THE WALKING GALLOWS.
Brief reflections on the Irish Revolution of 1798—Mutual atrocities of the Royalists and Rebels—Irish humour buoyant to the last—O’Connor, the schoolmaster of County Kildare—“’Tis well it’sno worse”—The Barristers’ corps—Its commander—Lieutenant H—— —His zeal for loyalty, and its probable origin—Indemnities unjustly obtained for cruelty against the insurgents—Lieutenant H——’s mode of executing a rebel—Hissobriquet, and its well-earned application.
Never was there an era in the history of any country which, in so short a space of time, gave birth to such numerous and varied circumstances as did the memorable year 1798 in Ireland: nor was there ever yet an event so important as the Irish insurrection, but has afforded a veracious—or, at least, a tolerably impartial narrative. But the party rancour and virulent hatred of the religious sects in the south, the centre and west of Ireland (where the rebellion principally raged), operated to prevent any fair record of those scenes of bloodshed and atrocity which, onboth sides, outraged every principle of morality and justice, and every feelingof consanguinity, honour, or humanity. The very worst qualities were fostered to full maturity, and the better ones turned adrift like discarded servants. Blood, fire, and famine were the only umpires resorted to by the contending parties.
Those barbarities were nearly, if not altogether, unexampled either in ancient or modern Europe: but it is now thirty years since their termination; the surviving contemporaries are old enough to have their blood cooled and their prejudices moderated;—and they should have grown sufficiently dispassionate to speak of those scenes (if at all) with honesty and candour.
I was myself in the midst of the tumult: a zealous loyalist; an officer in the corps of barristers; an active partizan; in a word, astrongadherent of government—but not ablindone. I could not shut my eyes; I could not close my ears; I would not pervert my reason; and the full use of those faculties at that time, enables me now to state as an historic fact—which some will deny, and many may discredit—that the barbarities of that period (though not precisely) were pretty nearly balanced between the conflicting parties.[31]Mercy was alikebanished by both; and the instruments employed of death and torture, though dissimilar, were alike destructive: the bullet, sabre, bayonet, lash, and halter, being met by the pike, the scythe, the blunderbuss, the hatchet, and the firebrand.
31.Never did there appear a more extravagant and therefore mischievous historian than Sir Richard Musgrave proved himself in his “History of Irish Rebellions, and principally that of Ninety-eight,”—almost every chapter whereof is distinguished by misconception and fanaticism. Lord Cornwallis disclaimed the baronet’s dedication—who, on sinking into the grave, left a legacy to his country—having fomented prejudices against her in Great Britain which another century may not extinguish.
31.Never did there appear a more extravagant and therefore mischievous historian than Sir Richard Musgrave proved himself in his “History of Irish Rebellions, and principally that of Ninety-eight,”—almost every chapter whereof is distinguished by misconception and fanaticism. Lord Cornwallis disclaimed the baronet’s dedication—who, on sinking into the grave, left a legacy to his country—having fomented prejudices against her in Great Britain which another century may not extinguish.
Yet while human blood was pouring out in streams, and human beings consuming in fire, or writhing either upon rebel pikes or royal bayonets—will it be believed?—men had grown so familiarised to scenes of horror, that the eccentric humour of the Irish people was insusceptible of decrease. In the midst of tortures, either suffered or inflicted, it frequently broke out into the most ludicrous actions and expressions, proving to me that an Irishman’s humour is so drilled into his nature, as to be inexhaustible even to the moment of his death (if that is not unusually too deliberate).[32]
32.O’Connor, a fat, comely, cheerful-looking schoolmaster of County Kildare, was the first rebel executed for high treason. His trial gave rise to one of the most curious dialogues (between him and Judge Finucane) that ever took place in a court of justice. It ended, however, by the judge (who was a humane man) passing the usual sentence on him—“That he should be hanged by the neck, but not till he was dead: that while still alive his bowels should be taken out, his body quartered,” &c. &c. The culprit bore all this with firm though mild complacency; and on conclusion of the sentence bowed low, blessed the judge for hisimpartiality, and turning about, said, “God’s will be done! ’tis wellit’s no worse!” I was surprised. I pitied the poor fellow, who had committed no atrocity, and asked him what he meant. “Why, Counsellor,” said he, “I was afraid his lordship would order me to beflogged!” Every rebel preferred death to the cat-o’-nine-tails! O’Connor’s head remained some years on the top of Naas gaol.
