CAPTAIN MOONLIGHT'S DISCLOSURES of CONSPIRACY.

Patea Mail, 24 March 1882, Page 3

CAPTAIN MOONLIGHT'S DISCLOSURES of CONSPIRACY.

At the Munster assizes, two men out of a gang of thirty were tried, on information supplied by Connell, alias Captain Moonlight, for having “ risen with • arms and disguised,” and breaking into a fanner’s dwelling at Mushera on the might of Dec. 7th. They had knocked down the mistress with, a blow from a gun, had cut the hair off her daughters’ heads, and cut the moustache off a servant.

Captain Moonlight was put in the wit-ness-box, and said : I am 20 years of age, and have spent years in the army, first in tho 22nd Regiment, from which I deserted, and joined the 109 th. After 212 days’ imprisonment I was dismissed with ignominy. I went home and worked as a carpenter with my father. On the night of the outrage we met at James Tuohy’s, and after disguising ourselves with widewake hats and plumes, and with foxes’ tails for whiskers, we left at 11 o’clock for Mrs Fitzgerald’s. On our way we thought we heard the police, and we skirmished .around the side of the mountain, so as to be out of the way. Half the party assumed a line of attack. On arriving at Fitzgerald’s, we searched the outposts, fearing the police might be concealed there. Finding the course clear, the main body advanced and broke in the door. The remainder were posted on sentry duty on .the highway aud around the house. I did not enter the house myself, but remained on guard outside, and heard Mrs Fitzgerald’s family screaming very much. ’ 1 was afraid the police would arrive and hear them, and I ordered the men to fall in. Connell, on being cross-examined, said he was, at a genera 1 meeting of the body, unanimously elected armourer and instructor at the-Mill-street district, which embraces an area of from fifteen to twenty square miles. The captain Jeremiah Riordan, a baker’s son in Mill-street. All members were sworn on the Bible to observe the following oath :—“ I swear to be true and faithful to the Irish Republic, to obey my superiors, to take up all arms when required. Death to the traitor. So help me God.” That oath was in writing. I swore it myself, and would never have turned, informer but that I was first informed on by someone who swore that oath. I swore-in about a dozen members who were brought to me by fellow-members for that purpose. We were not in the habit of going to farmers’ houses and swearing members against their will, though we slept and ate at farmers’ houses without being asked.

I was alvvays in command in the absence of the captain. The captain made written orders in a book kept for the purpose. My duty was to copy these and see them executed ; two of 'these orders so copied by me were found on me when I was arrested. One of them reads—“ PatTuohy and Pat Ring, with four men, to appear under arms at an early hour at James Tuoby’s on the night of the thirtieth of the twelfth, eighty-one. Bring heavy shears and false whiskers for Owen Riordan’salso.” The other reads—“ Regimental order by Captain Moonlight for appointed raids on thirtieth of twelfth, eighty-one. James Sullivan to be shot in legs and his mother and daughter clipped for dealing with the Hegartys ; John Linehan, story-telling, to be clipped ; Denis Goakley, for turning out his labourer to be shot in legs ; Maurice O’Brien to ; be shot in legs for paying rent. Signed and confirmed by Captain Moonlight as work for the night of the thirtieth.” Those two documents were copied by me from the captain’s order book. In reply to Crown counsel, witness said : —There were rewards given to us for bravery. I myself got £l2 from Dublin. It came in a letter bearing .the Dublin postmark, but there was nothing to show where it came from. They could have their, choice of either medals, or money. They are Parnell medals. I preferred the money. I saw some of the medals. Riordah, the captain, has one. There are other Moonlights bands in other districts, the captains of which'l don’t even know.

The jury, after one hour’s deliberation, found , the prisoners guilty. They were each sentenced to seven years? penal servitude.