Newspaper: Abstracts with mention of Limerick, The Times
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ABSTRACTS WITH MENTION OF LIMERICK, THE TIMES, August 28, 1800
The Times; London, Middlesex, England;
LIMERICK, Aug 15
Last Tuesday night, Edward Riordan, a very bonefit,
industrious farmer, who lived near Cullen, has his throat
cut, and his brains beat out, by a party of those nefarious
miscreants who have long infested that part of the country.
On the same night and in the same neighbourhood, Edmond
English was ham-strung with scythes; Michael Ryan was so cut
on the head that his life is despaired of, and four others,
the same night were so maimed by cutting their back sinews,
as to disqualify them from any sort of labour. From the
suspension of the late sentences of Courts-martial, it is
apprehended that these abominable wretches entertain an idea
that they will escape that condign punishment so loudly
called for by their barbarous and unexampled cruelties.
On Thursday night last a banditti supposed to amount to
about 60, mounted on horseback, went to the house of Thomas
Lynch, of Cunigar, in the liberties of this city, an
industrious farmer, dragged him and his son out of bed, and
flogged them unmercifully with cutting whips; the crime for
which this punishment had been inflicted was, for Lynch
having turned off a dairy- man. The same party, it is
supposed, went to the house of James Coghlan, of Lisenulta,
and whipped him in like manner; other dairy-men, whose names
we have been requested not to mention, were also whipped on
the same night.
-----
The Times; London, Middlesex, England; August 21, 1816
IRELAND
[From the Irish Papers]
LIMERICK, Aug 14
The case of Thomas Burke, and his two confederates,
Michael Hehir and Henry Evans, who were executed on Monday
for the murder of Thomas and Margaret Dillon, at Moyle, in
this county, was one of peculiar atrocity. Eight men more
remained to be tried on Monday for the same crime, against
the greater portion of whom the evidence was presumed to be
conclusive. On Saturday the counsel for the Crown paused in
their proceedings. Three lives had already been forfeited,
and they thought the work of blood might cease, and that the
examples thus set would be sufficient to operate as a
prevention of future crimes. They consulted the Grand Jury,
but it was the unanimous desire of that body that the trials
should proceed, and that the law should take its course. A
riotous assemblage took place within a few miles of Limerick
on the night preceding the expressed intention of the
counsel for the Crown not to go farther in prosecuting the
murderers of Dillon and his wife, in consequence of which
one of the party lost his life. This transaction, which
occurred while the Judges of the land were administering the
law, seemed to justify the determination of the Grand Jury,
in which the Crown lawyers acquiesced, and the trials of the
eight men were to have proceeded in on Monday.
An application has been made since to postpone the
trials of these eight individuals until the next assizes, on
the ground of their Counsel being hastily obliged to leave
town in consequence of the illness of one of his family.
Sergeant Johnston humanely attended to the application but
desired that they might be prepared for trial on the 16th of
September, at which time he intends to return; and ordered
the present grand and other Juries to be in attendance on
that day.
The principal witness in these cases is a child of 14
years old, the daughter of the two murdered persons. The
following is a statement of the testimony she gave on the
trial of Burke and his two associates.-
She deposed that she was 14 years old, her father's name
was Tom Dillon, and her mother's Peg Wall; they lived in
Castletown-Waller. She knew, and had always known, Tom
Burke, who lived at Pallas-Kenry, within about a mile of her
father's house. (Here she was asked if she saw any body in
Court she knew. She turned round and identified Bourke.) She
remembered she said, the night the people came to her
father's house; the family were in bed, her father asleep,
and herself and her mother awake, they heard a rapping and
her mother woke her father; he got up, and took a bayonet
that was near the bed, and went towards the kitchen, when he
found the door dragged out on the road with a sledge; he
then ran back to the bed- room, shut the door, and put his
back against it, when they fired through it from the
outside, and he fell back dead on the bed where her little
sister lay. There was a partition in the room, and when the
rapping first came at the door, her mother shook hands with
her, put her upon the partition, desiring her to mind her
brother and sister, and to watch these people, as they had
come to murder her father and herself. When her father was
killed, the people broke into the bed-room, in a corner of
which her mother was, with an infant in her arms, the
witness's little sister in bed, and herself concealed on the
partition. They called to her mother to go out, she did,
saying, "Lord have mercy on my soul!" to which they replied,
"My good lady, you had no mercy when you were giving
evidence on the Bench." When her mother went out, the
witness came down from the partition, and followed her, the
people took her out on the road, and the witness went to the
kitchen window. They were crying out, "Stick her and shoot
her," and she saw the prisoner put a gun up to her mouth,
and fire into it. They had at this time taken the child from
her, and were holding her up at each side when the shot was
fired. They then put her down on the ground, and stabbed her
in both breasts, after which they put her near a wall. The
witness was here asked how she knew any one as it was night?
