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[ XI ] Work of Raising Funds for the Rescued Men and theWinding Upof the Expedition—TheSlander-MongeratWork— FinancialStatementof theEnterprise The money to provide for the rescued men had to be raised outside of the regular funds of the Clan-na-Gael, which could not be touched for such a purpose. The method used was to get up receptions for them in the various cities, either in the form of public meetings in halls or of picnics, charging an admission fee. The men were divided up into squads and sent to attend these gatherings. In all cases their presence attracted a large crowd and the demonstrations realized a considerable sum of money. The total amount was about $15,000 but the traveling expenses of the men were deducted from this and the balance divided among them. When it came to the final distribution of the money the rescued men (or most of them) protested against any portion of it being given to their rescuers. None of these had asked any of it, but the committee in control of the fund had discussed the question of dividing it equally between the rescuers and the rescued, as that was the original intention when the appeal was issued. But both in the circular making the appeal and in the Irish World, which acknowledged the subscriptions and proceeds of demonstrations , the headline,“Rescued Prisoners’ Fund,” was used, more for newspaper reasons regarding the length of the line than for any other reason. This, the prisoners used as their pretext for protesting against giving anything to the men who had risked life and liberty to give them their freedom.223 223. In a letter dated November 29, 1876, Dr. Carroll expressed frustration with the rescued prisoners: “I wish you [Devoy] were well rid of them all, and they given to understand that having been given their liberty, a handsome sum to begin life with anew, and the best wishes of their countrymen, their future will depend entirely upon themselves.” O’Brien and Ryan, 1, 217–18. 130 But the scandal to avert which this action was taken was not averted. There were some men determined to throw dirt and they used the opportunity supplied by one of the rescued men making a fool of himself while drunk and getting arrested to secure publication for a lie made out of whole cloth that his arrest followed a shooting scrape in which Breslin and I figured as the chief villains. A meeting, the published story said, had been held to distribute the money, I refused to give a proper account of it, Breslin demanded a share of it, and the result was a row in which pistols were drawn and the arrest followed. The persons who gave this ruffianly lie to the papers knew that no such meeting had been held and that none of the incidents described had occurred, but the publication gratified their sense of injured self-importance.224 The Final Settlement Things dragged on for months until I was finally empowered to go to New Bedford and effect a final settlement. In order to keep my appointment and prevent a further hitch I was obliged to be away on that day that John O’Mahony’s body was put aboard the steamer for transmission to Ireland 224. Martin Hogan was the ex-prisoner and the article appeared in the [New York] World: “Mr. M. J. Hogan’s Story of His Vain Attempts to Get Any. Martin J. Hogan, who had been bound in $300 for an alleged assault on John J. Breslin, was yesterday discharged by Justice Duffy at the Tombs Police Court, on his own recognizance. The story of Mr. Hogan is as follows: He and five others were the band of English convicts rescued from confinement in Australia by the Catalpa. A subscription for the benefit of these gentlemen was started by the Irish World newspaper. Messrs. O’Donovan Rossa and John Davoy [sic] being made the custodians of the funds subscribed. This fund amounts to over $15,000 cash, and has been in the possession of the custodians some time. Mr. Hogan has frequently urged Messrs. O’Donovan and Davoy to distribute it, but without avail, till finally a settlement was promised for Christmas night last. It was agreed that the party meet at O’Donovan Rossa’s hotel in Chatham square, and that the distribution take place then and there. The gentlemen were there as agreed, and also...

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