3-070-803 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Irish Land League Agitation: Mr. Walter Burke serving writs on his tenants, 1881. 'Our Special Artist in the disturbed parts of the West of Ireland contributes a rather startling Illustration of the manner in which a landlord has found it needful literally to take up arms for the safety of his life, while personally engaged in serving writs of ejectment on the defaulting tenants of his estate. Mr. Walter Burke...is owner of property in the neighbourhood of Claremorris, County Mayo. He had occasion to obtain writs of ejectment against his tenants at Curragh Leigh, but could not find any process- server who would run the risk of going round to deliver them. So Mr. Burke resolved to perform this legal business for himself. Accompanied by a trusty servant, both of them well mounted and furnished with loaded revolvers, Mr. Burke galloped rapidly across country, from one farmhouse straight to another, taking the occupants in each case entirely by surprise. He alighted at each door, took out his weapon, and, with the writ in his other hand, walked unceremoniously in, and showed it to the person there, with whom he left it, and then got into the saddle, and rode away as quickly as he had come'. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.