ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP THE LIVERPOOL,TOWN HALL.

Manawatu Herald, 19 August 1881, Page 3

ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP THE LIVERPOOL, TOWN HALL.

The Liverpool Journal gays ':• — The most intense excitement was created in Liverpool yesterday morning (June . 10) by the report of an attempt to blow up the Town Hall, which was published at an early hour. The most extraordinary outrage took place' at a few minutes past four o'clock, and the circumstances appear to be as follows : — At a very late hour on the previous night two men, who looked like sailors, were seen to be loitering about in the neighborhood of the Town Hall It was noticed that they had with them a large sailor's canvas bag, and the first person who wasTattracted by their suspicious movements - was Po-lice-constable 7I_T.(G, L. Reade.) A little later on he and Police-constable 888 (Gt. M 'Barney) .walked up towards the side door of the Town Hall,, and they taw the bag on the step. leaning up against the door, while the two men the} had previously seen were making off across the flags, of the Exchange. : Police;constable - 712j it appears from the official reports, got hold of the bag and tried to lift it, but it .was too heavy fov him. He then dragged , it into the middle of the street, and hearing something " fizzing," as he describes it, he called -©^t to his brother constable to '* look onf* 1 ' and before they had time to step back more than five or six yards a terrific explosion took place shattering many ©f the' trindows around, and sending nbaderhse volume of smoke. The consoles then, ran after the men tbey had seen crossing the flags, and they wen-H)uje-ly joined by-PoMce-* coot=ltable Jn 3B^7 : -(C- , eightori.) They blew thercwhistles as they' tan, and the signrf'Watr 'heard by Police- <jonstable SB3'(P-?ter Cja_|ey)^w.hgoYas o^ duty in Oldhall street. He joined in

the chase of tne two men, who turned down a side street out of Oldha 1 street towards Leed. streets, close to he Leeds and Liverpool caual. Going down the street, he found one of tlio men. whose name is John M'Kcvitfc, hiding underneath c lorry, and he at once giappled with him ____*_*_ evitt had a loaded ■ro vol vet* in his hand, and whfMi he found he c«uid not For continuation of reading matter see fourth pane.

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escape he Threw it over the I Wall, on the .0" her side of which is] the canal. Constable Casey held him" until th^e .othQr. two constables came up, and then handed him over to them. Casey then got over the wall, found the revolver, and wont in search of the othor man, whose name is William Robert Barton. He searched in two or three flats which wero mop rod close toj and at last came across Barton, who w a couching down at tho bottom of one of tho flats. Tlie constable, who still held in his hand the revolver which he had picked up, levelled it at Marton, and asked him "if ho had any'hing of that kind about him." barton,, who was veiy much exhausted and wringing wet- having, it is supposed, fallen iuto the caual in jumping from ono flat to tho other said to the conStablo, " Hero ifc is ; take it out of my pocket," and Constable Casey then took hold of him, and found in oue of his pockets a loaded eightchamber revolver,, similar to tlie one b-donging to M'Kevitt which ho had picked up. Tlio ofcher cons' able?, in r spouse t> tho whittle of' Casey, were qwi.kiy on tlie spot, and both men were conveyed to the Detective OlHce in Dale street. B tl» prisoners are said to l >o unquestionably associated with tho Fenian movement. M'Kevitt is a native of Ireland, having been born in Warrenpoint, and Barton, though born in Glasgow, and speaking with a strong northern accent, come; of Irish parcntagj. tie, however, has lived for s-imo years in America, and camo over to Engl&ni only rteenly irom New Orleans. He has lived at 15, Cottenhajn. street, Kensington, Liverpool, for five weeks past, and in his 1 dying he was joined on'y recontly by M'Kevitt, who, it is said, has worked in Liverpool as a dock labourer since 1 870. Upon barton certain papers hnve been found of a most compromising- character, and medals with Fenian devices and mottoes have been found on both. a|Tha accused were brought beforo stipendiary magistrate and remanded for a week. It transpires that the real name of Roberts is Magrath. On being remanded they were rom>vod to the borough gaol at Walton.