Newspaper: Items from the Freeman's Journal April 2, 1817

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Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives
Antrim Index
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Contributed by Mary Heaphy

FROM THE FREEMAN'S JOURNAL - UNLAWFUL MARRIAGE APRIL 2, 1817

Unlawful Marriage-J.M.V. M'Carey was indicted for privately
marrying Arthur Connor, of Ballinderry, a Protestant, to Ann
M'Mullan, a Roman Catholic, without the consent of said
Arthur Connor's Parents or Guardians, he being at the time,
a minor.

Issac Bell was present when Arthur Connor and Ann M'Mullan
were married in his house, by Priest M'Carey, the Priest
asked Connor's age, who represented himself as 19, he also
asked if the parties believed in the Catholic Faith, and
then married them.

Thomas Connor, the father of the young man, said that his
son was not yet 18, that he was brought up a Protestant,
that he and all his family were Protestants, and witness's
brother is a Clergy man of the Church of England. Ann
M'Mullan had lives as a servant to him, he believes she is a
Roman Catholic.

The Hon. Baron M'Celland explained the law to the jury, that
in former years the offence was considered a capital felony,
but a subsequent act, ameliorating the penal laws, by
subjecting the offender to the penalty of 500/., must, of
course, be understood to have repealed the act which
subjected to a capital punishment.

The jury in a few minutes brought in a verdict of Guilty,
and the Learned Judge immediately sentenced Priest M'Carey
to pay a fine of 500/., and to be imprisoned till such fine
is paid; observing, that he considered he did a service to
the community, to put such a person as the prisoner out of
the power of doing further mischief, for there could
scarcely be a greater nuisance or more detestable characters
than such buckle beggars, by whose means the most serious
injury was sometimes done to the most respectable families,
by inveigling the young and unwary into improper connexions,
and robbing parents of their children, when they expected
them to be established in the world, in credit and
respectability.

J.M.V. M'Carey delivered to the Judge a long paper, in which
he described himself as professing the "Real Irish
Religion", having renounced all allegiance to the Pope.

Baron M'Celland said, he did not know what religion this
was; but he was sure he was a most dangerous character.