SHEEPFARMER MOBBED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 26 January 1939, Page 9

SHEEPFARMER MOBBED

NOW IN HOSPITAL BECAUSE HE GAVE MONEY TO POOR CHILDREN |i>y Air Mail—Special Correspondent! LONDON, 24th December. A retired Queensland sheep farmer, travelling through France on his way to Ireland, is now in a Paris hospital because he wanted to bring a little Christmas cheer to some poor children. Full of the Christmas spirit he roamed the slums of Paris, giving away banknotes. As a result he came under suspicion and only police intervention saved him from being lynched. He is Michael Morrissey, born at Carrickmacross, Ireland, in 1876. He landed at Marseilles, on the way to his old home for his first visit since he left it as a boy. 53 years ago. with his parents. He conceived the idea of ensuring a merry Christmas for a number of pool children in the towns he passed through after leaving Marseilles for CarrickmaThe method he adopted in Paris was to place bank notes for one hundred francs in sealed envelopes, which lit handed to children. [He had not proceeded very far or the first day before he found himsel: mobbed by indignant mothers, who de

nounced him as a wicked old man trying to corrupt children. It was only with difficulty that a strong body of police hurried to the scene in lorries, extricated Mr Morrissey from the “furies” who had be- ■, * laboured him with sticks, brooms and 1 pokers and covered him with mud and < filth. i Despite this Unpromising beginning. ( and the warnings of the police, Mr Morrissey renewed his Christmas cheer mission on the next two days in other quarters, but the result was even more unfortunate. Police had to fight a fierce battle in the Pantin district with a mob of men, i women and boys, who had flung Mr I Morrissey into the gutter and were ; kicking him about. | On the third day. similar intervention was necessary before he could be taken U> hospital with serious injuries likely to involve his detention in hospital for sorre time. Asked this week if he intended to carry out his programme in London. Dublin and other towns on his way to Ireland, he said : “I am afraid not. In any case it Is doubtful if I shall be ou» of here before Christmas. Perhaps, I have been the foolish old man the police say I j am, but I meant it for the best. “1 recalled my own childhood and , how far from merry the Christmassy I were because of cur poverty and I just | wanted to make things brighter for a . ; few poor children i “When I get to London 1 shall talk J > j things over with friends and see if I , can find a less troublesome .way o' plai - j i | ing the role of Father Christmas, eviii f | if it has to be so many days after the; - traditional date.”