extracted & transcribed from Saunders Newsletter Thur. 4 April 1811
The Assizes at Downpatrick commenced on Wednesday the 27th ult. before Baron M'CLELLAND in the Crown Court, and Justice OSBORNE in the Record Court. The Hon. Baron M'CLELLAND addressed the Jury in concise and impressive manner, and, among other observations, pointed out the necessity of their attention to the state of that populous part of Newry, situated in the county Down, which was destitute of a proper place for confinement of culprits; where one-fourth of the criminal calendar was, in many cases, from that place. After stating the parallel case of the town of Belfast, which labours also under the inconvenience of being without goal, bridewell, or other proper place of confinement, he paid a handsome compliment to the Grand Jury of the country Antrim, for their liberal attention to his instructions on that subject; and we are firmly of opinion, that the very opulent and truly respectable county of Down will not suffer themselves to be secondary, in any undertaking which must be so essentially advantageous to the community. The following trials took place the Crown Court. William HYNES and Thomas SEMPLE indicted for having in their possession a 1£ note, and some 30s. notes forgeries, and uttering the same with intent to defraud, &c. William HAYES deposed, that on the 29 Oct. last, he was in Newry fair, and sold horse to prisoner, William HYNES for 5£ 8s and received in payment 2 30s. national notes, 1 -30s. Beresford note and 1£ national note; gave them to the prisoner SEMPLE who was his neighbour, to look at, who said they were good. Witness had no change; SEMPLE lent him two shillings. Witness then went to Mr. SEARIGHT’s in Newry to get gold in exchange; Mr. S. had none, but directed him to Mr. FEGAN’s; Mr. F. looked at the notes, and asked witness to follow him back to Mr. S’s. who asked him could he find the person who gave him the notes, same time saying they were all bad. Witness went down street and caught his horse in the possession of SEMPLE. HYNES was not there at that time. Mr. SEARIGHT who went with witness, seized SEMPLE and asked him where the money was got; SEMPLE said on the Maze Course and also, that it was he who gave HYNES the money to pay for the horse. When asked had he any more notes, he produced 2, 30s. notes, which Mr. SEARIGHT took and marked and which with the others were produced in Court. Mr. FEGAN and Mr. SEARIGHT corroborated the above as far as they were concerned. Andrew HYNES examined for the prisoner - ls uncle to prisoner, HYNES who deals in horses and went to Newry fair to sell 3 colts witness went into the horse-market to see his nephew; while there SEMPLE came and tapped W. HYNES on the shoulder, and said he wanted him to buy horse from a neighbour of his, that the horse must be sold to pay rent; HYNES went and looked at the horse and bought him for five guineas, and returned 5s. 8d. then HYNES wanted SEMPLE to pay the sum himself, as he had other business to do SEMPLE said, here are the notes, as it would not look well for me to pay him when you bought him; HYNES said he could not go then SEMPLE then went to HAYES and gave him a 1£ note, saying he must wait a half hour, and if the horse was not paid for then, he had the note and the horse too. Wm. HYNES brother to preceding witness corroborated his evidence. Wm. HYNES acquitted on all the counts; Thomas SEMPLE found guilty of having bank notes in his possession, knowing them to be forged. John KENNEDY and Hugh DOWNEY indicted for uttering a forged bank note of the Northern Bank, Belfast, value 30 shillings on 7th January last, knowing it to be forged. Acquitted, owing to the note offered, having been lost or mislaid but held to give security, themselves in 100£. each, and two sureties in 50£ each for 7 years. The trial of Cornelius and John M'MULLEN for the murder John SAVAGE at Drumaro-d B (day?) Nov. last, was postponed till next a assize James BROWNE for offering a forged Bank of Ireland note to Catherine BURNS was acquitted for want of prosecution Daniel HAGAN for stealing a mare the property John HALL of Carncastle, County Antrim. John HALL lives at Carncastle - lost a mare out of his stable the 4th March -advertised her in the Belfast newspapers- found her on Friday last in the possession James JOHNSTON, near Saintfield - had mare in his possession since 8 months old value 10£. James JOHNSTON sworn - HALL got the mare from him and he bought her in Kilmore from John MAGREEVY. John MAGREEVY lives Castlewellan sold the mare to James JOHNSTON; bought her in Seaford fair on the 7th March from prisoner ; gave 8£ for her, sold her to JOHNSTON for 10 guineas; on applying to prisoner, before Lord Annesley for his money, he said he would pay witness whatever became of him; never heard any thing against prisoner before this; knew him 5 years. Francis KEOWN examined for prisoner says he has as good a character as any man in Clough; exposed the mare for sale publicly, both in Clough and Seaford has only known prisoner about 2 months.- Guilty to be hanged 4th May. Ibby ROURKE for the murder of James TOWERS near Dromore on 1st May, giving him a mortal wound on the head with a stone of which he died on the 8th of the same month. Guilty of manslaughter - to be imprisoned 1 month Edward MEEHN for stealing a cow. - Guilty -to be transported for 7 years Patrick ROGAN, Murtagh ROGAN, and Ana WILSON who were confined since last assizes for were manslaughter, remanded for 3 months. Eleanor MATHEWSON found guilty of grand larceny. - To be transported for 7 years. Lewis PROW for the murder of his uncle at Dromor - in November. - Acquitted, but ordered to remain in- custody as a dangerous lunatic. Patrick DONAGHUE for feloniously and maliciously discharging a gun, loaded with ball at Thomas COCHRAN and wounding said COCHRAN - Guilty of assault to be imprisoned 2 months. Edward MEGUIGAN for grand larceny. - To transported for 7 years. Dennis MURPHY for an assault. -To be imprisoned 1 fortnight. Patrick M‘DONNELL for the murder of M. GRIBBON near Rathfriland. - Acquitted. -- te...@cotyrone.com www.cotyrone.com _______________________________________________ UlsterAncestry@cotyrone.com UlsterAncestry Mailing List Searchable Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/ulsterancestry@cotyrone.com/ http://lists.cotyrone.com/mailman/listinfo/ulsterancestry Website: https://cotyrone.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CoTyroneIrelandGenealogy/
