An incident which illustrates only too well the present condition
of Ireland was reported in the Irish daily papers as having occurred on October 16th. Mr. Frederick Pierce, the caretaker of an evicted farm near Crusheen, was shot at about six o'clock in the evening on the public road. Two shots hit him. He lay for a considerable time where he fell, though various people passed and refused to give him help. After about two hours he somewhat recovered his strength, and struggled bleeding to a house near. The owners, however, refused to admit him, or to let him warm himself by their fire. Ultimately he got admittance from a small farmer named Tobin, who kept him for a couple of hours till the police came and conveyed him to a hospital. One would have thought that such succour to the wounded would have been respected, especially by those who are so fond of describing the Irish outbreaks of pillage and outrage as " war." Yet it is stated that on November 8th an imitation grave about four feet long and one inch deep was traced in the ground at the well from which Tobin and his family draw water. Tobin has hitherto been a popular man. His only offence was sheltering the wounded. It may be remembered that threatening letters in Ireland are commonly headed by a rough drawing of a coffin or a grave.
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