Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1882 — An Irish Highwayman. [ARTICLE]

An Irish Highwayman.

Brennan, the famous Irish highwayman, was a little Bonaparte in his way. He ence robbed three officers in a post chaise, and left them, telling them he would report them to the Duke of York as unworthy to serve the King for allowing themselves to be robbed bv a single man. He wore a leathern girdle round his middle stuck with pistols. There was an attempt made by two police officers in the town of Tipperary to arrest him early in the morning in bed; but he jumped through the window and his wife threw a pair of pistols out to him. They pursued him to a by field, where they came up to him in his shirt; but he kept one of them at bay with one pistol, while with the other he stood over the second policeman till he made him strip off his clothes, which he put os himself, thus making him return to town as he (Brennan) had left it, namely—in his shirt.

It is to Brennan belongs the theory incorrectly credited to Cartouche. Brennan, in company with two other “gentlemen,” robbed a mail coach and cook a good quantity of booty —making the passengers lie down in tne muddy road and rifling them at leisure. “This money will be but very little among three,” whispered Brennan to his neighbor, as the three conquerors were making merry over their gains; “if yon were to pull the trigger of your pistol in the neighborhood of your comrade’s ear, perhaps it might go off, and then there would be but two of us to share.” Strangely enough, as Brennan said, the pistol aid go off and No. 3 perished. “Give him another ball,” said Brennan, and another was fired into him. Bnt no sooner had his comrade discharged both his pistols than Brennan himself, seized with a furious indignation, drew his. “Learn, monster,” cried he, “not to be so greedy of gold; and per'sh, the victim of thy disloyalty and avarice I ” And he sent him to join his victim and rifled both the com e i at his leisure.