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MRS, MORGAN O'FLATERTY,
DONE TO DEATH IN KERRYR
. (From the Kerry Sentinel.)
MES; MORGAN O'FLAHERTY is dead,
IVE “Ste wasa bri
d_ she
week, another victim
and laws of Ireland.
It may not now be uninteresting to recall a
fow of the events in the history of her strag-
gle to preserve her roof-tree over her little
family. She was the daughter of a respect-
able citizen of the town of Dingle.
Her father, Jobn Forhan,by hard industry,
was enabled to become
secumbed on last Thurs
to the hatefal tyraany
nd her, a
the ties that bound her to the spot multiplied
and strengthened.
. When the lease her father held of the place
expired in 1872 although the r was i
creased by two-thirds, (being raised from £60
to £100 oF nearly double the poor-law valua-
tion £64 15s) she still clung to it, and devoted
herself to double industry t
bitant sam. i
i found her, as it
did many others through the country, in
arrears.
THE LANDLORD'S VISIT.
On the oceasion of the landlord’s visit,
(Captain Jobn Hickson of the Third Bluffs}
to this part of the country some five years
ago Morgan O'Flaherty complained to him of
the exorbitance of the r ‘The gallant
Captain expressed surprise at the facts of the
case, declared that
mer rent, if he eo
told O'Flaherty that other tenants were’ get.
ting an abatement of 25 per cept., and that
now was the time to put in his claim,
THE AGENT'S ACTION,
When the landlord was gone Mr. Huss
had his own way, and when O’Flahert
sented himself, armed with his
wishes he poob-poohed the idea, and inst:
of an abatement showed hia teethin the shape
of a determination to get rid of the tenant by
the offer of a £50 note to take him
ica as if he knew the family were in straits,
and their difficnity was his opportunity,
M ”
rs.
r-
A landlord of straw ’tis said can break a ten.
ant of brass, and Sam soon gobbled up the
poor O'Flabertys.
But yet he did not do so as readily as
bay. It was not un
machinery of the law that he at last triam-
phed and could say vae victis.
A LANDLORD'S ARSON AND ES.
All Ireland heard of the suamary eviction
at Ballingrane.
Ballingrane looks east from Clouncurra—
O’Fiaherty’s farm, and nestles within sight of
it, under the angle of Lisdorgan Peak. While
the roof-tree, one might say, was still smok-
ing, the scene of the eviction was visited by
isti: i fellow-townsman, Arthur
O'Connor, M. P., who prophesied then, that
the flame of that smoking cabin wonld kindle
@ flame whi id never die out in Ireland
till landlord tyranny was extinguished.
Well, the bailiff who gave the tenant's
n evicted family, which happily for
the honor of humanity has not .
d in, Scarce was the last stick of poor
k was the agent he chose to begin the
land-war in this district with, and Mick was
the chosen agent of its continuance. Though
ewerful men seldom lack for haman instru.
ments for the execution of their designs, Mr.
sy could scarcely get another in the
whole neighborhood to aid Mick. But even
in this ingenuity was not at fault i
make ont # fitting companion.
James Soil bamus Soil and Mibhaul a Dan-
gan were well matched, that is tosay matched
REDPATIVS ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY.
ax the poves of © Sun's battery.”
wonnled rather i
well known for his good humor, and indeed
in ardent devotee of
the jolly god, whom he served with unswery.
ing devotion, although bis i
him without coat or shoes, Mihaul’s breeches
are so long that they fall in wrinkles about
his shoes, Jem’s are pared up to the ankles
often farther. Mihaul is small and wrinkled,
Jem is tall-and lanky. Jem was recko
harmless, while Mihaul’s profession of bailiff
brought him into ill odor with the people,
from the heart he threw into the dirty work
it gave him to execute.
AT THE EVICTION.
Behold, then, Mihaul a Dangan, Shamus
Soil, Sub-Inspector Crean aud a large posse
of police on their way to the farm-house of
Morgan O'Flaherty, at Clouncurra, and you
know that the morning of the eviction ‘hag
arrived.
z
rive
When come to the spot, the police drew up
asa party of observation and left Mick and
Jem to set about their own business.
yy knocked at the door. No response.
They domand admittance, but silence gives
no consent. They try at length their strength
upon it, but the door was stout, and a large
boiler had been jammed up against it on the
inside, and it flung off with a bump the sturdy
Mihaul as well as the lanky Soil. :
Jem at last saw that it was fruitless work to
be flinging himself against it, so he set him.
self to spy out the weak parts of
and finding a window, i
dow was
fastenings, but inside stood Mr. O'Flaherty,
whom the excitement of the moment had
armed with a pitchfork. Reckless as Soil
was and ruthless as Mick was, they dreaded
to cross the awfal limen.
Alas! British law uncastles the homestead.
