MR O'BRIEN AND HIS PRISON CLOTHES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2540, 20 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

MR O'BRIEN AND HIS PRISON CLOTHES.

The Montreal Witness contains tho following narrative, stated to have been told by Mr John Ford, formerly a warder in Tullamore Gaol, who has arrived in Canada from Ireland :—I was one of the warders at Tullamore Gaol, and, knowing how to do the work, was also assistant to the prison clerk. Of course I was and am, like a great many others who are not suspected of it, a strong Nationalist, and when Mr O'Brien was brought to the prison you may be sure he did not want for any good turn that I or others could do for him. He would not wear the prison uniform, hut insisted on keeping his own clothes. Well, you know in America as well as we do, what happened. On e night a sneak thief stole Mr O'Brien's clothes while he was fast asleep. One of the uniforms was left for him to put on ; but ho would not. As Boon as I could get to him I told him I though I could

get a suit in. I went to the parish priest and explained my plan to him, and we telegraphed to Dublin for a suit. It came the next day. I went to the priest's house, took off my own suit, and put on the one that was for Mr O'Brien. Then I put on a long ulster over that and went back into the gaol, whero I waited until I knew the clerk would be busy away from the office. I told the clerk about some letters that were to be written, and, as I expected, he sent me to the office to write them. As soon as I was thero I opened the safe with the keys in it. I knew how to open it. There were four keys needed, and I took them. I unlocked one door after another until I got to Mr O'Brien's cell, whero I undressed myself as quickly as I could. He took me by the haud and said, " God bless you, my boy. You are of the right sort." I then put on my ulster. I had nothing on but my underclothes, shirt, and shoes, and made my way out, carefully looking up everything behind mo, put away the keys in their places, got back to the priest's house, and got my clothes, and not a soul knew a thing about it. The next morning there was Mr O'Brien with a complete suit on, and nothing to show how it had been brought to him. Wei), you may believe thero was great excitement. Everybody was brought up and questioned and examined, but not a bit of satisfaction, good or bad, was obtained. Mr O'Brien was not caught napping again. Ho slept in the suit after that. " You wore never suspected asked our reporter. "Never. I could be in Government service yet, if I wanted to, but they wanted to transfer me to the Londonderry Gaol, and I resigned rather than go there. I did'nt like the service, anyhow, and if it hadn't been for Mr O'Brien being put in prison I would have left earlier than I did."