TURMOIL IN IRELAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 168, 9 April 1908, Page 11

TURMOIL IN IRELAND.

LANDOWNER'S, STOUT ; An astonishing story .(writes tho .".-Ex' . press 1 ') is told "by Mr. Harry Persse, one of - ' tho oldest magistrates in County Galwny. '.: I 'know I am', risking; my ' life," .ho - dc-j . : plartxl to an " Express " irepresentative,. " by' , , describing'to you": the torriblo ordeal through which I havo been compilled to pass, ■ I liavo not. tho slightest when I roturn , . I sliall'bo marked for ;itho y.'erfljcns of. the Utiitcd Irish Leaguers. - But I am sick to death of their persecution, and I am doter- . : ;.mirieS; that -tho people of England shall know its'.real meaning. : • ••• " To start at tho b&mning;" ,ho said, " I ' may'tell you that I 1 oiyn a farm of. four hu'nared - and , fifty L'acres "at ;,Woodyillo, Loughrea, Co. Galwa?: ' It- is -an ordinary. ';v agricultural; residentihl, holding'.' ' No ono .ltaf . ; frolii it,'.atid no' one - but, ..myself - has'.aiiy. olainv to; it: whatevor. M\STERIOUS WVRNING ■ • " I -had been in, .possession of, tho farm -'v.','for'/--a.v6r.V- : short .time, when .L -'received, .. v- ; through i;tho pqst,invstericu3 dccument . worded-aif- y- ■ y rylj- Sir,'—l am oiv.good authority' that you lifo; is{not safe.' -: If. you purclio i: ..-Woodville, i.you-.-inust :at ;-kast, suulfer: the loF.s of : an arm or'-leg. , ' I3riiig a cofliii ivith' )■''! you if you liavo' phickHo.venture. - - •RIP ••'.<Ono sof tho ..first outrages 'committed by ..' ::tifl;Tjeaguers was:to throw down many of,the. ; : wajls' and gat | es' (ii"iiiJi'-es{ato.^ ■■■:■; After 'that ; 'they ylrovO. iron) spikes;.into ■ t-lie. ground- till . : .;-'T' ! b^r^iiiy^in.eadpTr9*, ; ."?3io, , .off!&pfc' of .spiking is V'Jtlia Kttemptf'. is' mado to.;mow in .the. spikes- - nhdj'isfcsmashed, ;,-w'hilp 'the) driver.. is. jerked i off;/;his- ~seat' iand, ;'throwii : heavily }■ to, -tho ».■:=.jvpv.- : 'v.ii--1 v';;Tliß 'ehmit/'faf thb, League,, was. directed .:: ; : not('6n]y'/agaiii.Vt',-'myself,, but man.-iivlib .worMVpn.]my.";farih';- Fivo;,of my ' - : labourers',;-,hott«fs; werd.'attackcd. . In threo . ■/'eases.'the'assiiUahts' l used; firearms,-.directing: ... f-volleys"r of: -shoV .' through . the ' doors -and v.n'dows ■ - •* ~,.''An Sndicaiion lawlessness «. '.thai; prevails as that''. threo, of, theso; housed V'j ': "n'Gi'er attapkc<l;; f vs:i*^thb,' samp;'ni^ht, ,'th"o iViob. g6ing;from pnp, ; lto'.tlio otherwithout anybno ' ] .daring to. ■interfere. ... • . / ; last; - " a: .mbb.sof' '.'2OO Vme'n. armed ,: with ; sticks :>cam,o within, sixty yards of, tho : , ;'hpuso T ,ydrivo ■ my. ;cattlo. The' noiso "A-\ : i'aMkMfed- nie,^'and ; I dashed out of'bed in ■my m^ht'shirt; ; 'and' fired through the; window y'.to attract^He.fn'olice.; : : ' v "MILITARY ORGANIS VTION a' . /military: over-lns men. I heard him . cr t v .'.Halfc!', and.-j Front!' - as, the, occasion •, h might, doniand, :andtfio,' men, ;responded to his orders with all the alertness and pre- . 1 ;';.cisi6n of'a''cofnpany;pfrsoldicrs-Vv";-; "' - : ''.Portuha't'e.ljy' 1 .i-'hadgiyeii warning'.' in :fv time, -rfory'police tlian'i Vtfie;-,'fifty'.'.odd: eattlo" being ;..idriyen^away.' , '':.,The..pplie6^wero. ablo.to iden- ; .i;?/'tifjr.- of, tliq ;and :tli'eso men ;.wore:< subsequently tried, at - Limerick, ;; ; ; wi th;; ; the^jisuiil ; )result ; that' ; tho ;;jury "dis-:;-:!;agreed;v:i:^;^';:! '.■■■ *:'. •' ~ y'£So'.f'thrcTateniiig''has' -t-ho attitudeVof; the . ,/, nqo -:"bcpqmo . .-.-''that jl.'.-'.ain^-;cortpellcd;,'to,;k'cep '.five ./armed /Vpblicdnipri. -stationed;'-permanently 'on '.niyVpre-, f , mises.. ..They;, carry - magazine rifles and rc- . ;-'.:';-.;,Volvers>yaiid^!iro , '--(ready to shoot;-, at.. a iaomont's notice < . . They,have their headquarters;at-the'gate lodge.;.; ;At.,/night - they/ erganise ,;an .jarmed! patrol of mv,estate. ....;-■ ■ •. I keep, two loadedVrevolvers ■ and .a magazine rifle in my bedroom. I never go -out-without,a revolver or.a : rifle in- my • hand, and - even then' I liavo -to be accompanied by a police escort. . '/' - / -If:-;J,-am: out after dark, it ,is not ..safe, for me to -«return by the higlr roads,-ha.Ve -.to . a'nd-ftlrrough;'iVo6ds ' .: like' a_' Red,, In tlian, '.keepinfeia con'gtajit 'sva.teh . for hidden assailants.; V v, TORTURE OF THE SYSTEM - stated. can . whichmy ; wifp :and."l,-havo;^tp.undergo, sitting 'in,a ' Jonely...country, jhouso/f or'.hours. ;togother .at - -night .time, and,/ knowing' that' at nny rao■mont! a . volley .of .;,stones- or.', gunshot;..;maycomo hurtling through, the window; -/.: /: :-.''l, am al?o./the,, victim- of'an . inconceivably cruel system' : ,6f;'.boyc'otting;f-:';.-I*:canhotigeti even a loaf of bread from the'local shops . , because .to.,sond. it to ma- would- instantly . ; '-hring.-ilip/shopkeeperLuhder. the; ban ;.of. tile ; dreaded ',Leag)io v ! /'Every, jounce • of. bread ■we use has to be baked at■■home.''-V- • . . ;'v.. Such'-il<?cessanes i; of'life' as ■ ''meat, "and • ~-■ butter,are also:unobtainable esceot liy 'post • and..'train, from, long distances; I have' to ■ iobthinjnearly'.all my;-household goods from • Belfast; and 'Dublin., or ' from London I . -cannot even 101/ the local blacksmith 'to "shoe ;■ :>'my. horses,;';s'rid ;hnve/jtb ,do that'at home' as best I can.//.'';,/' / '- Bad .as the;, situation ! is; now, I,do not . hesitate tp. say that it will be infinitely, worse 8. few months .hence!" ''; r '