A Poem composed by Blyth's dray man poet, Richard Sellars in 1880.
1.
Of all the crimes that sin has done
To fill our world with pain,
That fearful murder in Biddulph
It horrors can't explain.
2. There was a family lived down there,
Who were the township's dread,
Now through the hands of cruelty,
Are numbered with the dead
3. It seems as though the people round
Of Donnelly were afraid,
And so to rid them of the earth,
This fearful murder made.
4. It happened at the midnight hour,
When Donnellys were asleep,
A mob of persons came around
Their house in blood to steep.
5. They clothed themselves all in disguise,
And with their nigger's face,
They called the Donnelly's out of bed,
To murder in that place.
6. And when they'roused them out of bed,
And one of them was shot,
Then all the reset they beat to death,
With spades and clubs they'd got.
7. When they had done this awful crime
Of horror, sin, and shame,
They went to work and burnt the house
To free themselves from blame.
8. They thought they worked a cunning scheme
Their evils to conceal,
But providence wrote our a plan
Their folly to reveal.
9. The Connors boy stopped there all night,
And with them did retire,
And there with sadness did behold
The murder and the fie.
10. The Connors boy to Whalens's went
Who lived across the road,
And there with fright and fear he ran
Their secrets to explode.
11. He was the only ray of light
On this dark scene to shine,
Because his presence filled that place
This mystery could define.
12. No doubt this gang to William's went,
And at this door did knock;
It caused their hearts to fear and quake,
At such a sudden shock.
13. For when the door was opened wide,
They then began their plot,
And when the hear John's dying cry:
"O, Will! O, Will! I'm shot!"
14. And when the cry of death was heard,
The wave of grief did roll,
When that to God poor John did pray,
"Have mercy on my soul!"
15. They waited there all robed in grief,
Until the break of day,
Then went to tell it to the rest,
Who then in ashes lay.
16 O, who can tell their feelings then,
When to their father's came,
And there with grief and sorrow saw
Them melting in the flame.
17. The Vigilance Committee there
Together often met,
So they might plan the way and time
That dreadful night to set.
18. The Vigilants they formed their plan,
Then sent their letters round,
For to foretell the people there
To keep off Donnelly's ground.
19. Or else themselves would have to share
Of what they had to give,
For by the way the Donnellys worked
They had not long to live.
20. The evidence that Whalan gave,
When Hossack did enquire,
Young Connors was the first to come
And tell about the fire.
21. The Lucanite who lived down there
To the reporter said,
"'Twould be a blessing to that place
If Donnellys all were dead!"
22. Because their ways they could not stand,
Of cruelty and spite,
Their horse, cattle, and their barns,
Were injured after night.
23. Reporter asked if others round
Were not as bad as they,
To plan and scheme and work at night,
To take their things away.
24. "No, No, siree," said Lucanite,
"No tongue their crimes can tell,
And those who did that awful deed
The township knows them well."
25. The people felt as though t'was right
For Donnellys to be killed.
For all that place for miles around
With Donnellys crimes were filled.
26. The Lucanite still did reveal
The nature of their way,
The only difference it was their shape
Between a dog and they.
27. When Mrs. Donnelly's fame was told,
For evil was inclined,
Though many acts of kindness done,
She has a wicked mind.
28. For if her sons a foe forgave
And no revenge did tell.
She often prayed that they all might
Forever burn in hell.
29. None of these murderers will be found,
For if their names appear,
Thousands in money is waiting ther
The murderers for to clear.
30. The punishment that Donnellys got
It always was too light
And so the law is most to blame
For the murders of that night.
31. And when the fire was all cooled down,
Those who in ashes lay,
Their cinder all were gathered up
To form their burying day.
32. And when their kindred gathered round,
Four in one coffin lie,
And when they came to view them there,
For grief they could not cry.
33. When Father Connelly's tale was told,
Those Donnellys did annoy,
When certain ones who wished to thresh,
Machines dare not employ.
34. For Donnelly's boys much mischief did,
When Ryan threshed his grain,
Iron and stoner in sheaves were found
To stop their work again.
35. And shortly after this was done
They took another turn,
They thought the'd pay him off at last,
So down his barn did burn.
36. The reason why this deed was done -
'Cause Donnellys got the blame
Of stealing money from Ryan,
So paid it back in flames.
37. The priest himself just summons feared,
His mind was so depressed
For fear that Donnelly, just through spite,
Would bring him to arrest.
38. Detective Phair, with all his gang,
Went to the mournful spot,
To try and find out who 'twas done
The murder and the shot.
39. At last suspicion did alight
On Carrol, their bitter foe,
And when that man they did arrest,
To London had to go.
40. And J. J. Maher, father and son,
Where Carroll did reside;
And they were put in jail to stay
Till all they had were tried.
41. John Kennedy they still pursued,
Him at McLaughlin's got;
A rifle in McLaughlin's found
Which looked as though just shot.
42. Then Patrick Ryder and his sons
They arrested for a while,
And had them placed within the jail
To await the day of trial.
43. The daughter, who lived miles away,
The only one was she;
Her heart was overwhelmed with grief
That dreadful sight to see.
44. Chief Williams letters did receive
His business for to mind,
Or else he would have to share
Of what they had combined.
45. This scene, which did our country shake
And floods of sorrow send,
And many of the Donnellys foes
Converted to a fiend.
46. A neighbor went the night before
The father to advice -
'Twas best for him to when that
So many disputes arise.
47. But this was doubtless in their scheme
The Donnellys for to tell,
For when he said he thought it would
That night in murder fell.
48. These persons now whose names appear
Are waiting to be tried,
Until that the April Assize
Their cases do decide.
49. And when the matter was decided,
Some told it with their tears,
And those who shed their tears of grief
A guilty conscience bear.
50. I now must take my leave of you,
'Tis all I have to tell;
And those who chance to read this poem
I bid you all farewell.
Courtesy of Elaine Scrimgeour Hough August 2010
