing immediately facing the outer wall in which the breach was made, and
about 150 leet from it, showed the marks of the bricks which were hurled
against it by the explosion.
The scene of the explosion was Corporation Row, which runs parallel
with the prison wall oil its northern side, and consisted of houses three
stories high. A rather circumstantial account of the transaction was given
by an intelligent boy named John Abbott, thirteen years of age, who
happened to be an eye-witness.
About a quarter to four o'clock he was standing at Mr. Young’s door,
No. 5, Corporation Lane, when he saw a large barrel close to the wall of the
prison, and a man leave the barrel and cross the road. Shortly afterwards
the man returned with a long squib in each hand. One of these he gave to
some boys who were playing in the street, and the other he thrust into
the barrel. One of the boys was smoking, and he handed the man a light,
which the man applied to the squib. The man stayed a short time, until
he saw the squib begin to burn, and then he ran away. A policeman ran
after him, and when he arrived opposite No. 5, “ the thing went off ! ” The
boy taw no more after that, as he himself was covered with bricks ana
mortar.
All the houses in Corporation Lane overlooking the prison yard were
more or less damaged by the concussion. The result of the explosion upon
the unfortunate inmates in Corporation Lane and the adjoining buildings
was most disastrous. Upwards of 40 innocent people—men, women, and
children of all ages, some of whom happened to be passing at the time—
were injured, more or less, severely ; one was killed on the spot, and
three more died shortly afterwards. [Eight persons in all lost their lives.]
Two men and a woman were promptly taken into custody, charged with
being implicated in the crime.
As in the case of other movements of the Fenian fraternity, there were
traitors in their camp on this occasion ; and information of the intended
operation was secretly conveyed to the authorities, although they failed, for
some reason as yet unexplained, to take full advantage of the notice which
they received, so as to frustrate the design. In consequence of an intima-
tion given to him on the previous day. Captain Codd, the Governor of the
prison, determined not to exercise the prisoners in the usual manner, either
as to time or place. The Governor therefore had them exercised between
nine aud ten in the morning, instead of the usual time, which was between
three and half-past four in the afternoon ; and to this precaution it is pro-
bably owing that the diabolical attempt was unsuccessful. A communica-
PAGB
tion was also made to the police authorities, who set their men to watch
outside the walls, perambulating the immediate neighbourhood of the
prison. Shortly before the explosion the prisoner Burke appeared much
excited and went often to the window of his cell.
Several persons were arrested and tried for this wicked
attempt. One of them., Barrett, was found guilty aud
executed, being the last criminal wfio was publicly banged
iu this country.
Several references will be found in this volume to a strike
of the London cabmen, which took place on December 3rd,
in consequence of a provision in the new Metropolitan
Street Traffic Act, which required a lamp to be carried after
dark. The Home Secretary having undertaken to introduce
a clause into the Act conferring a discretionary power upon
himself as to the use of lamps, the strike terminated the
next day.
Abroad, the movements in Italy call for some notice.
Towards the end of September Garibaldi was arrested by
order of the Italian Government, wffien organising measures
for the invasion of the Pontifical territory, but he was
allowed eventually to retire to his home at Oaprera.
About the middle of October an engagement took place be-
tween Garibaldian and Papal troops, and the following
day Garibaldi escaped from Caprera, and started to join
the insurgents on the Roman frontier. Insurrectionary
movements broke out in Rome, wkich led to various desul-
tory engagements between the troops of tke Pope and the
insurgent Volunteers, and on the 26th of October Gari-
baldi, with his forces, defeated the Pontifical soldiers at
Monte Rotondo. On the 30th the French troops entered
Rome, and occupied ^ iu support of the Papal power, and
two or three days afterwards Garibaldi abandoned his
position at Monte Rotondo, intending ultimately to with-
draw from all active participation in the insurrection. On
the 4th of November the Garibaldian garrison of Meutana
capitulated, and the same day Garibaldi himself was again
arrested and carried to Spezzia, but released towards the end
of the month, when he withdrew to Caprera.
The West India Islands were exposed, in October, to a de-
structive hurricane, and the Atlantic Cable brought the as-
tounding news that He island of Tortola was submerged, and
10,000 lives lost. This proved to be an exaggeration.
One other foreign transaction, and that of a sad. tragic
character, remains to be recorded—the melancholy fate of
the Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, who, in the struggle
between the Imperial and Republican forces was betrayed,
tried by court martial, and shot. This event happened before
the close of the previous half-year, but it was not until the
beginning- of July that the official news was received iu
Loudon. Great indignation was felt at this murder. The
Sovereigns of England and France postponed splendid re-
views wffiich had been in contemplation, and the Americans
in Paris would not hold the Independence festival.
INTRODUCTION
[July to December, 1867.
PAGE
in it to gaol, and the murder by the conspirators of the
police-sergeant Brett, who, bravely refusing to give up the
keys of the van, was shot in the manful discharge of his duty.
The trial, by Special Commission, of the Fenians implicated
in this enormity followed in due course at Manchester, and
five of them were sentenced to death, of whom three (Allen,
Larkin, and Gould) were ultimately executed. Funeral
processions in honour of these “ Martyrs ” (as their sympa-
* thisers called them), took place both in England and Ireland.
