News: Compendium of Crime, Nenagh Guardian 1838-1839 Part 4 *********************************************** Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives Tipperary Index Copyright ************************************************ File contributed by: Mary Heaphy COMPENDIUM OF CRIME, NENAGH GUARDIAN 1838-1839 PART 4 A Compendium of Crime in the County of Tipperary, as recorded in the "Nenagh Guardian" from the 1st publication of that journal, the 21st July 1838 to the 13th. of March 1839, comprising a period of nearly 8 months. Continued. 13th. John Molony had a scuffle with two or three men in Cashel at night, received several fractures, of which he died. Peggy Quinlisk, of Cullehill, near Borrisokane, struck with a shovel on the head by John Ryan, which caused her death. Palliser Weyland, Esq. and his sons, accompanied by two bailiffs, were assaulted when collecting rents, by a number of armed men, who assailed the Messrs. Weyland, and made the Bailiffs eat the ejectment which he had just served. John Nicks was waylaid near Portroe, by two fellows named John Wills and Pat Carey, who fractured his skull-his life is despaired of. A poor man in charge of some hay in the streets of Cashel, was beaten by a gang of marauders, that he was obliged to be conveyed to the Infirmary. At Templemore, William Breen, Patrick Stapleton, Michael Ryan, and others, were sentenced to two months in prison, for violently assaulting the Police. 18th.William and Catherine Dunn, were waylaid and assaulted near Cashel, by John and Laurence Dwyer, John Maher, and John Halloran, who absconded, under the belief that they had fully murdered their victims. A large cock of hay belonging to Michael Purcell, at Ballinahore, was maliciously burned. 6th. A man named Meehan, at Birdhill, was struck a swinging blow of a heavy pitchfork, on the side of the head, which indented the skull, by a man named Ryan from Annahoulty, who has absconded. Thomas Ryan of Upperchurch, was brutally assaulted, so as to endanger his life, by Cornelius and John Ryan, neighbours and near relations. Michael Reedy, tollman, was knocked down and severely cut by Denis Salmon, who came behind him and gave him a violent blow on the head. Rioting in Clonmel, by reapers, two of the police were wounded by their reaping hooks. Threatening notice served on Messrs. Taylor and Ball, conductors of the Dunalley Silver-Mines. 10th. John Maher beaten at the fair of Borrisoleigh, in August last, by Michael Magan, Pat Butler and others, died of the injuries he then and there received. John Dwyer brutally assaulted by Pat Tierney-his skull fractured. The Kennedys of Curraghneddy, their residence attacked by a number of men who fired shots into the thatch and set fire to the house in three or four places. A man of the name of Toohy was arrested, whom Kennedy said was of the party, but he afterwards refused to identify him. A man went into the house of a widow in the town of Nenagh, and upon her refusing him money which he demanded, he seized a large candlestick, and knocked her down, inflicting a severe wound over her eye. The man is known to her but she is afraid to prosecute. A discharge of firearms took place just previous to the service of a threatening notice at the Copper Mines near Newport, on Mr. Coates, Lord Stradbroke's agent. Michael Flannery threatened by Daniel Mulcahy, Daniel Quinlan, and others, with the death of Brien, and also that his house would be consumed over his head, and least he should escape the flames, he would be stoned to death. Margaret Cahill, who lived near Cashel was murdered by Patrick Cunningham, who was apprehended. A rockite notice, well written and well composed, served on George Wayland, Esq., the elder, father of the gentleman murdered with Mr. Cooper, threatening him and every member of his family with death if he did not use his influence to obtain the liberation of the men then in custody for that murder. The congregation in the Church of Fethard alarmed by a stone being thrown in through the windows, which struck a lady, Miss Eliza Walton on the forehead. 17th.The house of Denis Sherlock, of Killaknave, Upper Ormond , was set on fire in three different parts of the thatch, and consumed to ashes. A quantity of corn, the produce of 8 acres, the property of Mr. Short, of Ballinamona, was maliciously set fire to and consumed. A blunderbuss was stolen out of the garden house of Mr. Head, of Derry Castle. A farmer named Ryan was waylaid on the Limerick road after selling corn, attacked by three men, who assaulted him, and robbed him of £7. A similar attempt was made in the same place, the week before, on three carmen, who succeeded in beating off the assailants. Christopher Grace assaulted in Nenagh by John and Michael Hanly. Margaret Kilgay assaulted by James Johnson, who struck her on the head with a pound weight. John Kennedy assaulted by John Flannery, who struck him with an iron weapon, knocked him down, and trampled on him. 20th. A farmer named Quin was met by four ruffians near Riverstown, within one mile of Nenagh, on his return home, took him down from his horse, and threw him over the bridge into the river. A pensioner named Lennihan was knocked down on the road on his return from Roscrea, assaulted and robbed of 10/. Nov. 3rd. Between 10 and 11 O'Clock on the night of last Tuesday, a body of armed men came to the front of the house of Mr. Stephen Hill, of Slean, near this town. One of them approached the bedroom window and discharged the contencts of a blunderbuss loaded with upward of 35 slugs in the direction of the bed in which Mr. Hill, his wife, and infant child lay, but without any serious effect, for the balls passed two inches higher than the counterpane and lodged in the bedstead and wall, and made shreads of the curtains. There was then a dead pause of about two moments, a groping at the door, a murmer of voices, a trampling of feet, and then a distinct charge of four shots in rapid succession. Whether it was the intention or not of the depredators to shoot Mr. Hill, would be of very little matter to him and his family, that the person who discharged the shot, stood some few paces further then he did. It was to the usual elevation of the contents immediately after the discharge that saved his life and the life of his wife and child. The purpose of