32.O’Connor, a fat, comely, cheerful-looking schoolmaster of County Kildare, was the first rebel executed for high treason. His trial gave rise to one of the most curious dialogues (between him and Judge Finucane) that ever took place in a court of justice. It ended, however, by the judge (who was a humane man) passing the usual sentence on him—“That he should be hanged by the neck, but not till he was dead: that while still alive his bowels should be taken out, his body quartered,” &c. &c. The culprit bore all this with firm though mild complacency; and on conclusion of the sentence bowed low, blessed the judge for hisimpartiality, and turning about, said, “God’s will be done! ’tis wellit’s no worse!” I was surprised. I pitied the poor fellow, who had committed no atrocity, and asked him what he meant. “Why, Counsellor,” said he, “I was afraid his lordship would order me to beflogged!” Every rebel preferred death to the cat-o’-nine-tails! O’Connor’s head remained some years on the top of Naas gaol.
It is not in the nature, or within the comprehension, of the sober English people to form any judgment of what a true-born Irishman is capable of saying or doing in his deepest extremities: and I am sure they will give me little credit for veracity when I mention some instances which, I own, in any other country might be reasonably considered incredible. In no other place existing could the cruel and ludicrous be so mingled, as they were in the transactions of the sanguinary period in question; nor do I think there can be a better way to inform and amuse the reader, than by giving alternate anecdotes of theroyalistsand therebels, leaving it to his own judgment to draw conclusions.—This one observation, however, it is necessary, in justice, to premise;—that the royalists were, generally speaking, of a higher class than the rebels—and had received the advantages of education, while the rebels were in a state of total ignorance and beggary. The wanton barbarities, therefore, of the more enlightened classes have less ground of palliation than those of a demi-savage peasantry, urged by fanaticism, and blinded by ignorance. This observation wasstrongly impressed on my mind throughout the whole of that contest; and it would be acting unfairly toward the officer who so judiciously commanded the military corps I was then attached to, not to say, that, though an unqualified Protestant—an hereditary Huguenot, filled with that spirit of sectionary zeal which drove his eloquent ancestor from his native country; yet, during the whole of the rebellion, Captain Saurin never suffered the corps he led to indulge any religious distinctions;—scarcely, indeed, could his own sect be discovered by any particular of his acts, orders, or conduct; nor did that corps ever participate in, or even countenance, the violent proceedings so liberally practised by other military yeomen.[33]
33.I knew at least but of one exception to this remark respecting the lawyers’ corps. Very early in the rebellion an officer took down a detachment of that corps to Rathcool, about seven miles from Dublin, without the knowledge of the commandant. They were not aware of his object, which turned out to be, to set fire to part of the town. He captured one gentleman, Lieutenant Byrne, who was hanged;—and returned to Dublin, in my mindnottriumphant.He got several severe lectures, but none so strong as one from the late Sir John Parnell, then chancellor of the exchequer, whose heir, the present Sir Henry Parnell, was among those unwittingly taken down.
33.I knew at least but of one exception to this remark respecting the lawyers’ corps. Very early in the rebellion an officer took down a detachment of that corps to Rathcool, about seven miles from Dublin, without the knowledge of the commandant. They were not aware of his object, which turned out to be, to set fire to part of the town. He captured one gentleman, Lieutenant Byrne, who was hanged;—and returned to Dublin, in my mindnottriumphant.
He got several severe lectures, but none so strong as one from the late Sir John Parnell, then chancellor of the exchequer, whose heir, the present Sir Henry Parnell, was among those unwittingly taken down.
This line of conduct was most exemplary; and from a thorough knowledge of the constitutional attributes of the man, I am convinced that neitherhis philanthropy, toleration, humility, or other good qualities have been much increased by hisschooling, for the last twenty years, in the Irish Four Courts.
Among the extraordinary characters that turned up in the fatal “ninety-eight,” there were few more extraordinary than Lieutenant H——, then denominated the “walking gallows;”—and such he certainly was, literally and practically.[34]
34.This circumstance is mentioned in my “Historic Anecdotes of the Union,” among several others, which were written before the present work was in contemplation. But the incident now before the reader is so remarkable that I have gone into it more particularly. Many will peruse this book who will never see the other, into which have been interwoven, in fact,numeroussketches of those days that I now regret I did not retain for the present work, to which they would have been quite appropriate.
34.This circumstance is mentioned in my “Historic Anecdotes of the Union,” among several others, which were written before the present work was in contemplation. But the incident now before the reader is so remarkable that I have gone into it more particularly. Many will peruse this book who will never see the other, into which have been interwoven, in fact,numeroussketches of those days that I now regret I did not retain for the present work, to which they would have been quite appropriate.
Lieutenant H—— was an officer of the line, on half pay. His brother was one of the solicitors to the Crown—a quiet, tremulous,vino deditussort of man, and a leading Orangeman;—his widow, who afterward married and survived a learned doctor, was a clever, positive, good-looking Englishwoman, and, I think, fixed the doctor’s avowedcreed: as to his genuinefaith, that was of little consequence.