Another outbreak of Fenian atrocity was of a still more
alarming and heinous character, and requires to be told
somewhat in detail. We, therefore, give in a condensed
form the account to be found of it in the ‘ ‘ Annual
Register ”
A most audacious and nefarious attempt was made this afternoon
(December 13) between three and four o’clock, to blow up the outer walls j
of the House of Detention at Clerkenwell, in which, at that time, two per-
sons named Burke and Casey, charged with being implicated in the
Eenian Conspiracy, were confined, with a view, as it afterwards appeared,
to effect their deliverance. The explosion, which sounded like a discharge
of artillery, occurred at exactly a quarter to four o’clock in the afternoon,
when there was still some daylight, and was heard for miles round. In the
immediate neighbourhood it produced the greatest consternation, for it
blew down houses, and shattered the windows of others in all directions.
A considerable length of the outer wall of the prison was levelled with the
ground. The windows of the prison, of coarse glass more than a quarter
of an inch thick, were, to a large extent, broken, and the side of the build-
ing immediately facing the outer wall in which the breach was made, and
about 150 leet from it, showed the marks of the bricks which were hurled
against it by the explosion.
The scene of the explosion was Corporation Row, which runs parallel
with the prison wall oil its northern side, and consisted of houses three
stories high. A rather circumstantial account of the transaction was given
by an intelligent boy named John Abbott, thirteen years of age, who
happened to be an eye-witness.
About a quarter to four o'clock he was standing at Mr. Young’s door,
No. 5, Corporation Lane, when he saw a large barrel close to the wall of the
prison, and a man leave the barrel and cross the road. Shortly afterwards
the man returned with a long squib in each hand. One of these he gave to
some boys who were playing in the street, and the other he thrust into
the barrel. One of the boys was smoking, and he handed the man a light,
which the man applied to the squib. The man stayed a short time, until
he saw the squib begin to burn, and then he ran away. A policeman ran
after him, and when he arrived opposite No. 5, “ the thing went off ! ” The
boy taw no more after that, as he himself was covered with bricks ana
mortar.
All the houses in Corporation Lane overlooking the prison yard were
more or less damaged by the concussion. The result of the explosion upon
the unfortunate inmates in Corporation Lane and the adjoining buildings
was most disastrous. Upwards of 40 innocent people—men, women, and
children of all ages, some of whom happened to be passing at the time—
were injured, more or less, severely ; one was killed on the spot, and
three more died shortly afterwards. [Eight persons in all lost their lives.]
Two men and a woman were promptly taken into custody, charged with
being implicated in the crime.
As in the case of other movements of the Fenian fraternity, there were
traitors in their camp on this occasion ; and information of the intended
operation was secretly conveyed to the authorities, although they failed, for
some reason as yet unexplained, to take full advantage of the notice which
they received, so as to frustrate the design. In consequence of an intima-
tion given to him on the previous day. Captain Codd, the Governor of the
prison, determined not to exercise the prisoners in the usual manner, either
as to time or place. The Governor therefore had them exercised between
nine aud ten in the morning, instead of the usual time, which was between
three and half-past four in the afternoon ; and to this precaution it is pro-
bably owing that the diabolical attempt was unsuccessful. A communica-
PAGB
tion was also made to the police authorities, who set their men to watch
outside the walls, perambulating the immediate neighbourhood of the
prison. Shortly before the explosion the prisoner Burke appeared much
excited and went often to the window of his cell.
Several persons were arrested and tried for this wicked
attempt. One of them., Barrett, was found guilty aud
executed, being the last criminal wfio was publicly banged
iu this country.
Several references will be found in this volume to a strike
of the London cabmen, which took place on December 3rd,
in consequence of a provision in the new Metropolitan
Street Traffic Act, which required a lamp to be carried after
dark. The Home Secretary having undertaken to introduce
a clause into the Act conferring a discretionary power upon
himself as to the use of lamps, the strike terminated the
next day.
Abroad, the movements in Italy call for some notice.
Towards the end of September Garibaldi was arrested by
order of the Italian Government, wffien organising measures
for the invasion of the Pontifical territory, but he was
allowed eventually to retire to his home at Oaprera.
About the middle of October an engagement took place be-
tween Garibaldian and Papal troops, and the following
day Garibaldi escaped from Caprera, and started to join
the insurgents on the Roman frontier. Insurrectionary
movements broke out in Rome, wkich led to various desul-
tory engagements between the troops of tke Pope and the
insurgent Volunteers, and on the 26th of October Gari-
baldi, with his forces, defeated the Pontifical soldiers at
Monte Rotondo. On the 30th the French troops entered
Rome, and occupied ^ iu support of the Papal power, and
two or three days afterwards Garibaldi abandoned his
position at Monte Rotondo, intending ultimately to with-
draw from all active participation in the insurrection. On
the 4th of November the Garibaldian garrison of Meutana
capitulated, and the same day Garibaldi himself was again
arrested and carried to Spezzia, but released towards the end
of the month, when he withdrew to Caprera.
The West India Islands were exposed, in October, to a de-
structive hurricane, and the Atlantic Cable brought the as-
tounding news that He island of Tortola was submerged, and
10,000 lives lost. This proved to be an exaggeration.
One other foreign transaction, and that of a sad. tragic
character, remains to be recorded—the melancholy fate of
the Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, who, in the struggle
between the Imperial and Republican forces was betrayed,
tried by court martial, and shot. This event happened before
the close of the previous half-year, but it was not until the
beginning- of July that the official news was received iu
Loudon. Great indignation was felt at this murder. The
Sovereigns of England and France postponed splendid re-
views wffiich had been in contemplation, and the Americans
in Paris would not hold the Independence festival.