THE DYNAMITE PRISONERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1645, 2 June 1883, Page 8

THE DYNAMITE PRISONERS.

London, May 19th. Norman, Dalton, Wilson, Dan Gallagher, Bernard Gallagher, Curtis, Tusbrough, and Whitehead, eight men arrested and charged with being concerned in the dynamite conspiracy, were again brought up at Bow etreet

Police Court. On the prisoners being arraigned in the Courtroom, it was announced that Norman had turned informer. The rest of the prisoners, including Bernard Gallagher and Whitehead, were informally charged with treasonfelony. Norman testified that his real name was Wm. Joseph Lynch, born of Irish parents in the State of New York. Lynch said while working at a coachbuilder's in Brooklyn a shipmate, named O'Connor, induced him to join a secret society — a branch of the Fenian organisation—divisions of which were called Emerald clubs. O'Connor took him to an Odd-Fellows' hall in New York, and in an anteroom told him the object of the Society was to free Ireland by force alone. Lynch, on joining the Society, took an oath to stand by its watchword, obey his superior officers, and observe the laws of the brotherhood. The members were known by numbers. The name of the presiding officer wasThos. Kearns. Lynch attended the called meetings of the Club twice each month. He did not know O'Donovan Rossa personally, but heard he had been to the clubroom. He was always spoken of there as the " old man." He knew, besides O'Connor, two members of the Club, both named Sullivan. The number of the treasurer of the Club was 82, and of the secretary 13. The password for admission to the meetings was "Providence." There were other associated clubs in New York— the Sarsfield (on Thirty-second street), the Emerald and Thomas Davis (in the Military Hall), the Emmett (on Eighth avenue), and the Davitt and the Tom Moore Clubs. District members were not known to each other. When a member was wanted to go on a mission the president read out hia number, and told him to send him his address. He (the prisoner) was sent to Dr Thomas Gallagher, who lived at Green Point. Gallagher told him he was to go to London, and would know what for when he got there. Gallagher gave him 50dol, and told him to take a steerage passage on the. steamer Spain under the name of Norman. Gallagher gave him I'iOdol more, and told him to go to London and inquire at the American Exchange for a letter addressed to him. Lynch did not want to go, as he had relatives to support, but finally went to Gallagher, who gave him a amatKbox. He examined this on the steamer, and finding it contained a spring which worked by pressure, he became alarmed, and threw it into the sea. Lynch reached London on March 22nd. He met Gallagher in London on the 27th, and on the 28th they walked past the scene of the Westminster explosion. On hia asking Gallagher if " that's what we are going to do," the latter answered " Yes." Gallagher viewed the Houses of Parliament, and said, "They will make a great crash when they come down." At this point Gallagher shouted out from the dock, " You are an infamous liar !" Lynch repeated the statement of Gallagher as to what destination was to be sought. He said he inferred from the talk of his co-con-spirator that O'Donovan Rossa was in the scheme. Rossa was referred to as " the old man." Lynch testified that he went to Birmingham to sea Whitehead, at Gallagher's request, for some material. Gallagher gave him money to buy a presentable trunk in which to put the stuff he was to get from Whitehead. Whitehead put him in the way of getting an india-rubber bag. He said that when Whitehead was loading the nitroglycerine into the rubber bags, he told Lynch that 501b had been taken away that day. Whitehead also told him he would soon know what the liquid was. Whitehead here shouted, "You lie, you traitor." In London Gallagher and witness passed Scotland-yard, and Gallagher said, "That is the, headquarters of the detectives : it will come ' down too." Gallagher said he was staying at' Charing Cross Hotel, and gave witness £7, ' saying " Don't run short': the old man will provide for us." Lynch further testified that Gallagher met him when he returned from London to Birmingham with the nitroglycerine. 'He had never Been any person before, except Gallagher and Whitehead. Both spoke of sending, another man to London, but did not mention any name. The witness spoke in a weak and indistinct voice, and at one time" appeared about to faint.. At the conclusion of his testimony, and while his deposition was being read, he did faint, and was removed from the Courtroom.

Bernard Gallagher has made a statement to the effect that he was born in Scotland ; that he returned there from America to work as an ironmoulder ; that his brother, Dr Gallagher, paid his passage, but he was ignorant of the doctor's business. Bernard says he is not a Fenian, nor a member of any secret society. He declares that he was in Sing Sing, New York, at the time the explosion occurred in Glasgow, which he is charged with having caused.