Page:Life of John Boyle O'Reilly.djvu/59

Rh The conversation of which I have last spoken took place either toward the end of November or the beginning of December, 1865. Prisoner never told me the object of the military meetings of which he spoke. I know Pilsworth's public house, James's Street. I met prisoner in that house on the 13th of January, 1866. There were with him Denny, Mullarchy, Hood, Lof tus, Crosby, and Sinclair, all Tenth Hussars, and two deserters from Fifth Dragoon Guards. They were in civilian clothes. There was a man named Williams present, and also Devoy. On that occasion I had no conversation with O'Reilly, nor with any other person in his hearing. I never had any further conversation with the prisoner about Fenianism.

To the Court:

Prisoner never asked me the result of my conversation with Devoy.

On cross-examination by the prisoner, witness said:

When I was in Hoey's public house there were no soldiers of any other regiment but the Tenth Hussars present. That was the only time I met the prisoner at Hoey's. It was a few days after the conversation which took place when I met the prisoner coming from the barracks, that he introduced me to Devoy. I am twelve years in the army. The prisoner was in the army only three years.

To the Court:

I made no report to my commanding officer of my conversation with Devoy or the other meeting at Pilsworth's. I never took the Fenian oath.

The next witness. , Tenth Hussars, testified:

I know Pilsworth's house. I was there about Christmas last, with the prisoner. I went with him to the house. There were other persons there but I cannot say who they were. There were some civilians, but I did not know their names. Since then I heard that Devoy was one of them. The prisoner did not introduce me to any one on that occasion. Any drink the soldiers had they paid for themselves. There was no conversation relating to Fenianism in the presence of the prisoner.

Here the President deemed it advisable to give the witness a hint that his evidence was not satisfactory.

President. Remember that you are on your oath.

Witness. Prisoner was sitting near me for a quarter of an hour or more; he was not far away from me. He was sitting alongside me, close as one person sits to another. I knew prisoner before that night.

I had some conversation with O'Reilly while he was sitting by me. I cannot now tell what it was about, but it was not about Fenianism.

Devoy was not sitting near me that night; he was sitting at the same table, but I did not speak to him, nor he to me. I know Fortune's