Show MORE TURBULENCE A Meeting Proclaimed at Woodford Ireland SIR W1LFBED BLUNT ARRESTED The Conduct of the Government Considered Absolutely lawless law-less Other News Notes More Turbulence in Ireland DUBLIN October 23Placards were posted in Woodford County Galway this morning summoning an indignation indigna-tion meeting under the auspices of the British Home Rule Union Sir Wilfred Blunt a wellknown philanthropist and benefactor of Arabi Pasha who was formerly a Conservative but is now a Homeruler was announced to preside supported by Mr Rowlands and other English members of Parliament The meeting was proclaimed by government and reinforcements of police and troops arrived in the morning and paraded the streets Thousands of persons flocked into town A platform was erected in a field behind Main Street When the speakers mounted I the platform Divisional Magistrate Byrne forbade Blunt to hold the meeting meet-ing Blunt defied the magistrate and the police were ordered to clear the platform Several policemen seized Blunt and although he violently resisted re-sisted threw him from the platform Blunt returned to the platform and was again thrown off Then pale and breathless he shouted Are you such damned cowards that you dare not arrest me The district inspector replied re-plied I arrest you whereupon Blunt was seized and marched oft under an escort his wife following The police charged upon the crowd tha followed and injured many persons Mr Rowlands asked for three cheers for Blunt which were given heartily The crowd was kept back by fusileers Blunt was brought before two magistrates magis-trates and on refusing to promise to refrain from participating in the meetings meet-ings he was retained in custody Blunt and another prisoner were con i veyed to Loughrea Jail this evening During the row Constable Connor refused to obey an order to charge the crowd and threw down his baton He was arrested Five meetings were afterwards held on the outskirts of the townj at which the arrest of Blunt was denounced This morning before the Meeting Blunt handed to Magistrate Byrne a written protest against government govern-ment action in proclaiming the meeting Later Inspector Murphy visited Blunt and informed him that no meeting would be allowed After the struggle on the platform Lady Blunt fainted and lay on the grass unconscious uncon-scious for some time Mrs Rowlands and several reporters also suffered in the scuffle Rev Mr Eagan was arrested ar-rested but was afterward released Mr Roche a poor law guardian was arrested for assaulting the police Lady Blunt clung to her husbands arm and refused to leave him Blunt when asked whether he would give bail replied re-plied that as Englishman he believed lieved the whole action of the police was illegal and he would rather be imprisoned impris-oned than give a pledge to representatives tives of the Tory government DUBLIN October 24News of the arrest ar-rest of Wilfred Blunt caused the greatest excitement in this city A feeling of intense gratification prevails among Nationalists Harrington last night expressed himself that he did not believe Blunt would be detained or prosecuted but he added it will do good and I should not wonder if we have more of it William OBrien and Dillon could not conceal their gratification tion at the tarn events had taken Sir Wilfred Blunts letter to Magistrate Byrne guaranteed moderate language on the part of the speakers He warned the magistrate that he would hold him responsIble if he attacked an unarmed orderly meeting Over thirty persons were more or less seriously injured at Woodford and the feeling against the police is bitter LONDON October 24 The Daily News says The conduct of government was absolutely lawless the meeting at Woodford having been called by the English Home Rule Association JJ |