July 7, 2011

1911

Broken windowsMartin Burke, of Renmore, summoned his brother-in-law Thady Walsh, for breaking the windows in his house. Mr. Daly appeared for the complainant. Burke stated that Walsh came to his house at 11.45pm and broke two windows with the stone (produced). He valued the windows at about 7s 6d. Defendant was shouting when going away.

Walsh: I did not put any stone at all into them; I put my fist through them (laughter).

Mrs Burke deposed that she saw her brother throw the stone. She added he had been in jail a few times. Whenever he is out of employment, he goes to her and she washes for him.

Walsh: I did not throw any stone. He stole my bed and stole my mother, and stole my sister (laughter).

Mr Daly: I would not blame him for stealing your sister (loud laughter).Walsh: He stole my mother’s money and drove her out of the house and kicked her. He threw her out, but when she got the pension, he brought her back again (laughter). I sent them all to America – nine of them.

Chairman (to Mrs Burke): Are you the sister who was stolen?Mrs Burke: I never saw my husband until the day I got married (laughter).

Mr Daly: This chap, I believe, has plenty of money, and is living on his savings.

Walsh: I put my fist through the windows and he fired a bl– mug at me (laughter). It was not a window at all, but a sort of “glory hole” and I spent three days putting them in (laughter).

Mrs Burke, in reply to the chairman, said she valued the windows at 3s 6d. Walsh: If you said 1s 6d would be more like it. It was myself put them in.

He was fined 1s and ordered the pay 3s 6d compensation and 5s costs.

1936

Chicago Police ChiefEx-Chief Commissioner Michael Hughes of the Chicago Police Force, a native of Ballygar, County Galway, is at present on a holiday in his native district.

In an interview with the “Connacht Tribune” representative, Mr. Hughes said that he had left his parents’ home for America in the year 1888. He was little more than a boy at the time; and had his first shave on the American-bound steamer from a red-haired barber.

He entered the Chicago Police Force shortly after his arrival, and served in that department for forty-one years. He became chief of the Detective Branch in 1923, and was appointed Chief Commissioner of Police in 1927 – a position which he held up until the time of his resignation.

Speaking of conditions in Chicago, Mr. Hughes said that the city had been libeled by unfriendly propagandists. It was nothing better and nothing worse than any other city of its size in the world.

Mr. Hughes said that he had travelled several counties since his arrival in Ireland and all towns and villages seen by him had improved with the exceptions of Creggs, Fuerty and Athleague. These places were in the same condition as when he first left Ireland forty-seven years ago. He was now going to Galway, which was his favourite place outside his native Ballygar.

Connemara ‘rattletraps’At the conclusion of a meeting of Galway County Council, Mr. Joyce asked the Council to take up with the ‘bus company the question of putting better ‘buses on the Connemara service. Orangemen, he said, could come down to Connemara in luxury ‘buses, but the people themselves had to be satisfied with “any old type of rattletrap”. The chairman said they could make representations to the company.

Tribune praiseDuring the sessions of the Catholic Truth Congress in Tuam, where nearly 100,000 people gathered from Saturday, June 27 to Monday, June 29, the Connacht Tribune Printing and Publishing Co. issued newspapers daily. In a letter to Mr. T.J.W. Kenny, managing director, the Standing Committee praised the very valuable help of the papers during the months before Congress.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.