"Any one would know them," said she; "it was moonlight, and
some sods of turf, which I put down before my mother and
myself went to bed, were blazing on the hearth." When they
put her mother near the wall, two men came into the house,
when she ran into the room where the pig was; the men took
out her father, and soon after two men came in and asked her
little sister for the bayonet. It was in a potatoe barrel
near the bed, and gave it to a man who wore white trowsers.
They said they would not hurt her, and went away shouting.
Witness came from her hiding place and again went to the
window and while there, the men returned, and one said, "the
devil would not kill the dog; and one of them took up a big
stone, and broke his face with it. They then went away,
'twas on a Friday night, and on the following Sunday, her
father and mother were buried; she staid in the house in the
mean time, and "I gave the pot to my aunt," (said this
interesting poor creature) "for it was she who sewed my
father's mouth" All the people in the neighbourhood refused
to let her in, desired her "to go to the devil, " in
consequence of which she went away with her aunt, with whom
she slept on Sunday night, and was next day taken away by
the Rev. Mr. Westropp, where she remained several weeks, and
was from thence removed to the poor- house, and finally to
the gaol, from whence she was now brought to give evidence.
(EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM LIMERICK, AUG 12)
During our Assizes here, which have not yet closed,
three men were found guilty and passed by our door this
morning to be hung, for a murder committed near a year ago
about nine miles off, of a man and wife. He had taken a
house contrary to the will of the country people; a party
went to his house, and beat him for taking it, on which he
informed a neighbouring Magistrate, when, shortly after,
about 40 entered the village where the man lived, and after
placing two men as guards on each house in the village, they
attacked his house, and murdered him and his wife in a most
shocking manner, stabbing the woman first in different parts
of her body, to make her put away an infant she held in her
arms to save her from their fury; a daughter about 15
escaped, and the infant. They said they had no ill-will to
the man, but killed him to prevent others acting as he did.
A man who lived next door to the unfortunate family, some
time after got so uneasy in his mind, he could not rest till
he discovered the matter, by which means it was found out,
after being concealed perhaps for months. They were all
Roman Catholics.
-----
The Times; London, Middlesex, England; September 26, 1816
IRELAND
(From the Irish Papers)
LIMERICK, Sept. 18
This morning, Patrick Scanlan and Patrick Burns, in
pursuance of sentence, on Monday, were executed at
Gallows-green, near this city. After hanging the usual time,
their bodies were brought to the Infirmary for dissection.
To-morrow, Sheehy and Evans are to undergo a similar
execution.
John Tourney, who was convicted on Saturday at the
sessions, under the insurrection act, is to be sent off to
Cork, on Saturday, for embarkation.
LIMERICK ADJOURNED COUNTY ASSIZES
Tuesday, Second Day
This day Bryan Sheehy and Henry Evans, concerned in the
above murders, were tried and convicted on the came clear
and undeviating testimony. Evans was particularly identified
by the little child as being at the murder, which was
supported by John King, her next door neighbour; she could
not swear as to the identify of Sheehy being present, but
the testimony of King, the former witness, and Wall, was
conclusive against him. The same humane attention of the
Bench as evinced in the preceding trials was paid to the
unfortunate prisoners, who made no defence. Evans, who is a
smart young man, got an excellent character from the Rev.
Thomas Westropp, Mr. Davenport, Mr. Heaccocke, and Mr.
O'Brien. Sheehy worked for Mr. Langford five years ago, and
at that time his character was good. Sergeant Johnston
charged the jury in an able manner, who retired, and after a
short consultation, returned with a verdict of Guilty
against both. The learned Sergeant, in an awful and
impressive manner, passed the sentence of death, and
particularly remarked upon the dreadful state of society,
when a young man of Evan's good character could be got,
without any cause, to be a participator in murdering his
unoffending neighbours. After sentence was passed, Sheehy,
who is an uncommon ill- looking fellow, acknowledged he was
at the murders, and that Boruke and Hehir were the only
persons as yet convicted that were also particpators in his
guilt and that all the others were innocent. This last part,
which we are confident was disbelieved by every individual
who attended the trials, was instantly refuted by Mr.
Pennefather, who was astonished at the shocking depravity of
the criminal and mentioned to the Court, that Sheehy a few
weeks ago gave information against nine, and at the same
time swore that Evans, who was hanged, was innocent; and it
should be remarked, that at the gallows, Burke and Hehir,
who he said were guilty, persisted in their innocence.
