THE STORY OF MR O'BRIEN'S ESCAPE. AN IRISH HEROINE. London, February 2.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 354, 27 March 1889, Page 4

THE STORY OF MR O 'BRIEN 'S ESCAPE. AN IRISH HEROINE. London, February 2.

Mr Parnell, Mr Dillon and the leaders of the Home Ilule party are, I hear, extremely wroth with Messrs O Brien and Healey for promoting the seiious disturbances at C-irrick-on-Suir last Thur-day. The two culpri's of course profess themselves inno cent as unborn babes. The constabulary are alone to blame. They always are. Messrs OBrien and Healey pimply marched to the Court House at the head ot a pugnacious band of shillelagh waxing Irishmen and demanded admittance for their followers. The constabulary unreasonably uiged the Court House was already full, upon which, of course, the bhoys had to use force, and a few heads were broken. The story of Mr O Brien s escape from Carrick is most exciting. A correspondent of the lVess Association vv rites: 'I was in Carrick-on Suir yesterday, and had an interview - vith one of the young men who assisted Mr Win. OBrien, M.P., oil ThurHay last to olude the police and to mysteriously disappear from the town. He says that while the gallery was being cleared Mr OBrien rose from his seat quickly and got. mixed up with the people who were being put out of court, and that when Mr Bodkin, R. M.. called on the police to detain Mr OBrien, Sergeant Brophy made a rush and caught the hon. gentleman by the throat. As he did so two young men of powerful build crushed themselves between the sergeant and hi& captive with such force as to separate them, the sergeant taking away in his hand Mr 0 Brien 8 necktie and collar. Mr O'Bri n was thus left at the courthouse door just at the moment the police oubside the courthouse yob orders ,to disperse the crowd, which they did. Mr OBrien, in the dark ness, yot mixed up in the crowd, and ran with it". My informan , who had followed Mr OBrien, whispered to the honourable member to follow him, which he con fidingly did. and running quickly b.\ the end of the convent, eighty yards distant, they dashed up a nariow dark lane by the side of the chapel, to a respectable house in a back-sfcr^et. They whispered to the people, 4 Mr O'Brien,' as ihey still ran. ' All right, sir,' was the reply ; and in a few seconds, unobserved, they turned into Miss O'Neill's bakery premises in Williamstreet. ' Miss O'Neill's ' was the explanation, ' this is Mr OBrien ; will you give him shelter? The police are on hi?track.' 'This way,' she exclaimed, leading the way into the kitchen. Once secnrely there, the young fellow* who tire Mr OBrien from the sergeant joined them, and thei' counsel was taken as to the course to bo pursued. Miss O'Neill puygested that, he should remain for the night, but Mr OBrien replied that he would leave Carrick. 'If you must go.' said one oi his companion^, 'you must be disguised. 1 will get you a slouch hat (a description of soft hat worn by farmers in that part of the country), and an old trieze coat, and then you'll look like an old farmer. ' Mr OBrien laughingly consented to be dressed in habiliments nothNown. 'There* another thine,' said one of the young men ; ' are vnu yame enough. Miss O'Neill, fc<. take Mr O'Brien's arm as he goes thiough the street ? That would knock the peelerscorn pletely off the scent,' 'I would sacri fice my l.fe to save you, Mr 0 Brien,' wathe reply One of theyoung men leftat tnit point, and M r OBrien sat djwn and partook of a hearty tea in the kitchen. In a short timebhevou gman returned with thesoft hat and shabby-looking, much-worn coaf, the property of a cattle and pig drover. A shawl, such as oountr\ women wear, wa» procured for Miss O'Neill, and as All O'Biien and hte companion stood in the kitchen ready for flight, he laughed heartily, exclaiming, 'A suit of " blarney " could not hold a candle to this. What a pity we haven't a photographer present, to take us !' The young men then loft to see that the streets were clear. One of them, proceeding to the rear of the convent, saw a force of police stationed as if puspicion rested there, and on his return it was decided to go by New-street. Finding no peison in William • street, Mr OBrien, with Miss 0 Neill on husarm proceeded intoNew-s'reet. At this time there was rioting in the direc tion of Main-atreet, and the Dulk of the police force was stationed in that diiection Scarcely, however, had they got thirty yards down the street, which was then in darkness, care having been taken that the two lamps at the corner of the street should not be lighted, when half a-dozen police came hurriedly up against them. When about ten yards off Mu-s 0 Neil ex claimed, loud enough for them to hear her, 4 Can't you keep steady, or the police will take you?' nn.d, acting on the sug g- t-tion, Mr OBrien gave a gruff reply, such as a man under t><e influence of dri k might, be expected to make. ' Youhadbe'tei getalong quietly,' exclaimed the sergeant in charge, 'or I'll give you a night's lodging in the banacks.' ' Don't mind him,' said Mi«s O'Neill ; ' I'll t.ike care of h.m.' * Very well,' replied the sergeant, as he and his men turned up the town. Said Mr O'Biien: 'By Jove. Mies O'Neill, that wa« a n irrow shave !' to which she replied. 'You clayed the part splendidly:' In the darkne« a they reached the Fair Green where Mr OBrien was joined by one of the yountr men alluded to. The Fair Green is situated on the outskirts of the town, and almost at the extreme end of it run* the Waterford and Limerick Kail way. Halfway across the green Mr OBrien thanked Mi»s O'Neill and bade her goodbye. He »nd his male attendant then proceeded into the country in the darkness.''