Bidwell's Travels, from Wall Street to London Prison: Fifteen Years in Solitude
to the opposite side, and while doing so glanced back and saw a car come
through the same town gate I had just entered, and dash furiously up the
street, pulling up at the walk a few yards behind me. Just as they
sprang out I turned to the left in a narrow lane in which I saw a
gateway to the fort, just within the entrance of which a sentry was
pacing, there being opposite several roofless cottages. The soldier's
back being turned, quick as thought I sprang unseen within one of these,
and in a moment I heard some men run around the corner and interrogate
the soldier, who stoutly declared that no one had entered. The men then
demanded to see the captain, were admitted, and after a short time I
heard them come out and depart. I stood in that ruin two mortal hours
until dusk, then walked out unseen by the sentry, and turning to the
left, came into a narrow street lined with small dwelling houses."
CHAPTER XXVI.
"EXCUSE ME, SIR, FOR QUESTIONING YOU."
"Crossing the narrow street in Cahir, referred to at the close of the
last chapter, I went in haphazard at the first door, without knocking,
and saw a family eating their humble supper. As I walked in I addressed
the family at the table thus:
"'Good evening. Pardon my intrusion, and do not disturb yourselves; but
by all means finish your supper.'
"'Good evening, sir,' was the reply from the man, whom I will call
Maloy. 'We are glad to see you; will you sit by and have pot-luck with
us?'
"'No, thank you,' I answered. 'I am an American--and it is my custom
when traveling in any country to make unceremonious calls like this, in
order to see the people as they really are at home.'
"After supper was over I related to Maloy and his family several stories
and incidents concerning the Fenians and their doings in America, which,
of course, interested them greatly. When it was fairly dark I arose to
go, and Maloy went outside with me. He had previously informed me that
he was employed by the government in the civil service. I will not state
in what capacity, for, although so many years have elapsed, the
true-hearted Irishman may still be earning his bread in the same humble
employment, and the knowledge that he assisted one whom he supposed to
be a Fenian leader in 1873 might even now cost him dearly. When we were
outside the door I said:
"'The fact is, Maloy, I am a Fenian leader, and the police are after me!
I have been dodging them for two days, and they are looking for me now
in Cahir! I have important papers for prominent Fenians in various parts
of Ireland, and it would delay our plans if I am obliged to destroy
them. But I fear I must do so at once unless you can help me. I would
almost sooner forfeit my life than to lose these papers, and I shall
fight to my last breath rather than let them fall into the hands of the
police, for it might be the ruin of several good men! My plan is to
double back to Clonmel, and I want your assistance to get me out of
Cahir!'
"'Oh, sir,' he replied, 'it is too bad you did not let me know a little
sooner, for the mail car is gone; it starts at 6 o'clock.'
"Just as he had finished speaking, a car came rumbling past and he
exclaimed joyfully:
"'We are in luck! There goes the mail car to the postoffice! Come with
me!'
"We hastened through a narrow, dark lane to the gate--the same I had
entered from Clonmel--walked through and at a hundred yards beyond
waited for the mail car, which soon came along. Maloy being well
acquainted with the driver, hailed him, saying that a friend of his
wanted a ride to Clonmel.
"After shaking hands warmly with Maloy, I climbed upon the car, and the
next instant I was whirling along--into fresh dangers--in that unique
vehicle, an Irish jaunting car.
"Arriving near Clonmel I saw a tavern, and ascertaining from the driver
that it was near the railway station, I left the car and entered the
place, only to find that the best, and, in fact, the sole food to be had
for supper was eggs. Having been on the move since dawn, after a
sleepless night, and almost without food, I hesitate to divulge how many
eggs I disposed of that evening, for the statement might tend to throw
distrust on the general veracity of my narrative. Having dried my wet
clothes and put myself into a presentable condition, I went to the
railway station to take the 11 p.m. train to Dublin. Seating myself on a
bench outside, I handed some money to a porter and sent him for a
ticket, which he obtained. There were but a few waiting about, so I
stepped into the small waiting room and sat down near three other men.
The one nearest, whom I at once put down for a local policeman in
private clothes, turned and spoke to me. I replied with civility to his
questions until finally he said: 'But are you not an American?' I
replied to his startling question in such a manner that he appeared
satisfied.
"'You must excuse me, sir, for questioning you,' he explained, 'but
there has been a great forgery in London, and it is said some of the
parties are in Ireland, and I am anxious to get a claim on the L5,000
that is offered for each one of them.'
"I told him that instead of being offended I was greatly pleased to see
the zeal he exhibited in the execution of his duties, and expressed the
hope that he might be successful in securing at least one of the
forgers, which would give him not only the L5,000, but undoubtedly
promotion. I got on the train all right, resolving that I would not
speak another word of English while in Ireland, and forthwith turned
into a Russian, who could speak 'une veree leetel Francais,' confident
that I should not be in danger of exposure by encounter with any one who
could speak the Russian language. I threw away the ordinary Scotch cap I
had been wearing, and put on the Glengarry. When I arrived at the
Maryborough junction, the train on the main line from Cork was late, and
I walked up and down on the platform, well knowing that the detectives
would scrutinize more closely those who appeared to shrink from
observation; therefore, I affected the bearing of a Russian prince as
nearly as I knew how.
