The following transcribed by Teena from Saunders Newsletter Fri. 3 Dec. 1784
On Sunday last, the inquest was held in the house of Mr. Andrew HANNA, publican, the quay, on the body of John M'CORMICK, a seaman, belonging to Ballywalter, who had died there suddenly the night before. In the course of evidence it appeared that the deceased and another sailor, named Isaac HELME, otherwise MULHOLME, went into HANNA'S house on Saturday night and drank three quarts of beer, during which time the bottom of the glass was broke and on paying for the beer to the son of said HANNA, (a boy about 12 years of age), payment was also demanded for the glass, which was complied with, but on the boy going out of the room, M'CORMICK threw the glass after him, a part of which cut him on the head and HELME, in his deposition, clearly proved that shortly after the boy had left the room, his father (HANNA) entered it in a furious passion and instantly seized an iron poker, with which he struck said M'CORMICK and which, HELME declared to be the cause of his death, which happened instantly after receiving the blow. Several surgeons attended and examined the deceased, who were fully of the opinion that a wound which the deceased had on his head, did not occasion his death, but from several concurring circumstances in the course of the evidence, they wished to examine the corpse more minutely and their informing the court and jury that such an examination would take considerable time, it was agreed the inquiry should be postponed till next day, at 5 o'clock, when they would give their report upon oath. Accordingly they met yesterday and after minute investigation reported to the jury that the death of M'CORMICK was occasioned by the aforesaid blows, it appearing that the brain was injured thereby. In consequence of which the inquest jury (after sitting from 5 till 8 o'clock last night) returned a verdict that his death was occasioned by a stroke, or strokes, which he received from Andrew HANNA, or by a fall, or falls, occasioned by the said stroke or strokes. HANNA was accordingly ordered to be committed to the county jail to stand his trial for said offence, likewise his wife, for the active part she took on the occasion. The deceased has left a disconsolate widow and 4 children to lament his melancholy fate. It behoves the masters of inns and taverns to their guard how they treat unfortunate people in a state of intoxication, a small matter takes away a life and let the provocation be ever so pointed, it bears no sort of proportion to the feelings which must attend the man through life, who is unguarded enough (however unintentional) to hurry an unprepared fellow creature into eternity. Cheers- Teena _______________________________________________ [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/
