in the House of Commons.

In connection with Breslin's narrow escape, the sequel, as regards our
friend Hogan, is worth relating. Those who ever met William Hogan will
agree with me that a more warm-hearted and enthusiastic Irishman never
lived. He was a good-looking man, of imposing presence--a director of an
Insurance Company, for which he was also the resident manager in
Birmingham. Living in that town, he was of great assistance to the
various agents entrusted with the task of procuring arms for the
revolutionary movement. It speaks much for his sagacity that a man of
his impulsive and generous temperament should so long have escaped
arrest in connection with such hazardous undertakings. Hogan, however,
like Shemus O'Brien, "was taken at last."

Some of the revolvers brought from Birmingham by Daniel Darragh, which
had been used at the Hyde Road action, had been picked up from the
ground afterwards by the police. It was for supplying these that Hogan
was put upon his trial. The maker of the revolvers was brought from
Birmingham, and put in the witness box. He swore that a revolver
produced was one of his own make, which he had sold to the prisoner.
Thus, fortunately for Hogan, the whole case against him turned on this
point--not a very strong one, as it was obviously possible for the Crown
witness to be mistaken.

Hogan's counsel produced a similar revolver, and asked the witness if he
could identify it as his manufacture? The witness unhesitatingly did so.
The counsel, when his turn came, called another witness--a
decent-looking man of the artizan class. The barrister handed him the
revolver.