Lieutenant H—— was about six feet two inches high;—strong, and broad in proportion. His strength was great, but of the dead kind, unaccompanied by activity. He could lift a ton, but could not leap a rivulet; he looked mild, and hisaddress was civil—neither assuming nor at all ferocious. I knew him well, and from his countenance should never have suspected him of cruelty; but so cold-blooded and so eccentric an executioner of the human race I believe never yet existed, save among the American Indians.[35]
35.His mode of execution being perfectly novel, and at the same timeingenious, Curran said, “The lieutenant should have got a patent for cheap strangulation.”
35.His mode of execution being perfectly novel, and at the same timeingenious, Curran said, “The lieutenant should have got a patent for cheap strangulation.”
His inducement to the strange barbarity he practised I can scarcely conceive; unless it proceeded from that natural taint of cruelty which so often distinguishes man above all other animals when his power becomes uncontrolled. The propensity was probably strengthened in him from the indemnities of martial law, and by those visions of promotion whereby violent partizans are perpetually urged, and so frequently disappointed.[36]
36.“We love the treason, but hate the traitor,” is an aphorism which those who assume prominent parts in any public convulsion are sure to find verified. Many instances took place in Ireland; and in France exemplifications occurred to a very considerable extent. A blindzealotis of all men most likely to become arenegadeif he feel it more convenient: prejudice and interest unite to formfuriouspartizans, who are never guided byprinciple—for principle is founded on judgment.
36.“We love the treason, but hate the traitor,” is an aphorism which those who assume prominent parts in any public convulsion are sure to find verified. Many instances took place in Ireland; and in France exemplifications occurred to a very considerable extent. A blindzealotis of all men most likely to become arenegadeif he feel it more convenient: prejudice and interest unite to formfuriouspartizans, who are never guided byprinciple—for principle is founded on judgment.
At the period alluded to, law being suspended, and the courts of justice closed, the “question” by torture was revived and largely practised. Thecommercial exchange of Dublin formed a place of execution; evensuspectedrebels were every day immolated as ifconvictedon the clearest evidence; and Lieutenant H——’spastimeof hangingon his own backpersons whose physiognomies he thought characteristic of rebellion was, (I am ashamed to say) the subject of jocularity instead of punishment. What in other times he would himself have died for, as a murderer, was laughed at as the manifestation of loyalty: never yet was martial law so abused, or its enormities so hushed up[37]as in Ireland. Being a military officer, the lieutenant conceived he had a right to do just what he thought proper, and to make the most of his time while martial law was flourishing.
37.The open indemnification of Mr. Judkin Fitzgerald, of Tipperary, for his cruelties in that county, was one of the worst acts of a vicious government. The prime serjeant, Mr. St. George Daly, though then the first law officer, (aUnionone, too, as subsequently appeared,) voted against that most flagitious act of Parliament, which nothing but the raging madness of those times could have carried through any assembly. The dread of its recurrence did much to effect the Union.
37.The open indemnification of Mr. Judkin Fitzgerald, of Tipperary, for his cruelties in that county, was one of the worst acts of a vicious government. The prime serjeant, Mr. St. George Daly, though then the first law officer, (aUnionone, too, as subsequently appeared,) voted against that most flagitious act of Parliament, which nothing but the raging madness of those times could have carried through any assembly. The dread of its recurrence did much to effect the Union.
Once, when high in blood, he happened to meet asuspicious-lookingpeasant from County Kildare, who could not satisfactorily account for himself according to the lieutenant’s notion of evidence; and having nobody at hand to vouch for him, the lieutenant of course immediately took for granted that hemustbe a rebel strolling about,and imagining the death of his Most Gracious Majesty.[38]He therefore, no othercourt of justicebeing at hand, considered that he had a right to try the man by hisown opinion; accordingly, after a brief interrogation, he condemned him to die, and without further ceremony proceeded to put his own sentence into immediate execution.
38.The lieutenant’s brother being a Crown solicitor, had now and then got the lieutenant to copy the high treason indictments: and he, seeing there thatimaginingthe death of akingwas punished capitally, very naturally conceived thatwishingit was twice as bad assupposingit: having therefore no doubt thatallrebels wished it, he consequently decided in the tribunal of his own mind to hang every man who hypothetically and traitorously wished his majesty’s dissolution, which wish he also conceived was very easily ascertained by the wisher’s countenance.A cabinet-maker at Charing Cross some years ago put on his board “patent coffin-maker to his majesty:” it was considered that though this was not anill-intentioned, yet it was a very improper mode ofimaginingthe king’s death, and the board was taken down accordingly. Lieutenant H—— would surely have hanged him in Ireland.