the notice was to have him give up some land which he holds in the neighbourhood of Tyone, and from which persons of the name of Flannery have been ejected. A barn, dwelling home, and haggard of wheat were maliciously burned on him on these lands some three years ago. In the notice was "If we have to visit you again, you will not put it on the county". Alluding of course to the presentment for the above burning, and hinting that compensation can't be had from the County for murder. Mr. Hill is a good landlord, one whom, on the previous night, it would be impossible to convince , that his life would be thus attempted, by a sanguinary and atrocious peasantry. So confidant was he that benevolance, forbearance, and innumerable acts of kindness, would deprive even the savage peasantry of Tipperary, of their thirst for blood, and act as a bulwark of protection around him and his, he was foolish enough to, almost in general leave his back door unbolted. On Tuesday night last, a man named Cane was assaulted by a man named Thady King, who knocked him down and stabbed him with an oyster knife in the ribs. Two Policemen near the town of Tipperary, on their return home were attacked, and severely beaten and robbed of their arms, by a party of fellows lat in wait for them. Several farmers on the same evening, after selling their corn, were attacked in the same vicinity-assaulted and robbed of their money. 20th. The house of a man named Kelly, of Ourra, was entered by three armed men, who beat him severely and took away his gun. 23rd. A house in Lisbony, the property of Mr. John Spain, of Nenagh, was set on fire, and burned to the ground. 25th. A man named Conwey, from Kilmore, beaten in a public house in Nenagh, his skull was fractured. A large quantity of turf was maliciously set on fire and consumed to ashes, on Greyfort Bog. Nov. 3rd. A man named Mera, returning from Thurles to his home was waylaid by two men named Purcell, who with stones fractured his skull. An armed party robbed the house of a farmer named Cooney, near Clerihan, of a gun, when the family were at Mass. The house of John Carey of Bantiss, near Nenagh, was attacked by two men, a shower of stones were thrown at the door. Carey in escaping received a blow of a stone. The house of Thomas Ardill, of Cloughjordan, was attacked by two men, who with stones, smashed in two windows, and attempted to break down the door. Ardill made his escape though pursued hotly. Harry Donnelly's house at Greyfort, was broken into with stones. Donnelly was struck in the leg. He is stewart to Henry Saunders, Esq. Michael Ryan of Upperchurch was attacked by his two brothers who fractured his skull with the blow of a stone. 10th. A young man named Pierce Brazill, on Monday last in the town of Clonmel was set upon by four ruffians, who hit with a skull cracker, it was a death blow, from which he expired next morning. A coroners jury brought in a verdict of wilful murder against David Tobin, one of the murderers who was arrested on the spot. John Glarheen? (Could be Glasheen, but Glarheen is whats on the paper) the man charged with the murder of Michael Quin, at Cashel, who was set at Liberty after the Coroners inquest, there being no evidence to convict was arrested on Monday last. A party of five armed ruffians went to the herdsman's house at Ballinree, three entered and two stayed outside-they demanded the arms in his possession, and on receiving a gun and a pistol withdrew. 14th. Bryan Buckley, of Derrileigh , near Newport, was attacked on the 9th inst, in view of his own house, by four men named Collins, who were armed with spades and stones. They beat him severely, fracturing his skull, leaving him for dead. The Police in a few minutes after came by and followed the party, they arrested Maurice and Patrick Collins, father and son. The former in his bed, and under it two spades smeared with blood, he was only 6 months returned from 14 years transportation. The son was the person who fractured Buckly's skull. A rockite notice served on John Lanigan, Esq. containing a threat similar to Mr. O'Keeffes, if he interfered with some land, the property of O. Cave, Esq. M.P. Mr. Lanigan is Cave's agent and son-in-law to the murdered Mr. Keeffe. 21st. On Friday last four men entered the house of Ed. Spillane of Shanbally, within three miles of Nenagh, and presented a gun and three pistols at him, ordering him to go down on his knees, which he did-they told him they were "Terry's" send there by Lady Clare, and if he attempted to go into a place of a man named Cleary, who was removed from his situation as herd to Geo. Atkinson, Esq. that he would get the death of the "Keeper", meaning Kennedy whose murder is recorded in the first number of out journal. On their departure they fired shots, and presented and snapped a pistol at a man named Gleeson who was in Spillane's house at the time. On Sunday night last between 10 and 11 O'Clock, as that very efficient Constable Franklin, and the police under him, were patrolling the lands of Curraghneddy (A place now notorious in the annals of Blood stained Tipperary, for its murders and burnings) they observed a house in flames. On coming up they found its owner Roger Gleeson and his family asleep in bed, and unconscious of their alarming situation. By much ado the Police made them sensible of their danger and having dragged them of the house, after much exertion, succeeded in supressing the fire. Had it not been for the providential interference of the police, Gleeson and his family would have in all probability been burned to death, for, adjoining the house on fire, was the barn, in which one end of it was stored dry flax-while in the other end was three cows and a horse. There was some stacks of corn in the rear of the house that was set on fire, and the wind blew in an unfavourable direction. 24th. A man named Philip Ryan, of Kulleen, in Upper Ormond, standing in his own yard, was fired at by Daniel Kelly, with a pistol loaded with slugs. The powder burned Ryans face, the slugs missed him. He then went to the Police Station and gave the alarm. The police went to Kelly's house and arrested him, he was concealed under the bed. They found on his person a powder horn with a quantity of powder in it, and on searching;-they found a pistol loaded, at the bottom of a tub full of water.