THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 65, 30 March 1868, Page 80

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

THE ATTEMPT , ON. THE LIEE OP THE .PRINCE., (Prom tlie Melbourne Herald, 14th March) The various telegrams received' by us and by our contemporaries,; although agreeing in! all the main facts,,have been so contradictory in matters of detail,' that we make no apology for giving a succinct narrative of the crime, even at the risk of repeating some of the information contained in' our columns of yesterday. The success of the bail given for the benefit of the Sailor’s Home in Melbourne had induced the committee of the sister institution in Sydney to announce a pic-nic for the benefit of their funds’during-the stay of his Royal Highness in the capital of New South Wales. After several postponements, Thursday last was finally fixed, and great preparations were made to give due eclat to the, affair. The various Government offices were closed at 11 o’clock, and the day was proclaimed a holiday in the court's of law. Six steamers and the yachts of both squadrons left the city for the scene of the pic-nic, a beautiful spot named Clontarfj in the Middle Harbor; and it was estimated between 3009 and 4000 persons, including the elite of Sydney society, was present. ,H.R.H. the Duke of Ediuburgh and his suite arrived at 2 o’clock, and was received by the members of the committee, of which Sir William Manning waß chairman. After partaking of lunchoon, the Duke while walking with the Countess of Belmore and Sir William Manning, was fired at from behind, and at a distance of two paces, by a man named H. J. O’Farrell. The miscreant was armed with a revolver, which he fired twice. The first bullet struck the Prince, who immediately fell to the ground, exclaiming “My back is broken.” O’Farrell'then fired at Sir William Manning, whom he is believed to have mistaken for the Governor ; but Sir W illiam seeing the. assassin’s intention, threw himself on the ground, and the ball struck Mr George Thorn in the leg. ‘O’Farrell tried to fire a third shot, but the pistol missed fire, and before he could fire a fourth he was seized. The excitement was most intense, the. ladies screamed and fainted : and whilst some of the bystanders, amongst whom were several medical men, lent- their assistance to the unfortunate victims of the assassin’s bullet, others secured O’Farrell. He was very roughly handled; his clothes tom from his back, and his life was only saved by the exertions of the police .and of the Chief Justice, Sir Alfred Stephen, who happened to be among tlie crowd, and whose interference was strongly resented by a large number of persons. However, eventually, O’Farrell was got safely on board the steamer Paterson, and after an attempt by the crew of that vessel, to execute summary vengeance on the wretch, he was taken to Sydney and lodged in Darlinghurst gaol, under a strong escort. He refused to give his name, merely saying in reply to inquiries, “ I’m a Dublin man.” On being searched, a secondjrevolver, fully loaded, was found upon him. The police found out his lodgings, and from the papers in his boxes discovered his name, and also that he was a lawyer’s clerk. To return to the Prince. A very cursory examination showed that the wound was not mortal, although it bled profusely, and his Highness was in great agony. After administering some temporary remedies, .it was deeided to remove him to Sydney, and at 4 o’clock he was carried, suffering intense pain, on board the steamer Morpeth. Government House was' reached at 5 o’clock, and the Duke was at once conveyed to his chamber. There he was abandoned to his nurse and medical attendants,' even the Bishop of Sydney being excluded from his bedside. The Royal patient passed a most favorable night, and in morning a consultation was held, and the medical gentlemen in attendance decided not to, attempt to extract the ball for a few days; until the shock to the nervous system and the inflammation from the wound had partially subsided. So soon as the news reached Sydney the most intense excitement prevailed. O’Far • rell was safely lodged in Darlinghurßt before the outrage was thoroughly known; but it was feared that an attack would be made on the gaol, and a strong force of military and police were told off for its defence. Parliament was sitting when the intelligence arrived, but immediately adjourned; and all through the* night and yesterday the gates of Government House were besieged by thousands of persons, anxious to see and hear the latest bulletins. All the places of business were closed yesterday at 3 o’clock, in order to allow the various citizens to attend a monster meeting, which was held yesterday afternoon, and which was the largest ever held in Sydney. Addresses of condolence with the Prince, and indignation at the assassin, were passed with enthusiasm. ftirmlnr addresses were agreed to in the Houses of Parliament.

In this colony an inexpressible feeling of horror and indignation was created by the news, and we have never seen suoh intense excitement in any British community - as that which prevailed in Melbourne on Thursday evening. Addresses of condolence were passed by the Council and Assembly yesterday, and telegraphed to Sydney. A meeting, at which about 5000 persons were present, was held ..last evening, in the Exhibition-building, at which the most intense loyalty to the British Crown, and sorrow,, for the outrage,'was expressed by those present. ; ‘ ' ‘ THE ASSASSIN O’fABRELL. The. scoundrel U. J. O’FarreU, thq would-be assassin of the Duke of Edinburgh, is not in . this colony. Fora ldng.time lie fesided-ak* Ballaar'at

and Clones, where he was looked upon sb a drunken dissipated frequently subject to fits oideHriumiremens, and it was <; known that more than once he had threatened, to take his own worthless life. O’Farrell is brother to P. A. C. O’Farrell, who made himself prominently oonspicu pus in Melbourne a few years ago. Both were active, and to some, extent influential members of the Roman Catholic Church, and it is said that the assassin O’Farrell left this colony about three months ago to resume his clerical studies in Sydney. He is described as being about thirty-three years'of age, a native of Dublin, about 5 feet 10 inches in height, upright, and of muscular build. The father of the O’Farrells followed the trade of a butcher many years ago in Elizabeth-st., and the prisoner now in Darlinghurst gaol, after being in business in Ballaarat went to England to study for the church. In 1862 be returned to the colony, and after a short time again took up his residence at .Ballaarat, where he oarried on the business of a produce-dealer in Doveton-street. He is said to have sustained a pecuniary losb through the absconding of his brother. He not long since went to Sydney, where it appears he was. employed as a lawyer’s clerk. O’Farrell is described as being of an excitable temperament and violent disposition. At times, from his strange conversations and actions! it has been doubted whether he was not suffering from ah aberration of intellect.

It would be premature to offer any decided opinion upon the motives for this extraordinary crime. Our Sydney telegram leads to the conclusion that O’Farrell is a .Fenian agent; that he has a large number of acccomplices ; and that this is not the first attempt which has been made on the Prince’s life. On the other hand, O’Farrell’s character, and antecedents would lead to the belief that he i 3 a drunken, dissolute fellow, whom no secret society could trust. The next day or two will probably develope what is just now veiled in mystery. DAY OR SPECIAL PRAYER.

In accordance with the proclamation of his Excellency the Governor, and at the hearty desire of the several congregations of all denominational prayers for the safe and speedy recovery of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh were offered in all the churches and chapels in Melbourne and all the suburbs on Sunday, 15th March. In the Church of England there was no published form of prayer, owing to the time not allowing of its preparation and simultaneous distribution; but in the semce of the litany the officiating clergymen desired the prayers of the congregation on behalf of the Prince. The Lord Bishop of the diocese is at present absent from Melbourne.