about the Fenian attack upon the police van which is very impressive.
The blow was sudden and swift, and effected its object. In the presence
of a small but compact body of Fenians, provided with repeating
firearms, the police were powerless, and the release of Kelly and Deasy
was quickly effected."

An unfortunate accident was the killing of Brett, the policeman, by a
shot fired with the intention of breaking the lock of the van. A female
prisoner then handed out the keys on the demand of the Fenians outside,
and the door was quickly opened, and the two leaders brought out, their
safe retreat being guarded by their rescuers.

As Captain Condon had anticipated and provided for, some of the warders
from Belle Vue quickly came upon the scene, as it was but a short
distance across what were then brickfields from the prison to the scene
of action. But, when they saw the determined men who were guarding the
leaders' retreat, they, too, like the police, kept at a safe distance
from the Fenian revolvers, and devoted themselves to picking up any
stragglers who had got separated from the main body of Irishmen.

In this way a number of arrests were made, and, later on, Condon himself
was taken, but the main object had been accomplished, and Kelly and
Deasy got safely away, and, ultimately, as we shall see, out of the
country.

Following the rescue, there was a perfect reign of terror, the police
authorities striking out wildly in all directions to gather into their
net enough Irish victims to satisfy their baffled vengeance. There were
numerous arrests and no lack of witnesses to swear anything to secure
convictions. Every detail of the attack on the van while on the way from