Maurice M'Mahon was yesterday tried for cow stealing and
acquitted. He is remanded to the prison for sheep stealing.
WEDNESDAY - THIRD DAY
This day, Henry Neille and Thomas Hehir are on their
trials for the Dillons' murder. Bridget Dillon, in her
examination, has proved that Neille assisted in dragging her
father's body out to the road, after being murdered and that
Hehir was the man who went into the house for the bayonet
with Scanlan, when her mother was shot. The trials had not
closed when we put to press.
Four o'clock -The Jury have just given in a verdict of
Guilty against Neille and Hehir - they are both to be hanged
on Friday. The Crown Lawyers have declined proceeding in the
trials of any more at present, and in consequence the Juries
are discharged.
-----
The Times; London, Middlesex, England; August 15, 1817
LIMERICK ASSIZES, August 6
(From the Patriot)
John Clanchy, who was tried and acquitted for writing a
letter to Alderman Wilkinson, offering to take away the life
of Mr. Tuthill, was on Saturday brought into Court, the
Grand Jury having represented him as a vagabond.
A jury was impannelled, and Mr. Tuthill having been
sworn, deposed that he never knew Clanchy until the day he
was apprehended; had heard him described as a bad character;
believed that he was one; knew the prisoner at the bar to be
the same person who had confessed to have written the letter
to Mr. Wilkinson.
Prisoner on being asked whether he had any one to give
him a character, said he could not call any one in Court,
except Mr. Tinsley, attorney.
Mr. Tinsley said he did not sufficiently know the man to
take upon him to say what his character was; he knew him to
have been in comfortable circumstances, but did not believe
that to be the case latterly.
His lordship then put the case to the jury, who returned
a verdict finding for the presentment, and against the
traverser.
The learned Judge then addressed the prisoner nearly as
follows: "John Clanchy, you were indicted for a most
malicious and wicked offence, for which, if you had been
found guilty, you would have received the severest
punishment of the law. The jury, no doubt, did their duty in
acquitting you of the charge; however, it has been clearly
shown you did write that letter, actuated by the most
abominable motive. If the fact of intention was established,
you would, in the eye of the law, have been considered as a
murderer; however, I believe, that your intention was to
hoax the Magistrate, to whom you had the impudent audacity
to address it, out of a sum of money. I consider you to be a
man of the most depraved principles, who would lend yourself
to the commission of another act, however atrocious; you
appear to be lost to every thing worthy of the name of man;
you; in the wickedness of your own heart, conceived the
diabolical project of taking away the life of a respectable
gentleman, and you then threw an indirect imputation against
the character of a Magistrate, by attempting to make him the
pander to your guilt, and finally, not content with having
gone thus far in iniquity, on a subsequent examination, you
had the effrontery to endeavour to criminate others, by
saying that you were instigated thereto. The Grand Jury have
presented you as an idle and disorderly person, as having no
certain place of residence, no visible mode of living, and
finally, as a vagabond. The provisions of the Act enable me
to sentence you to transportation for seven years, and I
think the punishment perhaps too trivial for the magnitude
of your offence. The law, in its lenity, says, that if the
people so described shall within a certain time find any two
persons of respectability who will take upon them to
contradict the presentation of the Grand Jury, he may remain
in the country. In this case, however, I think the
mitigation of punishment too great to leave a character of
your description in the country. I do not think it right;
and perhaps for yourself it would also be better you were
not, as your situation very probably would neither be safe
or agreeable. The sentence of the law is, that you, John
Clanchy, be transported from these countries beyond the
seas, for the space of seven years, unless you can, in a [?]
I cannot pronounce (but which will be directed by the
Government of which I am the organ), find and produce two
ostensible persons to bail you, which I think you will find
it difficult to do. If, however, you can do so, you may
remain where you are."
EXECUTION OF HENRY BURKE, THOMAS CLARKE, THOMAS GORMLY, AND
THOMAS ROCHFORD.
On Monday last the dreadful sentence of the law was put
in execution on these unfortunate men, pursuant to their
sentence on Friday last. Precisely at 12 o'clock, Henry
Burke, and Thomas Clarke prepared on the fatal drop,
attended by their clergyman, who, we are glad to find, had
the happy effect of bringing their minds to a proper sense
of their awful situation, very different to that [?] spirit
of revenge exhibited by them in Court, on hearing the awful
sentence of death pronounced on them. Indeed Burke evinced a
depravity of mind even to the fatal moment, that we have
never before witnessed on a like occasion; both acknowledged
that they were guilty of the murder, for which they were so
justly to forfeit their lives, and in a few moments were
launched into eternity.
