SAVAGE ATTACK NEAR LURGAN

Yesterday (says the Belfast Weekly, September 29) an attack of a most savage nature was commited upon a young man named Felix O'Neill by a number of Orangemen, who were proceeding to assist at the opening ceremony of an Orange Hall in Derryadd. It appears that Mr. O'Neill, who is in the employ of Messrs. Fibbin Brothers, bakers, of this town, was coming from the Montiaghs with a load of turf, and when about two miles out of the town, met the procession of Orangemen on its way to Derryadd. As the procession came up, O'Neill went to the side of the road to let them pass, and as he was standing with the horse by the head one of the processionists came up and struck him a blow on the right eye. O'Neill retaliated, and about 12 of the Orangemen set upon him, knocked him down, kicked him, and beat him severely with sticks. The unfortunate man, seeing no friends near him, managed to get away from his assailants, and took refuge in the house of a man named M'Ilduff, but the infuriated mob ran after him, threw stones, and tried to knock in the door.

O'Neill waited until the road, was cear, and then proceeded as best he could into town and informed the police of the occurrence, who immediately proceeded to the scene, but up to the present have been unable to find any clue as to who were the cowardly assailants. It is feared that the police will be powerless, as O'Neill states that he did not know any of the crowd. It is a remarkable fact that although 200 extra police were drafted into the town on Friday to keep the peace, not a single policeman could be seen near the scene of the attack.

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