Sunday 20 January 2013

Alice Brady - Dublin 1913/1914

A while back I was under the impression that a 15year girl called Alice Brady had been killed during the Bachelors Walk incident.

I'm grateful to Brendan Lee who runs the irishmedals.org website for putting me on the right track re her death as a result of the Dublin Lockout.

I've not got any books on the Dublin Lockout so have been using Google to glean what information I can re the death of Alice Brady.



Saturday, January 3, 1914
FATAL RESULT OF A REVOLVER SHOT.
In the Southern Police Court, before Mr. Drury yesterday, Patrick Traynor, described as a free labourer, living in West Essex street, was charged with the wilful murder of Alice Brady, 16 years, by shooting her in the left hand with a revolver at Mark Street on the afternoon of the 18th December. It appeared that the prisoner was delivering coal on the occasion when a riotous scene occurred and the accused was alleged to have discharged a revolver, a bullet from which struck the girl.

Mr. Robertson, solicitor, prosecuted; and Mr. Edward Burne [Messrs. Gerald Byrne and Co.) appeared for the defence.

Inspector Barrett deposed that the girl Alice Brady died on Thursday in Sir Patrick Dun's hospital. Witness made the charge of murder against the prisoner, and the latter said--"I did not fire the shot at the girl at all; I did not see the girl; it was the cause of the belt I got in the arm that the shot went off."

Dr. Charles O'Reilly, house surgeon at Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital, stated that the girl was admitted to hospital on the 18th December. She had a wound on the left hand which was treated, and was allowed to go home, but attended afterwards as an extern patient. On the 19th the bullet was extracted by Dr. Benson. On the 28th she was admitted as an indoor patient, and on Thursday she died from lock-jaw caused by the wound.

Replying to Mr. Burne, witness admitted that lock-jaw might come from a mere scratch.

The prisoner was remanded till two o'clock on Monday. Traynor was then put forward, together with his brother, Michael Traynor, in connection with the charge of larceny of a bag of coal.

Mr. Robertson said, in view of the more serious charge being made against Patrick Traynor, and the fact that Michael Traynor would be an important witness, he would apply to have both men discharged so far as the larceny charge was concerned. This course was adopted.

Mr. Burne then addressing his worship, said that Messrs. Robinson, who were the employers of this man, did not sanction the carrying of firearms at all, but in defending the accused he (Mr. Byrne) hoped to be able to justify it to a certain extent.




CORONER'S INQUEST. VERDICT OF THE JURY.
Yesterday afternoon the City Coroner (Dr. L. A. Byrne) held an inquest touching the death of Alice Brady, aged 16, a factory worker, who resided with her mother in Luke street, with the causing of whose death Patrick Traynor was yesterday charged in the Police Court. The girl was injured on December 18th in the left hand by a bullet fired under circumstances detailed below, and she died on Thursday in Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital from the effects of lockjaw.

Mr. Edward Byrne (Messrs. Gerald Byrne and Co.) appeared for Messrs. W. N. Robinson and Co., the employers of Traynor.

Mr. Smyth (Messrs. W. Smyth and Son) appeared for the next -of-kin of the deceased.

Police Constable John Allen, who was on duty with an array of eight coal carts which were delivering coal at St. Mark's Church, said that when the horses were stopped the first horse was struck by one of the crowd of 100.

That horse ran away, and witness caught it and brought it back. A second horse was also sent on the run, and witness caught that one also. There was at first a hostile crowd of about 100 men, which afterwards increased to 300. He heard two shots fired, and he afterwards found that Alice Brady had been hit by a bullet on the left hand. In reply to Mr. Byrne, the witness said the crowd was very hostile, and, having two horses in charge, his position was very difficult. The carters, the horses, and he were shut in b a hostile crowd at both ends. The demeanour of the crowd was such that he considered the lives of the carters and his own in danger. Some of the coal had been scattered about the roadway. That district of the city had been so disturbed for several months past that special police precautions were applied.

To Inspector Barrett the witness said that the attitude of the crowd was so threatening that the police protecting another convoy of coal who saw the thing in passing stopped and came to his assistance.

Kate Nolan, a young girl, said she took the injured girl into her house, 6 Mark street, and dressed the wound on her hand. When she went to her door to see what was going on there were only a few women and children in the street. There were no men there.