At half past one Thomas Gormly and Thomas Rochford were
brought out to suffer the like sentence, they appeared
deeply penitent and impressed with, the solemnity of their
awful state; after spending a few minutes in prayer, they
also were launched into eternity.
After the bodies were hanged the usual time, they were
all put into a cart and taken to the County Infirmary to be
directed and anatomized, pursuant to the statute, after
which they were reconveyed to the gaol-yard for
interment.-Mullingar paper.
-----
The Times; London, Middlesex, England; March 20, 1818
LIMERICK ASSIZES
The Solicitor-General was occupied on Saturday in the
County Court, investigating the following Nizi Prius causes,
in which the Chief Magistrate of Limerick was nominally the
defendant, to recover damages for losses sustained in
breaking into stores, &c, during the riots in June, 1817:-
Mr. Blakeney claimed 147l., for the loss of flour and
oatmeal - verdict 30l.
Mr. Bannatyne claimed 150l. - verdict 100l.
Mr. Reddan claimed 212l. - verdict 200l. Mr. R. used
every exertion to defend his property.
Mr. Rose - verdict 30l.
Mr. Robert Ferguson claimed 13l. verdict for defendant.
The only capital conviction which has yet taken place is
that of Patrick Moylan, who was found guilty of the murder
of Mr. Switzer, at Ballingarry, and received sentence of
death - to be executed on Friday, and his body given for
dissection.
-----
The Times; London, Middlesex, England; March 21, 1818
SHOCKING MURDER - LIMERICK, March 14 -
The bodies of J. Dillane, a respectable farmer, his
sister, the widow Costelloe, and her daughter, were found
murdered on the lands of Knockfenish, barony of Upper
Connelloe, in this county, on Monday last. It appears that
these unfortunate persons were at the market of Newcastle on
Saturday se'nnight, and after disposing of some pigs, were,
returning home, waylaid and murdered; and from that time,
though diligent search was made, no clue could possibly be
had to ascertain their fate, until Monday last, when they
were found as thus described, in an unfrequented part of a
mountain-road. It is clear that robbery was not the object
of the murderers, as all the money which the deceased
persons received at the market was found on them. The motive
of so dreadful an outrage can only be ascribed to revenge,
as it is said the widow Costelloe, at our last assizes, very
properly prosecuted two persons for cow- stealing, who were
convicted. Since writing the above, we have learned that an
inquest was held on the bodies of S. Harding, Esq., coroner,
when a verdict of willful murder was returned against
persons unknown. The necks of the unfortunate sufferers were
broken, and their bodies not only had the appearance of
violence, but parts of them were mutilated.-Limerick
Chronicle.
-----
The Times; London, Middlesex, England; November 27, 1821
LIMERICK
The Rev. John Croker and his lady, returning in their
carriage to his house at Croom Glebe, a few nights ago, were
fired at by some villains from behind a hedge, near Croom,
happily without effect.
On Friday night last a party of armed men attacked the
porter's lodge at Whitehall, near this city, at the entrance
to the dwelling house of Captain Keane, Paymaster of the
county Limerick Staff. It was occupied by one of the men
belonging to that corps; and supposing that he had his
musket in the house, they searched it minutely, but
fortunately without success. The same party also entered the
lodge at Mr. Lowe's of Quinpoole, with the like result.
A second visit was made to Major Tomkin's house near
Patrick's-well, a few nights since, in search of fire-arms,
and the party succeeded in getting one gun.
We are credibly informed, that those nightly marauders,
in order to protect their persons from the effect of light
shot or slugs, actually envelope themselves in hay ropes
from the feet to the neck, which, we are told, will repel
that description of ammunition.
On Sunday last, about 2 o'clock, at noon, as John
Hewson, Esq., of Castle-Hewson, near Askeaton, was walking
in his lawn, a short distance from the dwelling, he was
surrounded by a number of armed men, who had lain concealed
in the shrubbery, and who ordered him to walk towards his
house, and deliver up what arms and ammunition it contained.
Mr. Hewson not expecting so extraordinary a meeting and
being unarmed, was compelled to yield to their requisition.
On the party approaching the house, the inmates were
preparing to resist them, when the fellows presented their
hostage to view, and stated, that if any opposition should
be made, and if the arms, &c., were not instantly handed
out, Mr. Hewson should meet the fate of Mr. Going. There was
no remedy, the arms were given, with which they walked off.
