ountrymen to the Liverpool Town Council, where
he sat as a Home Ruler.

I met several times, during 1866 and later, one of the most remarkable
men connected with the organisation. He was known as "Beecher," and was
a man of singular astuteness, as he required to be, particularly at the
time when, unknown to his colleagues, Corydon was giving information to
the police. If at any time Beecher had fallen into their hands, they
might have made a splendid haul, which would have paralysed the movement
on this side of the Atlantic, for he was the "Paymaster." Captain
Michael O'Rorke--otherwise "Beecher"--was a well-balanced combination of
sagacity, cautiousness and daring, as you could not fail to see, if
brought into contact with him a few times. Stephens had the most
abounding confidence in him, and it was well deserved. A native of
Roscommon, he emigrated to America when a boy of thirteen. When the
Civil War broke out he joined the Federal Army, and served with much
distinction. He was a member of the Fenian Brotherhood, and was greatly
pleased to be called upon for active service in Ireland, and, sailing
from New York, he reached Dublin on the 27th of July, 1865, when he
reported himself to the C.O.I.R. He was entrusted with the payment of
the American officers then in Ireland and Great Britain, which duty, I
need scarcely say, involved his keeping in constant touch with them. In
this way I, from time to time, came in contact with him in Liverpool,
and was much impressed with the perfect way in which he carried out his
arduous duties. Before Stephens left for America, in March, 1866, he
directed Captain O'Rorke to send all the officers not arrested, and then
in Ireland, over to England. This was a proper measure of prudence, as
the Irish Americans would be less objects of suspicion, and less liable
to arrest here than in Ireland. He had fifty officers, and sometimes
more, to provide for as Paymaster, or, as the informers and detectives
had it, the "Fenian Paymaster." He had to visit in this way at various
times all parts of the British organisation, sometimes paying his men
personally, and at other times by letter, forwarded through trusted
Irishmen in various places who had not laid themselves open to
suspicion. But he had to run his head into the lion's mouth
occasionally, too, for it was part of his duty to visit Dublin at least
once a month. As a matter of precaution, there were but few who knew of
any address where he