"I got on the train unmolested, and arrived in Dublin at 1 a.m.
"There appeared to be some special watching of those leaving the train,
but I passed out unchallenged and took a cab. Not knowing the name of
any hotel, I told the driver I would direct the route as we passed
along, and he drove away at a great pace. Very soon I noticed another
cab following at an equal speed. I had mine turn a corner, but the one
behind came thundering after; and though I bade my driver to turn at
nearly every corner still I could not shake off my supposed pursuer
until, after apparently being followed about two miles, the stern chaser
turned off in another direction, much to my relief. We soon approached
the Cathedral Hotel, where I alighted about 2 a.m., rang up the porter,
and was shown to a room.
"At 7 o'clock in the morning I sent for my bill, left the hotel, went
direct to the 'Jew' quarters, and purchased a valise and some
second-hand clothes. Noticing the old Jewess' looks of curiosity at
seeing one of my appearance making such purchases, I remarked: 'A Fenian
friend has got himself into a scrape, and the police are after him; so I
am going to get him out of the country, and wish to let him have some
things that do not have too new a look.' At hearing those (in Ireland)
magic words, 'Fenian,' 'police,' she became all smiles, let me fill the
valise with old garments at my own price, and at starting said: 'God
bless you! May you have good luck, and get off safe to America!'
"I then went to a more pretentious locality, where I procured a silk hat
draped with mourning crape, put the Glengarry in my pocket, and became a
Frenchman. At this moment I discovered that I had left in my room at the
hotel a large silk neck-wrapper on which were embroidered my initials. I
immediately stepped into a shop and left my new purchases, resuming the
Scotch cap, and started for the hotel (where I had given no name), to
secure the dangerous article left behind. Coming in sight of the hotel,
I saw a man stationed opposite, leaning on a cane, who appeared to be
watching the house. As I approached nearer he kept his eyes covertly
fixed upon me; therefore, instead of entering the hotel, I walked past
it and turned the next corner, glancing backward as I did so, and, to my
dismay, saw the man following me. I now adopted the same plan of action
that succeeded so well at Cork, and in half an hour I had shaken him off
and returned to the place where I had left my new silk hat and valise.
Donning the hat, with valise in hand, I was soon seated in an Irish
jaunting car, on my way to a station about ten miles out on the railway
to Belfast.
"Upon reflection I was satisfied that the chambermaid had found the silk
wrapper and taken it to the hotel office. There the initials, together
with the knowledge of my arrival at so unusual an hour, without baggage,
and my early departure, had aroused suspicion, and the police had been
notified. At about 11 o'clock I arrived at the station, and going into a
store paid my Dublin cabman and called for lunch. About five minutes
before the train was due from Dublin I walked into the empty station,
presented myself at the ticket office, and said: 'Parlez vous Francais,
Monsieur?' and received the reply, 'No.' I then said in a mongrel of
French and English that I wished for a ticket to Drogheda--not daring to
purchase one through Belfast. Supposing me to be a French gentleman, he
was very polite and ordered the porter to take my baggage to the
platform. There I found myself the solitary waiting passenger. As the
train approached I saw a pair of heads projecting from the carriage
windows, eagerly scanning the platform. Two men jumped off, and,
hastening to the station master began to talk to him in an excited
manner, all the time glancing toward me. As I passed near the group to
get on the train, I heard the agent say: 'He is a Frenchman.' No doubt
he informed them that I had purchased a ticket to a way station only--a
fact that would naturally allay suspicion. At the next stopping place
they actually arrested a man, but went no further.
"I afterward ascertained that twelve men were arrested on that and the
preceding day, among the number being a fraudulent debtor trying to
escape by the same steamer, the Atlantic.
"The following extracts from contemporary newspapers will give the
reader some idea as to what a 'hot' place Ireland was for me:
"(By Cable to the New York Herald.)
"London.
"Three shabbily dressed men, who, from their accent, are believed
to be Americans, were arrested in Cork, Ireland, this morning while
attempting to deposit $12,000 in that city.
"They are supposed to be the parties who recently committed the
frauds on the Bank of England."
"(From the London Times of same date.)
"To Editor of Times.
"Sir: The case of Dr. Hessel has been so lately before the public,
and so much has been written both in the English and German papers
against the English police, that probably a little evidence upon
the procedure of the German (or, I ought probably to say, the
Bavarian) may not be uninteresting at the present moment. Myself
and son, a sub-lieutenant, R. N., made a great attempt to reach
the grotesque old city of Nuremberg on Saturday last, arriving
there about 7 o'clock. We were asked to put our names in the
stranger's book, as usual, which we did, and retired to bed.
Imagine our surprise, on rising on Sunday morning, at receiving a