Good-By Donnellys
[...] A. S. Garrett, Lucan, writes: [...] Your column also contained reference to the Harlequin pocket book entitled The Black Donnellys, by Thomas P. Kelly. This book contains errors and does not give a true picture of the case. It has aroused a lot of resentment in this part of the country as a great many people here are pro-Donnelly in sympathy. Mr. Kelly represents the Donnellys as a mad-dog family that preyed on the township and were wiped out by those opposed to them, to the satisfaction of all concerned. This is not the true version of the case, as I have always understood it.
[...] The Donnellys are accused of having cut the tongues out of horses, etc., but this has been indignantly denied by some of the old people in these parts. At any rate, many of us here believe that the Donnellys were blamed for many misdeeds that they did not accomplish and suffered incredibly for the same, while others equally guilty, and worse, went scot-free. [...] The Donnelly funerals were among the most largely attended ever seen in these parts. [...] All the Donnelly descendents that I know are good and honorable citizens. [...]