Background
Carroll was born in Ireland, the second son of Bernard Carroll of Dublin.
Carroll was born in Ireland, the second son of Bernard Carroll of Dublin.
He emigrated to Australia, perhaps around 1870, and had a chequered career in Victoria and New South Wales. Around 1875, as "Frank O"Reilly" he was a popular society figure in Tasmania, and left that colony owing money to investors in Hiscock & Company"s "Map of Tasmania", in which he had a stake, and which was never published. In 1876 he was a candidate for the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Sturt.
He took over as proprietor and editor of The Lantern, a satirical weekly.
He published an atlas of South Australia late in this same year (see below). He was elected to one of three seats for the district of Light in the House of Assembly in April 1878, despite public accusations that he had spent time in Pentridge prison, which he strenuously denied.
After the Register revealed that Carroll had been sentenced to two years" in Darlinghurst Gaol for uttering a valueless cheque, citing the Sydney Morning Herald of August 22, 1871, Carroll was forced to resign his seat in May 1878. He was tried by Judge Boucaut and jury for malicious libel in The Lantern of 23 August 1879 against James Hurst and the Mutual Trade Protection Association.
Duncan Moodie, editor of The Portonian, another Adelaide satirical paper, described Carroll as having "a hide like a rhinoceros" and producing "an effete and harmless paper".
Roche died at the end of 1881 and publication lapsed for six months before reappearing in its old format. In July 1882 Carroll was charged with republishing an article from Pasquin without permission. Carroll sold the paper to Charles F. Stansbury, who with Charles A. Murphy in 1884 took over and absorbed Adelaide Punch.
In 1890 The Lantern was taken over by Quiz.
He died in Melbourne.
Carroll defended himself without distinction, was found guilty and sentenced to six months" jail and a fine of £500.