THE BOYCOTT CASE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2142, 6 January 1881, Page 4

THE BOYCOTT CASE.

The isolated condition of Captain Boycott, a farmer at Lough Mask House, has bo-u graphically described by an Irish correspondent of the “ Daily ■ News.” From thin account it appears that his laborers and servants have all left him, save one domestic. With this single exception, everyone refuses to work for him. The baker is afraid to supply him with broad, and the butcher fears to send him moat. And last week his laundress said she could not wash for the family any longer. Whenever he goes out—oven when he works in tho fields—ho is perpetually followed up by two policemen with carbines loaded. His houso is garrisoned with ten, Tho reason for all this is that ho recently served notices on the tenants of Lord Erne, whoso agent ho is. Mr Boycott is a Norfolk man, tho son of a clergyman, and was formerly in tho 39th Begiment. To his agency he unites the occupation of farming. Tho other week Mrs Boycott was found by tbo correspondent heading a' flock of sheep back, while her husband, aided by a bull terrier, was driving them through a goto into an adjacent field : —“ When the strike first began Mr Boycott went bravely to work with his family, setting tho young ladies to reaping snd binding, and looking after the beasts and ilu{himself. But the struggle is nearly at i lend now. Mr Boycott has sold some of 1 iistock ; but he can neither sell his crop to _nybody else, nor, as they say in tho North of England, * win ’ it- for himself. There remains in the ground at least five hundred pounds’ worth of potatoes and other root crops, and the owner has no possible means of doing anything with them. Nor, I am assured on trustworthy authority, would any human being buy them at any price ; nor, if such person wore found, would he be able to find any laborer to touch any manner of work on the spot under the ban. By an impalpable and invisible power, it is decreed that Mr Boycott shall bo ‘hunted out.’ ” A subscription has been commenced for the purpose of providing a party of men to proceed to Captain Boycott’s residence and save his orops. The Boycott expedition has been tho most exciting topic of tho day in Ireland. It has withdrawn attention from tho prosecutions and the agitation, and filled the minds of the public with mingled curiosity, irritation, and fear. Tho refusal of the Government to permit 100 armed men to march through a district so disturbed is generally admitted by fair and reasonable persons to have been wise and necessary, in order to avoid the risk of a serious broach of the peace; but the promoters of the project complain that a peaceful mission has been stopped, and that the Government, who did nothing themselves but make an empty offer to Captain Boycott to protect labourers whom he could not get, nave interposed t» prevent the fulfilment of a plan for bringing him relief in the only practical way. Information having been recently received at Dublin'Gastlo from Captain Boycott that he would require fifty men, the authorities consented to allow that number to proceed to Lough Mask House, and will afford them full protection. They will not be permitted to make any display of arms. There is an ample force of military and police in the district to prevent or repress any possible disturbance. At Ballinrobe there is a garrison of 700 troops, and the country swarms with police. On November Bth, as the regiment of the 10th Hussars, stationed in Island Bridge Barracks, were retiring to rest, they received a sadden order to march to the west. The Government had thought it right to take tho Srooaation of reinforcing the troops already istributed in the province, lest any popular outbreak should occur. Boports had been freely circulated that tho Orangemen were on the .march, and something like a panic was caused. These reports wore wholly groundless, bnt it was known that a largo number of men were ready to go from the North if they had been called upon to do so, and it was feared that something like civil war would be the result if any considerable body of strangers found their way into the West amid a hostile - population. The Government thought it desirable to guard against such a possible contingency, hence tho order to tho Hussars. On receipt of it, four troops, one detachment under the command of Captain and Brevet Lieut.-001. Twentyman, and the other under the command of > Captain Webster, Major Ooghill being in chief command of the forces, prepared immediately for the road, and early the next morning they reached tho Broadstone Terminus, which presented a scene of animation and bustle very unusual at that early hour. Four hundred men . of the . 