The Queen's representative, who up to this
acted the part of a passive spectator, now in-
terfered, and tod those within that it would
be w for them unless they allowed a
peaceable entry. What were they to do?
were they to wait till the matchlocks of the
police lit the house around them, and hi
tl reams of fire connected with the
fire-evicting Michael ?
mes to the bravest the sad hour of
surrender. The inmates now felt that that
Hussey, with Michael and Soil, but could
they hope to do so with Sub-Tuspector Crean
and the Queen.
They waited, however, and paused still a
moment longer, when Michael, attempting to
force an entrance through the window, was
driven back with the fall contents of a pail
of water. There wasa grim humor in thus
treating as a rat this human troglodyte, an
the police enjoyed heartily his drowned con.
dition, Sad as the hour was to the denizens
of the house about for ever to part with it,
they improved upon the thing. For when
Mick, alive to the sting of diserace, strove
valoronsly to retrieve his fortune, by @ re-
newed attempt at entrance, they flung him
back a second time with a pail of milk,
ick st from his ears, and
combed from his hair the white fluid with his
the deep delight of the police, who held
their sides with laughter, Well baptized
now, the milx.and water Michael made a
third attempt,
Nothing hindered him. The way was
clear. He entered, removed the obstacle
from the door, and with the aid of Soil began
to fetch forth the household effects. When
last of these were placed ontside, the
family had to be removed.
Here Mrs. O'Flaherty stood at bay. The
inglorious Michael seized her and would drag
h r
whiskers, and w d she never let
She took away a fistful, and left a white
gap in his hairy face.
Michael was ina towe:
ially at the laughter of the police, and he
would have pursued a war of fists and nails’
with a weak female, but that the majesty of
Britain’s Queen again interfered on his side,
The eviction being effected, the constabu-
lary force decamped leaving two of their num
ber with flaming swordsto prevent the return
of the O'Flaberty's to their once happ;
days’ i :
ring passion, espeo-
ertys turned themselves into an adjoining
dairy house,
‘This wi
A PROCESS SERVER'S HOME,
as,
row, ill-ligh|
most uncomfortable place, nar-
ted and ill-ventilated. But they
ii id twas
cope of
In ti be
better at any’ rate than the shelterless
the heaven outside,
While this jarze family tried to huddle
themselves tog
use, Michael,
fortable
ge
e
“3
E
5
8
s
\
and even #0, fears disturbed Mick’s slum.
ers,
ight as he lay uneasily awake he
heard a noise at the door as of one stealthi
pproaching. The blood suddenly shot back
to his heart, and what was left he felt curdle
cold in his veins. He mustered up all his
strength to cry “Protection.” And he cried
it Iustily and repeated
‘The police suddenly awakened in the dead
ofthe night by Michael’s alarming screams,
seized their muskets, rushed to door,
threw it open and shouted to the midnight
assassin to stand in the name of the Queen,
when lo! from tke midnight darkness, the
dread assaulter of the cabin-door walked un-
abashed into their midst and mewed sounds
to the effect: ‘No fears, no treason, gentle-
men, I am Michael's domestic cat.”
MPATHY OF THE PEOPLE.
The people of the surrounding district were
never wanting in showing their sympathy
with the O’Flahertys in their straitened con-
dition or backward in rendering them assist.
ance. ‘They assembled afew days after the
eviction, in their hundreds, to build them a
ut. -will, however, does not always
confer skill, and bad as the dairy was, it was
better than this ill constructed dwelling,
where after living a short time the family had
to return from the dripping water to the
dairy again.
One of the children now took sick, and the
sickness aggravated by the inconvenience of
the place caused the poor creature to suc-
cumb, Another got a very severe erysiplas
in tho leg which continued for over two
on
“The neighbours rendered another service
which excited a good deal of fun in the loca-
lity, As O'Flaherty
garded this as trespass, made it
Michael's bounden duty to impound the cat.
fle. But to catch them—there was the job!
There were watchful eyes in all quarters, and
men and dogs ever on the alert to drive off
the cattle, whenever the noble representa.
tives of Mr. Hussey appeared, and wherever
they came the cattle flew as ugh be-
witched: always in their sight, never’ within
their grasp, and when Mick or the emergency
nien had cleared one side of the farm the
opposite was invad:d. These endless hunts
and chases, and the attendant excitement and
perils were the theme of many an evening's
mirth by the peasant’s fireside.
THE POLICE BOYCOTTED,
One of the great difficulties of the police was
that they could get no one in the country for
love or money to convey anything out to them.
‘They had to become their own carriers,
Three brothers ia the town—th ffi
own an ass and cart whieh they let ont to hire.
Perhaps he did not know that itwas
to convey goods to Cloncurrra, he two.
licemen who took charge of the conveyance
were half a mile outside the town on their way
to the farm by the time the younger Griffin's
hearing of the use their property was convert-
ed to, had eome up wit em.
o ‘oods upon the roadside,
one remaining to mind them, while the other
went in search of another vehicle to transport
them to thi .