The house of Edward Griffin, Esq., of Ballynort, within
a short distance of Mr. Hewson's, was also visited by the
same party, in a short time after, and one gun taken.
-----
The Times; London, Middlesex, England; March 18, 1822
The Dublin papers of Thursday announce in the list of
outrages the murder of P. Hart, the steward of John Brown,
Esq., who was stoned to death by the White Boys, in the
liberties of Limerick on Saturday last. A barbarous murder
is also said to have been committed on a person named Thomas
Knox, one of Major Donoghue's police establishment. One of
the perpetrators had been apprehended. In the county of
Limerick no disposition has been manifested to give up arms.
-----
The Times; London, Middlesex, England; October 1, 1822
IRELAND
DREADFUL ATROCITY
(From the Limerick Chronicle)
On Friday night last, Messrs. Kelly and Smith, of
Captain Wilcock's Police, succeeded in apprehending the
noted James Fitzgibbon, Patrick Carty, John Molony and
Thomas Collins, all of whom are charged with the wilful
murder of Ulick Burke, Esq., in Feb. last near Cappa; they
are lodged in Rathkeale Bridewell.
On the next morning at ten o'clock, a female, who had
been seen the day before at Rathkeale, and who was conceived
to have given information which led to the apprehension of
the four fellows, proceeding to the well of Cappa, near
where she resided, for a can of water, was seized upon by a
man with his face blackened, who instantly dragged her into
the grove, and in the most savage manner attempted to cut
her throat. The approach of some persons prevented the
miscreant carrying his intention into effect, as he only
gave her some scars under the chin, and by the humane
directions of Mr. Kelly of Captain Wilcock's Police, she is
placed under surgical care in Rathkeale, and hopes are
entertained of her speedy recovery. The most prompt
exertions were made by the police, accompanied by Robert
Peppard, Esq. and his son, to apprehend the perpetrator, who
has for the present escaped.
Since writing the above we have received the following
from a respectable magistrate:- "SIR, - I have to acquaint
you with one of the most daring attempts at assassination
which perhaps has ever been recorded in the late, I fear, I
may add present, rebellion. "As a girl of the name of
Catherine Hickie was walking on the avenue leading to Cappa-
house, on Saturday last, about the hour of 11 in the
forenoon, a man, whose face was blackened, seized her, and
dragged her into a grove that stands by the avenue, and
there with a razor cut her throat across, but providentially
the design of the ruffian is frustrated, as there are
sanguine hopes of the girl's recovery.
"This scene took place within from twenty to sixty
yards of a cluster of houses, one of them a forge, the door
of which opened towards the spot to which the assassin drew
her, and in that forge were four men at the moment. I must
state that no suspicion of collusion rests against these
four men, as the noise in the forge prevented the girl's
cries from being heard. There are two police-men stationed
at Cappa, and Mr. Peppard was walking within sight of, and
not more than two or three hundred yards from, the girl at
the time the transaction occurred; one of the most public
roads in the county runs beside the place where she was
attacked. "This outrageous attempt on the life of an
innocent young woman, caused by a suspicion of her having
given information against murderers, is a clear evidence
that the spirit of desolation has only lain smothered during
the few months of doubtful tranquility that has reigned in
this county, and the man's face being blackened is a
well-known symptom of rebellion."
"P.S.- I have opened my letter to inform you that one
of Mr. Raymond's offices, at Hollywood, lately occupied as a
barrack, was burnt last night (Monday) by White Boys." MORE
OUTRAGES
Within the last few nights parties of ruffians visited
several houses between Clarina and Adare in this county.
They flogged a farmer, named Lynch, at Briskee; and the
dwelling of Mr. C. Parker was attacked by an unarmed party,
who beat him for not sending out his servant to be flogged
by them.
Monday night, John Frayley received a flogging, near
Rathkeale, from a party of ruffians. He was suspected of
giving information.
At an early hour on Monday morning, a communication
reached the Police-office of Captain Drought, in his city,
that at six o'clock on the preceding evening, two men of his
infantry corps, named Gunnell and Armstrong, returning from
Castle Connell to their quarters at Bird-hill, were attacked
on the Gouigg-road, and that the former was murdered, and
the body supposed to have been thrown into a bog-hole, as no
trace could be found of it. At three o'clock, however, a
messenger arrived who stated that Gunnell has been found in
the corner of a ditch, at some distance from where the
attack was made upon him; and that, though wounded and
stabbed in several parts of the body, he was likely to
recover. Various causes are assigned for this outrage; but
as an inquiry is about to take place, we abstain from
noticing any of the rumours.