the arch that spans Hyde Road at Belle Vue, a point midway between the city police office and the Salford Jail, etc.”  Following this, one of our ablest writers, apparently quoting from the previous descriptions, falls into the same error.  I can readily understand how these errors have arisen—­the writers concerned have confounded the place of the execution of the Manchester Martyrs, Salford Jail, with the prison, Belle Vue, to which the prisoners were being taken on being remanded.

The point chosen by Condon as the most suitable for the attack was certainly where the railway bridge crosses Hyde Road, but if the van had been going to Salford Jail it would have been in a totally different direction.

Since writing the above, I find it still more necessary I should correct the mis-statement as to the scene of the rescue, for the error seems to be getting perpetuated.  I find in one of the leading Irish-American newspapers, in a description of the death of Colonel Kelly on February 5, 1909, the scene of the rescue is given as “midway between the police office and Salford Jail.”  This is evidently taken from the erroneous statement in the books I have referred to.

After this slight digression, may I resume my narrative.

At the police court a man appointed for the purpose took a cab in advance of the van.  When sufficiently close to them he waved a white handkerchief as a signal to the men in ambush.  Just as the van passed under the railway arch two men with revolvers barred the way.

“Stop the van!” one cried.  But the driver took no heed.  A bullet fired over his head and another into one of the horses effectually stopped the van.  At the sound of the shots the rest of the rescuers came from their ambush behind the walls that lined the road, and from the shadow of the abutments of the railway arch.

The police fled panic-stricken at the first volley fired over their heads by the Fenians, for these wanted to release their chiefs without bloodshed if possible.  One portion of the assailants, carrying out a pre-arranged plan, formed an extended circle around the van, and kept the police and mob who had rallied to their assistance at bay, while a second party set themselves to effecting an entrance to the van.  This was more difficult than had been expected, for had Brett ridden on the step behind as usual the keys could readily have been taken from him.  The rescuing party were, however, equal to the occasion, and the military precision with which the work was carried out displayed the discipline of the men and the able direction of the leaders.