130 FURTHER PERSECUTION OF BERKERY. to his own home. Popular indignation, however, ran very strongly against him, as it was generally supposed that it was owing to statements made by him that Father Sheehy and his colleagues had been arrested. Although there was no foundation for this, his life was, notwithstanding, made a burden to him. He was rigorously boycotted, and not a soul from one end of the week to the other entered his shop. His gates were thrown down and carried away, and his fields commoned, his own cattle being driven away. He went to his chapel after his return as usual; but the feeling against him was made so apparent that he retired before the service was concluded, leaving behind him two men who acted as his farm-labourers. When the congregation came out, these two men were brutally attacked and stoned by the people, not a soul interfering on their behalf. They were pursued by a howling crowd of people for over a mile along the road, and finally reached Berkery's house, cut and bleeding from the wounds RUIN OF BERKERY. 131 caused by the stones thrown at them. The men were brought in to me in a pitiable state. The pew in which Berkery sat was ripped up, and the woodwork thrown out. I was anxious to avoid, if possible, making him conspicuous by the presence of a resident protection party; but from all I heard, his life became in such danger that I was obliged to quarter in his house a party of five armed constabulary. A hut for the guard had to be got down from the depot in Dublin and erected close to his house. Subsequently, six men of the Guards formed his protection party. He was deeply indebted to these excellent soldiers for their good behaviour; but said that he preferred the constabulary, whom he found less attracted by the charms of the milkmaids than the Grenadiers. I regret to say that Berkery was ruined by the persecution he underwent, and until I left Ireland in September 1883, he was under armed protection. I much doubt whether it has yet been withdrawn. I had been so occupied with Kilmallock, 132 RIOTING AT KILFINANE. that it was some days before I was able to accomplish a visit to Kilfinane, beyond that entailed by the arrest of the Land League committee. When I did so, there were loud complaints as to the disorder that so far had not been checked. There was complete disorganisation. The police had no authority, and both they and the troops were the object of constant attack and insult. There had been several riots, for taking part in which I issued numerous warrants under the ordinary law. As the reinforcements of police had not as yet arrived, and as there were only about eight men in the barracks, the police officer informed me that a serious disturbance would undoubtedly follow the arrest of these persons, to escort whom he had not a sufficient number of men. I sent for Captain Bell, who commanded the detachment of infantry, and requested him to turn out fifty men, and form them into hollow square in the market-place. I explained to him the object. The police were then intrusted with the warrants for ARREST OF KILFINANE RIOTERS. 133 execution, and one by one the prisoners were brought and placed within the square of soldiers. A large crowd had of course collected, and the presence of the troops in the market-place for some unknown purpose attracted the people, thereby relieving the pressure upon the police in other parts of the small town. The sense of the ridic ulous was not to be withstood by the mob, as one by one the prisoners were deposited within the ranks of the red-coats for safe keeping. There were shouts of laughter, and cries of "Sure, there's Pat joined the army!" and, "Why, Micky's turned soldier!" When all the prisoners had been brought in, the square moved away with them in the centre to the police barracks. One woman, who evidently knew her friends well, and could not lose the opportunity of expressing her convictions, called out to the prisoners as they marched "Och! the poor away, craythers, they'll never never get get promotion!" Service-waggons were soon provided, and the 134 PRISONERS DISCHARGED. prisoners sent to Limerick jail. I duly notified that the final decision with reference to them entirely depended upon the conduct of the people in the town. It has only to be added that, at the end of a week, after the adoption of certain administrative measures for the general good, the prisoners were discharged on bail, and at the end of a month were released altogether, no punishment being inflicted, as order had been comparatively restored and submission made to the law. This was quite as satisfactory to me as it was to the offenders. The restoration of order, however, entailed constant application, action, and general ubiquity; but as I had the strongest objection to men being in confinement at my instance without trial, as Father Sheehy and the members of the Land League committee were, I endeavoured to as rapidly as possible bring about such an altered condition of affairs as would enable me to recommend the Government to release these prisoners. Of course, much had yet to be |