Hello friends The following court cases at Omagh Co. Tyrone were published in the 3 Aug. 1839 edition of the Northern Standard.
Charge of Rape Hugh MURPHY was indicted for forcibly violating the person of Mary Anne KANE at Lisnally, on the the night of the 11th June last. After 4 challenges of jurors on the part of the prisoner, the case was proceeded with. The traverser is a man of herculean frame and stature, upwards of 6 feet high and of a sullen, repulsive aspect and seeming to be over 50 years of age. The prosecutor was an intelligent little girl, not much more than 13 years of age and her appearance was even more juvenile. The jury retired shortly after 5 o’clock, p.m. and not having agreed on their verdict before the adjournment of the court, they were locked up for the night. Wed. July 24 The jury who had been confined all night, having been summoned into court, the foreman intimated to his Lordship that there was no prospect of an agreement between them on the case. His Lordship accordingly ordered them back to their room, allowing refreshment, to be provided for them and they were shut up throughout the day. Patrick and Thomas M‘KENNA were indicted for stealing 300 weight of oatmeal, the property of James YOUNG at Cranagh on the 30th June. The meal was in an out-house in the charge of a servant named DEVLIN, the windows of the house were broken open and the meal was carried off on the night the 26th or morning of the 30th June last. Guilty to be imprisoned 3 months and kept to hard labor. Margaret CAMPBELL for stealing 10 stones of potatoes, the goods of James M KEOWN on the 31st May or 1 st June. Not guilty Edward, John and Arthur DONNELLY for a riot and assaulting Patrick M'DONAGH on 26th Jan. This appeared to be a drunken row, in which the prosecutor was to blame, as well as the traversers. Not guilty Hugh MOYNIAGH committed on a charge of rape, was discharged, there being no prosecution Patrick QUIN for an assault on John LEIGHTON at Benown, on the 11th April and inflicting grievous bodily harm on him. John LEIGHTON examined by Mr. SMYLY - Was at Donemana fair on the 11th April; as he was returning home he overtook Patrick QUIN at Benown and another man, a stranger to him; it was between 8 and 9 o’clock in the evening; passed them by and overtook Molly KANE and Catherine DIVINE; heard a whistle and the women turned back, I did so too; I did not see the men then; went into a public house with the woman; DIVINE went in first and KANE stayed at the door; I went out for her, when QUIN came up with a stone in each hand and struck me on the head with them; I got 17 cuts and 2 of my ribs were broken; never knew DIVINE before; one of the women, Molly KANE, I knew before; she is a woman doctor; the prisoner kept the stones in his hands and if I had not caught him by the wrists he would have murdered me. I was knocked down and trampled on; John M‘CLEMENTS, the owner of the public house and Mary MITCHELL helped me up and got me into the house; I was attended by a doctor afterwards; did nothing to the women. Cross-examined by Mr. DOHERTY - Took a little refreshment at the fair; M'CLEMENTS keeps a little public house; it was licensed once, but it is not now; wanted both the women to go into M'CLEMENTS; it was through no harm, but merely to treat them; I would treat man or woman; I don’t recollect getting a hold of either of the women: I was perfectly sober. Mary MITCHELL examined - Lives with uncle near Benown; his name is John M'CLEMENTS; remembers the night of the beating; my uncle and I were sitting by ourselves by the fire at dusk, when a woman came in; a man behind her, when he got inside the door, he looked sharply round over his shoulder and asked if the other woman was coming in; he then went out; shortly after heard Mr. LEIGHTON crying out to her uncle, "I’m murdering, for Christ’s sake come and help me." l got a candle and we went out and found LEIGHTON lying in the ditch and we raised him out of it; he was grovelling forward on his hands and knees; saw 2 men running away; never saw the woman before; the woman who came in first remained in the house; the other did not come in till the end of the beating. John FLOYD, policeman, sworn - Heard of LEIGHTON ’s being beaten; went to M‘CLEMENTS; it was not 10 o’clock; in consequence of what LEIGHTON said, went to arrest QUIN; he was in his own house, in the kitchen; saw heavy marks of blood