ARREST OF LAND LEAGUERS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VIII, Issue 415, 25 March 1881, Page 7

ARREST OF LAND LEAGUERS.

A special report from Tralee, Jan. 6, gives the following particulars j of the anest of the President, Treasurer and Secretary, and three other members of the Land League in that section. The report says: — The usually quiet town of Tralee was thrjwn into a state of excitement this evening by the announcement that six prominent members of the local Laud League had been arrested. The gentlemen arrested are — Mr. Timothy Harrington, editor and proprietor of the Kerry Sentinel, and President of the League ; Mr. Michael Laurence Lyons, D. 0., draper, Treasurer ; Mr. Thos. O"Rourke, T. C, Honorary Secretary ; Mr. John Kelly, T. C draper ; Mr. H«nry Brassil, editor and proprietor of the Kerry Independent; and Mr. Michael Power. The arrests were kept a profound secret, and took every person here, excepting some of Her Majesty's constabulary and the resident magistrant, Mr. Bodkin, by surprise. At 3.30 o'clock about forty of the police, under the command of sub-Inspector Koox, mostly aimed, filed down the streets and went towards the south side of the town ; it is supposed in OTder to excite no suspicion as to their undertaking, tout immediately afterwards came back and halted at the house of Mr. O'Kourke in the Mall, where the Laud League meeting was being leld. The unarmed members of the constabulary and Sub- Inspector Knox then made their way up to the Land League room. There were ouly twenty-four persons then in the room, as the meeting had before that leeolved itself into a committee to consider the before the League, which the overcrowded state of the room rendered necessary, -when the policemen entered the room. Acting-Constable Kinchella advanced towards the President, and asked him if he was Mr. Harrington. On Mr. Harrington replying in the affirmative, be was immediately arrested in the Queen's name. Immediately following the arrest of Mr. Harrington the other gentlemen before mentioned w«re formally arrested. Mr. Knox, wbo now entered the room with his sword drawn, was interrogated as follows ;—

Mr. Harrington— Who did yon want? Mr. Knox -I want you, Mr. Harrington. (To Acting-Constable Kino'iella)— Did you arrest him ? The Acting-Constable — I did. sir. The six gentlemen were marched from the room guarded by the police with fixed bayonets. They proceeded to the court-house, followed by a sympathising crowd, who cheered them lustily. When they arrivedi ved at the court-huusc they were charged with sedition. Hail was refused and thny were marched off to prison, pending tbo investigation before the BVdMons. Shortly after the accused gentlemen left the court for the county ja"l, surrounded by a stripg foice of police, with fixed bayonets, followed by a large crowd, who loudly cheered as they passed alone. At Denny-street the police were reinforced by twenty men of the 48th Regiment, under the command of an officer. Having reached the green they were again join' d by an equal number of military, comtuanded by an officer, all with fixed bayonets. As they moved towards the gaol the greatest excitement prevailed, the crowd every moment becoming larger. Groans were given for Gladstone and " Buckshot Forster," and cheers for Mr. Para ell. However, the accused were got safely into gaol without any incident having occurred that would rail for th« interference of the police or military. The greatest excitement prevailed and several houses were closed at an unusually early hour.