RECOLLECTIONS OF "NUMBER ONE."

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3752, 25 July 1883, Page 4

RECOLLECTIONS OF "NUMBER ONE."

The following letter, signed "An Anglican Clergyman," appears in the London Daily Telegraph : — Sir, —Tho following reminiscences of P. J. Tynan, who the informer Carey has identified with "Number One," may prove of interest to your readers:—When I was an undergraduate of the University of Dublin, in 1S0O" and the following years, I resided principally in Kingstown, where Tynan then kept"a circulating library and nows-vendor's shop. As ho Avas very ready to converse with his customers—imprudently so, indeed, considering it was the time of the Fenian disturbances —I soon became acquainted with his political opinions, and avc had many discussions about Irish and foreign politic*. Ho always declared himself to be a "physical force man" (ivhich means one opposed to the principle of O'C'onnell, that moral force alone should be employed for political purposes.) At the same time he expressed his disapproval of the Fenian rebellion of 18(57 as foolish aud premature, thongh ho told me that ho was acquainted with many of the leaders, one of whom (named Burke, I think) was arrested at his home. He used to say that Irish independence could only bo obtained through foreign assistance, and looked forward to the time when England's defeat in some war should afford Ireland the opportunity of successful rebellion. lie always spoke with horror of political assassination, and I well remember the indignation he expressed at the crimes of tho French Communists in 1871. Shortly after that date Tynan failed in business, and I lost sight of him, and it was only on seeing his portrait that I recognised my old acquaintance as the Tyan supposed to be " Number One." AVhen I knew him he was a young man of most pleasing manners, of great intelligence, aud some reading, though not, I think, Avell educated (he always pronounced French Avords as if they were English). He had a pleasant face, a winning smile, and remarkably good eyes, Avhich his spectacles much improved. He seemed to me much too outspoken, considering the nature of his opinions, and I should have been very sorry to be connected with any conspiracy in a. hich he was engaged, even if my political vicAvs had inclined that way, as I should have feared that he would soon have got himself aud his associates arrested. He made a most affectionate husband and father. I remember his telling mo once, with tears in his eyes, how one of his little girls Avas dangerously ill—perhaps the same depicted in tho photograph you mention; but he was fonder of reading the newspaper and gossiping- with his customers than of attending to his business, which, as I have said, did not succeed. Altogether, I should have supposed Tynan—whom I ofton mentally compared with Addison's "Political Upholsterer" —a most unlikely man to be chief of an atrocious A T ehmegricht like the Irish " Invincible..." He Avas so outspoken that had ho approA'cd of political assassination (as young men who have been taught at school to admire Timoleon and Brutus often do) he would not have hesitated to declare and defend his opinions ; but, as I ha\ r e said, his A'icAA's, when I knc.v him, Averc the exact opposite. I remember his saying that the assassination of the Archbishop of Paris t>y the Communists Avas a disgrace to Republicans throughout the world. Altogether, I cannot help hoping that the infamous Carey —on Avhosc Avord the identification of Tynan Avith " Number One " seems to rest—Avas mistaken, or, what is as probable, Avas lying iv this part of his evidence.