THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

Dunstan Times, Issue 310, 3 April 1868, Page 2

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

CONFESSION OF O'FARRELL. {From " Argus" Telegrams.) Sydney, March 20. The Treason Felony Bill has been passed through all its stages, and has received the Royal assent. O'Farrell has made the fo'lowing statement since his committal:— He intended to have fired at the Prince a second time as he lay on the ground, and then to have shot himself, but was prevented by the movement of Sir William Manning. He had a written instrument, received from the Fenian leaders at home, directing the assassination of the Duke, and each of ten persons entered into a solemn compact to kill him, the selection of the man to commit the murder to be decided by drawing lots. The drawing took place in the presence of the ten men, and the lot fell upon O'Farrell. This was about two months ago. O'Farrell regretted that the lot to kill the Duke" had fallen upon him. The " ten" did not regard the killing ns assassination, but in the same way as they regarded the execution of the three Irishmen at Manchester. O'Farrell said the design of the Fenians was to strike terror into the English people, that being, in their opinion, the most effectual mode of bringing about the independence of Ireland. The prisoner said that he intended to have shot the Prince on the occasion of the public landing, had a good opportunity presented itself. He procured a gun for that purpose, and hired a room commanding a view of the procession. What deterred him was the probability of the shot strikng the Earl of Belmore, who sat beside His Royal Highness. He subsequently purposed to carry out his deadly purpose at the Citizen's Ball. One of the ten men referred to wished to accompany him, for the purpose of setting fire to the pavilion i by means of combustible material;

but to this O’Farrell objected, aa be was unwilling to sacrifice so many lives when his engagement required but the sacrifice of one. He afterwards intended to have accomplished his design at the fancy-dress ball, but was induced to forego it till a more favorable opportunity.