FENIAN SECRET DRILLING.

Patea Mail, 22 May 1882, Page 4

FENIAN SECRET DRILLING.

A party of Fenians were interrupted one night while drilling in a wood within a mile of Swinfovd, County Mayo. It appears that some members of the local constabulary, while out walking, saw a number of men being exercised in military evolutions in the wood. The constables ran to the barracks, and at once all the available men, under command of subinspector Macardle, turned out disguised. They came in different directions, so as to surprise the drilling party. In one case a policeman met a man riding on a horse. He seized the horse, and, mounting, rode at a gallop to the wood. The drilling party at once saw that he was a policeman, and they quickly fled over the country in different directions. The police followed in pursuit. The sub-inspector pursued one man, who appeared to be a leader, when an exciting race took place, and it was only by the man jumping into the river that he escaped. Twelve arrests have been made. *on'their way back the constabulary had to pass a garden round which is a very high wall. As they were passing this several shots were fired from the inside. The police discovered documents of a treasonable nature on the drilling-ground. They also found a drill-book belonging to the New Mayo Militia.