Laois - Coercion Act Cases Sep 25 1887

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Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives
Laois (Queens) Index
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File contributed by:  Mary Heaphy         

CASES HEARD UNDER THE COERCION ACT 25-9-1887 .

On August 20th, Vesey FITZGERALD and J.F. LYNCH, R.M. sat to 
hear cases brought under the 2nd section of the Coercion 
Act, at Borris-in-Ossory. The prosecution was at the suit of 
District Inspector John PURCELL, against Jos. DRENNAN, 
Daniel CASSIDY, William CASSIDY, John CARROLL, and Patrick 
FOYLE, for assaulting one John WHITE in consequence of his 
having done an act which he had a legal right to do-that is 
to say, worked for one Thomas TYNAN. Great interest was 
manifested in the proceedings, the spacious courtroom being 
crowded to excess, it being the first prosecution under the 
new Act in this locality. After a protracted hearing the 
court acquitted Daniel Cassidy, and sentenced Joseph 
DRENNAN, John CARROLL and Patrick FOYLE to a month's prison 
each with hard labour, and William Cassidy to fifteen days. 
Mr. MENTON applied to have the sentences increased to five 
weeks in order to appeal to the County Court Judge, but the 
court refused his application. The sentences created a great 
sensation, as it was the general opinion that the case for 
the Crown under the Crimes Act broke down. The prisoners 
were then marched under a heavy escort, followed by an 
immense crowd cheering, to Ballybrophy, en route for 
Maryborough Gaol.


Source:
The Times. September 25, 1887