MIHAUL’S INVENTIONS IN THE Law.
While the O'Flahertys staid in the diary they
were regularly besieged,
ry foot they put on their own land was
a trespass. They had some Potatoes, and the
time had come to dig them. The Potatoes
were their own, but the land was the Jand-
lords, aud it was construed as trespass to at:
They had to steal forth
toes!
casion when some of her neighbonrs cat.
tle strayed on the land, and she was following
Mihanl to see that he dealt fairly with them
in turning them off, there was a summons
for every fence she crossed or sopatate field
she got into,
Tae object of these multiplied summonses
for # single offence, if such indeed it should
be called, was to afford pegs to hang multi-
plied fines npou,
All these summonses were heard and de-
crees granted by Mr. Bodkin, R.M.
ere weré seven in one day against Mrs,
O'Flaherty, and three againat her husband.
© fines granted upon them amounted to
£9 158—£8 of which. stood against Mrs,
O'Flaherty,
OUTLAWRY OF THE O'FLAHERTY'S,
Looking on these fines as unjust they de-
termined not to pay them. In consequence
they passed a new decree of banichmont
against themselves, for they had to leave the
dairy and to hide themselves.
Fora long time they succeeded in evading
the police.—Yet all the time they were nat
far off.
they hastened to the spot. ‘They
rounded the house to prevent the possibiliiy
of av escape. ‘They wore devied entrance,
and as they had not certainty that the parties
sought for were within, an
S. O'FLAHERTY IMPRISONED.
Morgan O'Flaherty was to go out first and
proceed cautiously. He had not gone
when he heard the click of a pistol at his ear,
and a voice commanding him to standin the
‘This O'Flaherty refused, and the con-
stable ordered him to be handcuffed. Rather
than submis to the indignity O'Flaherty paid
the fine, He was now asked to pay his wife’s
e. He knew that she would prefer going
to jail and would not displease her by paying
it.” ‘The constables, therefore, returned to re.
invest the house, ‘They wer
bh
S
premptory manner, which the inmates again
as decidedly refused. ‘y then informed
the owner of the household, whois a tenhnt
of Lord Ventry’s, that they'd inform the Cap.
tain (Captam De Moleyn’s, Lord Nentry’s
agent,) of his obstinate refusal. This un-
barred the door for them, for Mrs. O'Flaherty
would not be the means of bringing her har-
borers into trouble, who (like herself) were
tenants in arrear. She therefore opened the
dour and gave herself up. She was arrested,
marched to Dingle, and lodged in the Dingle
bridewell. i
condition required the journey to be made in
acovered car. Nota single man in Dingle
could be got toactas driver. The police had
to select a jagvey from
Mrs, O’Flah
jail, when Father John’ Griffin, .
formerly curate in this district, effected her
release by paying her fine for her.
8 R.
Tae woman held out bravely and fought a
ood fight, and had she her way it is Ii
meet her half way, that she'd
by yielding, nothing at all from her obstinate
determination to hold out.
usband too was taken by the prospect
of present advantage in the possession of a
lump stn of money. And again anything
seemed better than the kind of shifting, fugi-
tive life they led, It comprehended in’ itself
all the miseries of exile, want of occupa.
tion, ejectment and dependence. Still the
spirit of the woman would have braved the
inconveniences of all, if her voice were su-
reme,
As inatters were, she was forced to yield at
the end of a not inglorious struggle, a reluo-
taut consent to compromise. She right:
the compromise brought nothing but tho
gilding of the path to beggary. The only
terms the landlord’s generousity—rather Mr.
ssey's—would allow of,
tenant’s interest.
t.
interest was now put up to sale and fetched
£327. £200 of this went straightway into the
landlord’s pocket to pay the arrears,
‘THE BITTER END OF ALL,
‘The family now came into town and set-
tled in a poor: cabin which a kind friend,
Michael M’Donnell, placed at their disposal.
O'Flaberty’s wife was heartbroken, both when
she remembered the past and looked at the
future, Every day she saw too plainly the
realization of her worst apprehensions,
husband was without employment; their
little money was dwindling away fast, and
cooped up in the narrow cabin, the wife was
often heard to regret the loss of the fine
healthy life of the country.
The hardships she had gone through, and
the depression induced by her situation told
nlly on her constitution. An emaciated
look replaced her once healthy bloom. * She
wore down to a mere skeleton;
week her troubles ceased in
She left behind six children, the eldest
ot more than ten years.
Such is the true and faithfal history of the
ovcrthrow of a happy homestead, ‘and the
breaking of a poor woman's heart.
“(rE STING OF CONSCIENCE,”—
T which has run through so many num-
bery, is completed in this issue. We shall not
pubiish any continuous story for some time,
as new readers are constantly coming in to
us, but we shall keep up ily
features of Me(ee's Weekly.