on his shirt, his waistcoat and his frock coat; they appeared to be fresh. Dr. BAIRD sworn - Was called on to attend LEIGHTON about an hour after he was beaten; he had 17 cuts, I think, on his head; they appeared to have been inflicted with a blunt instrument, such as a stone; one or more of his ribs were fractured; all the cuts had the same appearance; considered his life in danger for three weeks. Cross-examined - There was no fracture of the skull; shaved his head; dressed the wounds that night; haemorrhage had partly ceased, but hair was wet and clotted with blood; the cuts were all healed, I think, in 3 weeks, except one; can’t tell what loss of blood occurred; many of the cuts were to the bone. Mary KANE examined - Has seen John LEIGHTON but it was a good while ago; he brought me to M'CLEMENTS; I did not go in; the other woman did to warm her hands; I walked on, but heard a man cry "Boys, don’t beat me till I get my hat; smelled liquor on LEIGHTON . Cross-examined - Would ken FLOYD the policeman; he had no talk with me in this town; but as I was going to the sessions he was threeping on me to convict the prisoner; he said, "Swear all you can, hide nothing, and it will be telling you £5." FLOYD recalled - My Lord, I’m on my oath and I swear that I never used such words. His Lordship, in addressing the jury, said that the prisoner was clearly guilty. He was surprised to find so extraordinary a defence taken; he could not possibly conceive how such a conspiracy among the police, as was alleged could exist, or what reason there was for the police to promise money for the conviction of the prisoner. No man’s life or property was safe if the police were capable of such nefarious conduct. - Guilty to be imprisoned for 18 months and kept at hard labor for a fortnight each month. Patrick M‘HUGH was indicted for burglariously entering the house of John LAIRD at Nn.-Stewart, with intent to steal, on the 3rd June. The prisoner was a very small child, who had been promised sixpence by a party of thieves for entering a window in the house of the prosecutor for the purpose of opening the back door. He was taken in the house - Guilty to be imprisoned 6 months. John M'NAMEE alias WILSON for stealing a cow, the property of John M'FARLAND at Campsie on the 3rd July - Guilty to be imprisoned 1 year from date of committal. George M'CLARN for stealing 10 pecks of potatoes, the goods of Wm. M'KERNAN at Knockroe on the 10th July. - Not guilty Bernard LAVERTY for stealing 2 cows on the 8th July, at Clanamaddy, the property of the Jas. CORRIGAN and one cow, the property of Thomas CORRIGAN. The prisoner received an excellent character. - Guilty to be imprisoned 12 months and hard labor. John OVERAND for stabbing. Guilty 6 months imprisonment and hard labor and to give security to keep the peace for 7 years. Thomas GOODFELLOW for stealing a cow on the 28th June, from Wm. KEARNEY - Not guilty William EMERY for stealing 2 sheep and a lamb the property of Robert JOHNSON on the 15th July, at Barbarron. The prisoner submitted, but received a very good character from Mr. Ebenezer MOORE and Mr. John MATTHEWSON. To be imprisoned 12 months and kept to hard labour. John, Richard, Edward and Thomas CAMPELL and Richard DOLAN for killing sheep on the 19th April, at Leglin, the property of Mark M'CROSSAN with intent to steal the carcase. John, Richard, and Edward CAMPELL and Richard DOLAN guilty - to be transported 10 years. Thomas CAMPELL not guilty. As the jury on the rape case could not agree, they were taken to the verge of the county on Thursday and discharged; the prisoner remains in custody. ---------------------------------------------- Would anyone care to comment on possibly meanings of these 2 comments made in one of the above cases? I could suppose what they might mean in the context of the sentence, but I'd rather like to know. <g> 1) Would "ken" FLOYD the policeman; 2) he was "threeping" on me Enjoy your day today~ Teena -- www.cotyrone.com http://lists.cotyrone.com/mailman/listinfo/ulsterancestry https://www.facebook.com/groups/CoTyroneIrelandGenealogy/ _______________________________________________ [email protected] UlsterAncestry Mailing List Searchable Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ http://lists.cotyrone.com/mailman/listinfo/ulsterancestry Website: https://cotyrone.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CoTyroneIrelandGenealogy/