In answer to Mr. Byrne, she said the district had been very peaceful during the past four months. She did not see Constable Allen there at all.

Dr. O'Reilly gave evidence as to the cause of death. He thought it probable that it ws a ricochet shot that hit the girl. He was of opinion that the wound might have been infected with the germ of tetanus before she reached the hospital. The bullet was flattened, showing that it had come in contact with the ground or something hard.

Alexander Kennedy, Gordon street, Ringsend, having been sworn, said he had to protest against the suppression of his evidence in the police court that day fortnight.

The Coroner said he had nothing to do with the police court.

The witness, in his evidence, stated that about half-past two o'clock on the 18th December he saw Traynor in the middle of the street; and firing two shots--one in the direction of where the women were standing, and the other in the direction of Townsend street. He asked a man who appeared to be in charge if he knew Traynor had a revolver, and the man replied that Traynor was justified in using it. Witness said to Traynor, "You fool, why did you fire?" and Traynor replied, "I did it in accordance with instructions."

Mr. Smyth--You heard the constable swear that there was a crowd of 100 persons there, and that when the shots were fired that crowd increased to 300? Yes; and it is not true. It is a deliberate concoction. It is ridiculous to suggest that the hostility of the crowd was such as to make it necessary for the coalman or the policeman to draw a revolver to defend themselves.

In answer to Mr. Byrne, the witness said he was a fire brigade man, employed by the Corporation at the
Pigeonhouse. There was no stone-throwing; but he saw one woman throw a piece of coal "in a roundabout way." He saw some coal on the road, but he did not know how it came there.

A man named Ennis, residing in Queen's square, gave similar evidence.

In answer to Mr. Byrne, he said that the women and children got excited when the shots were fired, and they then showed hostility. Police Constable Sherry, who arrested Traynor, said that the man said that he was attacked, and that he fired two shots. There was a large crowd of men, women, and children at both ends of Mark street. He saw missiles thrown at the coalmen.

In reply to Mr. Byrne, the witness said that when Traynor heard that the girl had been shot he expressed sorrow and surprise.

Inspector Barrett, D.M.P., said that the neighbourhood of Mark street was one of the storm centres during the strike. On this day in December some merchandise was scattered in Townsend street, and it was set on fire.

At the conclusion of the evidence Mr. Byrne said that his clients, the Messrs. Robinson, did not know that any of their employs were armed.

The jury found that Alice Brady died from lockjaw, following a wound caused by a shot fired by Traynor. They expressed the opinion that the shot was fired to frighten a hostile crowd, with no intent to do bodily harm. They also expressed sympathy with the relatives of the deceased.



Saturday, January 5, 1914
FUNERAL OF MISS ALICE BRADY.

There was a large attendance of men and women on strike and locked out yesterday at the funeral of Miss Alice Brady, the young girl who died on 1st inst. in Jervis street Hospital, as the result of a bullet wound sustained in the hand at Mark street on 18th December last on the occasion of a street riot. The procession formed outside 21a Luke Street, where Miss Brady had lived, and proceeded via Great Brunswick Street, City quay, and Beresford Place to Glasnevin Cemetery. The attendance included some 500 members of the Irishwomen Workers' Union, and the procession was headed by two bands. Immediately after the hearse, the parents of the deceased girl walked, and others prominent in the cortege were Mr. James Larkin, Mr. James Connolly, Mr. Partridge, T.C.; Miss Delia Larkin, and the Countess Markievicz.

After the interment, Mr. James Larkin delivered a short address. He said it had pleased the all-wise Providence that their sister should be sacrificed on the altar of sweating misery and degradation. Though, she was only a young girl she had shown great strength of character, and if she had been spared, she would, he believed, have been a great woman. He expressed respectful sympathy with the parents of the deceased girl and the women workers on the loss they had sustained. The strike was now in progress over 17 weeks, and nothing could surpass the loyalty of the women workers. They would go from that grave more determined than ever to carry out their work on the lines already laid down until Ireland was free from slavery and serfdom.

Mr. James Connolly said that every "scab" and every employer of "scab" labour in Dublin was morally responsible for the death of the young girl they had just buried.


The Dublin Lockout finished on 18th January 1914. It had led to the formation of a fledgling Irish Citizen Army.


No comments:

Post a Comment