Mid—night Drama

Saturday, August 26, 1920.

John Canavan, the ex—soldier who pleaded guilty to a charge in connection with a maid in the employment of Mr. O'Kelly—Lynch, manager of the Munster And Leinster Bank at Galway, was released by the Irish Volunteers last evening upon signing an undertaking that he would be responsible for maintenance in certain circumstances.

This announcement relates to the amazing story of a girl who was missing for two nights, and turned up at the Sinn Fein hall late in the evening the report to the Volunteer officers that she had been kidnapped by four men in a motor car. Both sides of the story were related at a Republican court—martial held at midnight by the Galway Battalion of the Irish Republican Army. The two principal actors were a maid in the employment of Mr. O'Kelly—Lynch, manager of the Munster and Leinster Bank, who resides at Fort Lorenzo, a mile outside the city, and John Canavan, an ex—solider. The latter was marched by Volunteers through the folding doors that pressed the battalion commandant, and adjutant and a quarter—master of the Republican army.

The District inspector of the Republican police told the story of the girl coming to the Sinn Fein hall, and reporting that she had been kidnapped. Pressed by the Volunteers, she denied this statement and declared that the prisoner had suggested it to her before they parted as her excuse for being away from her master's house for two nights.

Before evidence was called, the prisoner was asked to plead, and ultimately he said he was guilty, and added a long statement to the effect that he met the girl at Toft's hobby horse. "Would you like a swing in the boats?" she asked. He said he had no money. "Don't mind that; I have money,' she replied, and she gave him 1s 6d. Subsequently, they sat together on a wagon, and she asked him if he would like to take her home. When they arrived at the gate at twenty minutes to eleven, she said her mistress had gone to the pictures, and they could wait until they heard the car coming home. Her companion, for whom she was waiting, did not turn up; the motor car had passed in, and as mid—night came the girl was afraid to enter, and pleaded that he should not leave her. He heard nothing further from her until her master came to his house looking for the girl. Next day he met her and asked her why she did not go home. She said she was afraid.

A maid in the employment of Mrs O'Kelly—Lynch said the girl who was assaulted told her that she and prisoner went up to the mountains, and she did not know where she was, and had to find her own way back to town after he left her. When she found the prisoner again he asked her to say she was kidnapped.

The president of the court asked the prisoner if the girl was a consenting party, "She was, sir," replied Canavan emphatically.

The president thereupon announced that sentence would be promulgated in due course, and ordered the Volunteers to provide an escort home for the young lady who had given evidence. Prisoner was removed blindfolded and strongly guarded.