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DEALING WITH THE RIOTERS.

mission, expressed deep regret for what had happened, and promised future good behaviour, so I was enabled to send them home to their friends. This may seem to have been a very inadequate mode of dealing with such a serious offence; but I well knew that it would have been quite useless returning the prisoners for trial. This course would have only resulted in the law being further defeated and discredited. I determined, therefore, to endeavour to re-establish order under the powers vesting in me as a magistrate under the ordinary law. They had received prompt and unexpected punishment, their band instruments had been destroyed in the contest, and the rioters had been rendered ridiculous in the eyes of their neighbours. An Irishman is very sensitive to ridicule. Above all, the law had been asserted by the arrest of the ringleaders within a few hours of the commission of the offence, and the whole population had witnessed their departure for the jail at Limerick. During all the disturbances in the south and west I never lost

MISGUIDED DUPES.

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sight of the fact, whether when sitting as a magistrate or subsequently when holding a higher and more responsible position, that the ignorant and excitable people were but the dupes and victims, while the real delinquents who goaded them on to disorder and crime. were at their ease in Dublin or making Land League speeches in the House of Commons. I never failed to draw the attention of those who put themselves within the grasp of the law to this fact. It is not surprising that my conduct in asserting the law of the land, and my language in advising those who came within its reach, were unpalatable to the persons to whom my remarks referred. The object was to bring the people back to some sense of decency and order, and at the same time to show them that, come what might, the Government would not tolerate its authority being defied. Punishment was not the most effectual means of gaining this end, which could only be looked for, under the existing conditions, by putting forth all the powers

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A STATE OF SIEGE.

inherent to one's position, and by exercising them with scrupulous justice but unbending firmness. To send persons for trial before a jury was but to advertise the weakness of the law; and as my object was to assert its strength, I avoided this course during my magisterial administration at Kilmallock. For a month at least after this outburst, outlying sentries and pickets were placed at night about the police barracks, in order to guard against any sudden attack upon our horses. Extra men speedily arrived, and a detachment of infantry, as well as a troop of the Army Transport Corps, was asked for.

It was not long before I was initiated into the art of "boycotting." Within a few days of my arrival I was walking along the main street of the town, and met two men running, closely followed by a tumultuous mob. Sticks and stones were being thrown at the runaways, and the people were shouting out,Boycott them! boycott them!" The two men ran into a public - house, the doors of

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which, on being closed behind them, sounded with the blows of sticks made at their heads. The police came out and cleared away the mob, and I requested the officer to find out the cause of the disturbance. It turned out that it solely arose from the fact that the two men were suspected of having paid their rent, and on their first appearance in Kilmallock met with the reception recorded. They indignantly assured me that they were "quite innocent," and had not paid it for two years! It was necessary for the police after nightfall to escort them to their homes, about three miles away. This was my first introduction to practical" boycotting." I have little doubt but that the unfortunate men would have been killed had the mob succeeded in taking them. I was severely attacked in the House of Commons by the brave leaders of these gallant roughs for my action in saving the men's lives.

A case which had previously occurred came under my knowledge on arriving at Kilmal

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CASE OF PATRICK BERKERY.

lock, a short reference to which will convey some idea of the usurpation of power by Father Sheehy and his friends. Living about three or four miles from the town was one Patrick Berkery, a small farmer and publican, with a shop at the cross-roads near Bulgaden. He was a man in a very fair local position, and against whom no one had a word to say. In fact, I believe he was a man well liked in his neighbourhood. On a branch of the Land League being formed at Kilmallock, he incurred its displeasure, owing to his refusing to obey its edicts. It seemed that many years previously some one had surrendered the farm occupied by Berkery, owing to inability to pay rent, or to some other cause with which Berkery had no connection. representative of the late tenant pondered over the doctrines he heard preached by the Land League, and seeing an opportunity for plunder, laid his case before the local committee at Kilmallock. This body took the matter up, and Berkery received a written

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