THE ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF THE PRINCE.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 109, 28 March 1868, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF THE PRINCE.

(From the ‘Melbourne Herald,’ March 14) 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 succinct narativeof the crime, even at the risk of repeating some of the information contained in our columns of yesterday. The success of the ball given for the benefit of the Sailor’s Home in Melbourne had induced the committee of the sister institution in Sydney to announce a picnic 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 courts oflavv. Six steamers and the yachts of both squadrons left the city for the scene of the pic-nic, a beautiful spot named Clontarf, in the Middle Harbour; and it was estimated between 3,000 and 4,000 persons, including the elite of Sydney societ}', was present. H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh and his suite arrived at 2 o’clock, and was received by the members of the committee, of which Sir William Manning was chairman. After partaking of luncheon, the Duke, while waking 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 be fired twice. The first bullet struck the Prince in jhe back, about two inches from the spine, passed through the muscles of the back, and round by the ribs to the front of the abdomen, where it lodged. The Prince 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 William 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 victim of the assassin’s bullet, others secured O’Farrell. He was very • roughly handled , his clothes torn 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 the 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 DarJinghurst gaol, under a strong escort. He refused to give his name, merely skying in reply to inquiries, “ I’m a Dublin man,” On being searched, a second revolver, fully loaded, was found upon h m. 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 decided 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 hisnurseand medical attendants even the Bishop of Sydney being excluded from his bedside. The Royal patient passed a most favorable night, and in the morning a consultatation 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 us the news reached Sydney, the most intense excitement prevailed. O’Farrell was safely lodged in Darlinghurst before the outrage was thoroughly

known ; but it was feared 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 bouse 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 citizens to attend a monstre meeting which was held yesterday afternoon, and was the largest ever held in Sydney. Addresses of condolence with the Prince were passed j by the Council and Assembly yesterday, * and telegraphed to Sydney. A meeting, at which about 5,000 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’PARRELL. ’ The scoundrel, H. J. O’Farrell, the would-be assassin of H.R.H the Duke of : Edinburgh, in Sydney, is not unknown in this colony. For a long time he re- - sided at Ballarat and Clunes, where he was looken upon as a drunken dissipated fellow, frequently subject to fits of de-.i lirium tremens, and it was known that I more than once he had threatened to take I his own worthless life. O’Farrell is brother I to P. A. C. O’Farrell, who made himself J prominently conspicuous in Melbourne a j few years ago. Both were active, and to ' some extent influential members of the Roman Catholic Church, and it is 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’Farrel followed the o trade of a butcher many years ago, in~i Elizabeth-street, and the prisoner, now in Darlihgharst gaol, after being in "business in Ballarat, went to England to study foe the Church." In 1862 he returned to the colony, and after a short time again took up his residence at Ballarat, where he carried on the business of a producedealer in Doveton-street. He is said to have sustained a pecuniary loss through the absconding of his brother. He not long since went to Sydney, where it apyears 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 an 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 basa large number of accomplices'; 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 is a drunken, dissolute fellow, whom no secret society could trust. The next day or two will probably develop what is just now veiled in mystery. ■ • Sunday, the 15th March, was by a proclamation of the - Governor, kept as a day of special prnyer for the safe and speedy delivery of the Duke. In the Melbodrner files to hand, we have the forms used at the Chalmers Church, the Catholic, Wesleyan, Independent, Baptist, and Hebrew congregations. An Extra issued by the News states that the Rangitoto arrived at the Bluff at 2 p.m. on the 22nd inst Ho English Mail came by her, not being due at Melbourne until the 19 th, At the Sailors’ Home Picnic, in Sydney on March 12, a man named O’Farrell, (brother to a solicitor of that name, who absconded from Melbourne about five years ago,) said to be one of a band of Fenians, fired at the Duke of Edinburgh, wounding him in the back. He also fired at Sir W. Manning, mistaking him for the Governor of Hew South Wales. The ball missedthe Judge, but wounded Mr. George Thorne seriously. The Duke was removed to Government House, ho bled profuselyy and Was Very weak. The ball was extracted

bn the 14th, and he was then going on favorably, and said to be out of danger. I The excitement in Sydney is intense, .The sailors laid violent hands on O’Farrell rand would have lynched him but for a strong body of police. Monstre meetings fare being held everywhere to express horror at the outrage, and sympathy for the .duke.- O’Farrell was one of a band of Remans, who drew, lots who was to be the assassin, the lot falling to him. The Government of New South Wales °.rc in possession of information of a starting character respecting extensive Fenian Organization in Sydney, and offer a reward j) f £IOOO each for the apprehension of O’Farrell’s accomplices. j. The M’Culloch Ministry has resigned in / consequence of home despatches.