in the streets—officers took "souvenirs." While the volunteers were holding their stronghold their wives and families were thus tortured.
My Sister's Arrest
On Friday, to allay my growing anxiety, my two sisters, Mrs. Kettle and Mrs. Culhane, went to the Portobello Barracks to inquire. They were at once put under arrest and a drumhead court-martial was had upon them. They afterwards identified the officer who presided as Colthurst. Lieut. Beattie and other officers were also present. The crime they were accused of was that they were "seen talking to Sinn Feiners" (to me, probably).
They were refused all information by Capt. Colthurst, who said he knew nothing whatever of Sheehy Skeffington, and told them, "the sooner they left the Barracks the better for them." They were marched off under armed guard, and forbidden to speak till they left the premises.
It being then clear that we had information, the next step was to try and find my husband guilty on post facto evidence. That afternoon I managed to see Coade, the father of the murdered boy. I got his name from a doctor—and he told me that he had seen my husband's dead body with several others in that mortuary when he went for his son. This a priest afterwards confirmed, but he could give me no other information.
I went home shortly after six and before seven was putting my little boy to bed, when the maid noticed soldiers lining up around the house. She got terrified and dashed out with Owen by the back door. I went to call her back, for I knew that the house would be guarded back and front, and feared the boy, especially, might be shot if seen running. When I got to the foot of the stairs a volley was fired in front of the house at the windows, followed almost directly by a crash of glass which the soldiers shattered with the butt-ends of their rifles.
They broke in simultaneously all over the house—some went on the roof—and Capt. Colthurst rushed upon us—the maid, Owen and myself—with a squad with fixed bayonets, shouting "Hands up!" to the boy and me. The boy gave a cry at the sight of the naked steel, and I put my arm around him and said, "These are the defenders of women and children." That steadied them a little. The party consisted of about forty men and was in charge of Col. Allett
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