“PATRICK EGAN ON BLOOD-MONEY.
“Paris, May 10, 1882.
“Mr. Egan, the Treasurer of the Land League, has telegraphed the following to the Freeman’s Journal of Dublin:—
“‘Editor, Freeman, Dublin.—In the Freeman of yesterday Mr. James F. O’Brien suggests a reward of £2000 out of the Land League Fund for the discovery of the perpetrators of the terrible tragedy of Saturday. Remembering, as I do, the number of innocent victims who in the sad history of our country have been handed over to the gallows by wretched informers, in order to earn the coveted blood-money, and foreseeing the awful danger that in the present excited state of public feeling crime may be added to crime by the possible sacrifice of guiltless men, I am determined that if one penny of the Land League Fund were devoted for such a purpose I would at once resign the treasurership.
“‘Patrick Egan.’”
And commenting upon it in the following vein:—
“Patrick Egan has spoken out like a man against the adoption by Irishmen of the base English policy of suborning informers. He declares that should a penny of the Land League funds be devoted to such an object, he will resign the treasurership. Mr. Parnell should at once repudiate the attempt made from this side to connect him with action so culpable and un-Irish. By consenting to become the trustee of the Irish-American blood-money he would forfeit the sympathies of his warmest admirers.”
It was in this year, too, that O’Donovan Rossa was finally expelled from the Clan-na-Gael. He had been in very bad odour for a long time previously, owing to his unsatisfactory connection with the Skirmishing Fund; and at last, after a couple of attempts to get rid of him, he was summarily kicked out, and from henceforth repudiated by the recognised officials of the secret organisation.
XLIII.
Eighteen hundred and eighty-three proved a very busy time with me. There was another Land League Convention: Egan, Sheridan, Frank Byrne, and other Invincibles “on the run” arrived in the country, and altogether my time was pretty well occupied in obtaining information and passing it on to my chief. The year opened amidst rumours in the public press of the secret movement having captured the open organisation of the League. Mr. Parnell himself had taken action previously in connection with the Kilmainham Treaty, and in other ways which were not understood or appreciated, and, as a consequence, a partial breach had occurred. So strained were matters becoming that in February it was announced that both Mr. Parnell and Egan would come to America in April for the purpose of discussing the whole situation and fixing upon some new mode of operations for the future which, while equally effective as regards joint working, would not impair Mr. Parnell’s usefulness. Many weeks, however, had not passed ere the fight between the clerical and revolutionary elements in the States began to wax exceedingly hot, and, changing his plans, Mr. Parnell determined not to interfere, and so failed to put in his promised appearance.