81th Begiment were also despatched to the same district from the Cuiragh Camp, via, Athlone. The relief expedition reached Olaromorris on November 11th, the whole party numbering sixty men. who had met en route, arriving in the same train, They marched in single file from the railway, station down a lane of soldiery with fixed bayonets, preceded and followed by Hussars. No disturbance occurred in tho town, although the Orangemen were loudlyi- hooted by a large excited crowd as they proceeded on their way to Captain Boycott’s estate. The correspondent accompanying the expedition states that after a most wearisome march of sixteen miles from Claromorris the Boycott expedition arrived at Ballinrobe on the night of Nov. 11th. “ Olaromorris and the villages en route to Ballinrobe wore in a most disturbed state, and the moat fearful execrations wore levelled at tho men as they marched through. No attempt, however, was made to molest the party. An escort of 200 men of the 76th BegUaent, under Major Pearce, accompanied us os far as tbo village of Hollymount, where another force of 200 men of tho Bth Begiment relieved them and brought the expedition to Ballinrobe. Here a howling mob awaited us, and our appearance was the signal for a volley of vilo threats and imprecations. Our men took all the insults offered them both at Ballinrobe and at the villages en route with perfect good temper, and without the least exhibition of feeling. We marched direct to the infantry barracks, and tbo first thing which attracted our attention there was a placard, posted on tho gate, calling upon the mou of Olaromorris- to “ march to Loughmask and strike for creed, country and liberty.” The Belief Expedition ..arrived at Lough Mask House the next afternoon, having marched from Ballinrobe under guard of a troop of the 19th Hussars, .fifty policemen, .200 of the 76th Foot, and a troop of tho Ist Boy.sl> Dragoons. There was a little excitement ; the procession was followed by a orowd of women and boys, who indulged in abusive language. Some prominent members of tho Land League followed the relief force on a car, bnt left it at Captain Boycott’s gate. The expedition was received by Captain Boycott and a friend, armed with rifles. The orops to be.saved consisted of ten acres of potatoes, seven acres of mangolds, eight acres of turnips, and twenty acres of wheat to be threshed. It .was thought it would take ton days -to complete the task. The Ulstermen seemed prepared to stay os long as they were required, and Captain Maxwell expressed his intention of remaining as long as there wore any orops to save. Their implements pot having arrived, the mou were unable to commence work. At present there does not appear any likelihood of any serious disturbance.; still there is a bitter hatred of the Orangemen, and a foaling of resentment at their intrusion. The younger people on the line of route were, of course, the more enthusiastic. They expressed their belief that before long .Oantain Boycott would be shot 41 like a Ballyshnnnon rabbit,” although ho was now protected by a “ hungry army ” —a caustic allusion .to the fact that the men of tho 81th Begiment bad not tasted food for twonty-iour hoars previous to their arrival in Ballinrobe, As long as the labourers remain at Lough Mask there will be a garrison of 100 infantry, sixty cavalry, and fifty polico. A resident magistrate will also be in constant attendance. The troops are being provisioned by the Government contractor. A correspondent of the “Dublin Mail” gives an account of a visit which he has paid to Captain Boycott’s residence at Lough Mask. "Captain Boycott,” he soys, “ opened the door himself, and it was not hard to discern in the worn-out, haggard expression of his eyes and face that ho had been going through a period of trouble, suffering, and suspense. ‘ My life is not worth a farthing’s purchase twenty yards outside my own door. I am a ruined man. They have at all events succeeded in doing that. There is £SOOO capital invested in this place on a thirty-one years’ lease, and that is, as far as I am concerned, absolutely lost. The last thing I have hoard is that the people say to the patrols at night, ‘Ah, my boys, you may watch him as much as you like, but he’ll not hear tho birds sing in spring.” He stated his intention of leaving the country, and ho leaves it a ruined man. Mr Weekcs, a gentleman and friend of Captain Boycott, living with him, told me he front thifi morning, as on former occasion*, to

'Ballinrobe, but found it totally impossible to get even ci. loaf of bread. All supplies have to bo got by steamer from Galway up lo Cong, where they are brought under an escort of police to the house. The post in like manner is brought by tho police, and to send a letter or telegram by ordinary messenger is an impossibility.” Meanwhile the relief expedition is hard at work on the farm getting in the crops, under tho protection of a numerous force of military and police. There is a talk of getting up a public subscription for Captain Boycott.