38.The lieutenant’s brother being a Crown solicitor, had now and then got the lieutenant to copy the high treason indictments: and he, seeing there thatimaginingthe death of akingwas punished capitally, very naturally conceived thatwishingit was twice as bad assupposingit: having therefore no doubt thatallrebels wished it, he consequently decided in the tribunal of his own mind to hang every man who hypothetically and traitorously wished his majesty’s dissolution, which wish he also conceived was very easily ascertained by the wisher’s countenance.
A cabinet-maker at Charing Cross some years ago put on his board “patent coffin-maker to his majesty:” it was considered that though this was not anill-intentioned, yet it was a very improper mode ofimaginingthe king’s death, and the board was taken down accordingly. Lieutenant H—— would surely have hanged him in Ireland.
However, to do the lieutenant justice, hismodewas not near so tedious or painful as that practised by the grand signior, who sometimes causes the ceremony to be divided into three acts, giving the culprit a drink of spring water torefreshhim between the two first; nor was it so severe as the burning old women formerly for witchcraft. In fact, the “walking gallows” was both on a new and simple plan; and after some kicking andplunging during the operation, never failed to be completely effectual. The lieutenant being, as before mentioned, of lofty stature, with broad and strong shoulders, saw no reason why they might not answer his majesty’s service upon a pinch as well as two posts and a cross-bar (the more legitimate instrument upon such occasions): and he also considered that, when a rope was not at hand, there was no good reason why his own silk cravat (being softer than an ordinary halter, and of course less calculated tohurta man) should not be a more merciful choke-band than that employed by anyJack Ketchin the three kingdoms.
In pursuance of these benevolent intentions, the lieutenant, as a preliminary step, first knocked down the suspected rebel from County Kildare, which the weight of mettle in his fist rendered no difficult achievement. His garters then did duty as handcuffs: and with the aid of a brawny aide-de-camp (one such always attended him), he pinioned his victim hand and foot, and then most considerately advised him to pray for King George, observing that any prayers for hisownd—dpopish soulwould be only time lost, as his fate in every world (should there be even a thousand) was decided to all eternity for having imagined the death of so good a monarch.
During this exhortation, the lieutenant twisted up his long cravat so as to make a firm, handsomerope, and then expertly sliding it over the rebel’s neck, secured it there by a double knot, drew the cravat over his own shoulders, and the aide-de-camp holding up the rebel’s heels, till he felt himpretty easy, the lieutenant with a powerful chuck drew up the poor devil’s head as high as his own (cheek by jowl), and began to trot about with his burden like a jolting cart-horse,—the rebel choking and gulping meanwhile, until he had no further solicitude about sublunary affairs—when the lieutenant, giving him a parting chuck, just to make sure that his neck was broken, threw down his load—the personal assets about which the aide-de-camp made apresentof tohimself.
Now all this proceeding was very pains-taking and ingenious: and yet the ungrateful government (as Secretary Cook assured me) would have been better pleased had the execution taken place on timber and with hemp, according to old formalities.
To be serious:—this story is scarcely credible—yet it is a notorious fact; and the lieutenant, a few nights afterward, acquired thesobriquetwhich forms a head to this sketch, and with which he was invested by the upper gallery of Crow Street Theatre—nor did he ever get rid of it to his dying-day.
The abovetrottingexecution (which was humorously related to me by an eye-witness) tookplace in the barrack-yard at Kerry House, Stephen’s Green. Thehangeewas, I believe, (as it happened) in reality a rebel.
Providence, however, which is said to do “every thing for the best,” (though some persons who are half starving, and others who think themselves very unfortunate, will not allow it so much credit,) determined that Lieutenant H——’s loyalty and merits should meet their full reward in another sphere—where, being quite out of the reach of all his enemies, he might enjoy his destiny without envy or interruption. It therefore, very soon after the rebellion had terminated, took the lieutenant into its own especial keeping; and despatched a raging fever to bring him off to the other world, which commission the said fever duly executed after twenty-one days’ combustion;—and no doubt his ghost is treated according to its deserts; but nobody having since returned from those regions to inform us what has actually become of the lieutenant, it is still adeadsecret, and I fancy very few persons in Ireland have any wish for the opportunity of satisfying their curiosity. People however give a shrewd guess, that it ispossiblehe may be employed somewhere else in the very same way wherein he entertained himself in Ireland; and that after being duly furnished with a tail, horns, and cloven foot, no spirit could do infernal business better than the lieutenant.