Crimes, Court and Legal Affairs

Finn’s Leinster Journal, 11 Feb 1801, p. 2

A few days since, Mr. Barlow, of North Great Georges St., returning to town from Navan, accompanied by one of his clerks and attended by a servant, was stopped at Dowdstown near Navan by 2 armed ruffians, and robbed of half bank notes, cash and etc., after which the villains mounted the servant’s horse and rode off.

On an alarm been given Philip Barry, Esq. of Navan, two of his sons, Richard Ledwidge, miller and a servant pursued the offenders for several miles and afterwards divided, when fortunately Mr. Barry and Mr. Ledwidge came up with and after exchanged several pistol shots, succeeded in apprehending one of them, who has been identified by Mr. Barlow and others and committed to prison.

Magistrates meeting in Navan 20 Oct 1825:

A meeting of Magistrates was held in Navan on Friday last, for the purpose of adopting measures to prevent the recurrence of outrages similar to those which have occurred in County Meath.

Lord Killeen was in the chair.

There was nothing particularly interesting in the proceedings.  The gentlemen present entered into a subscription

“ for the purpose of rewarding persons who shall give either public or private information, tending to the discovery of the perpetrators of the murder.”

It appears that the outrages have been perpetrated by a gang from the Commons of Navan- a place which has been long famous as the resort of the worst characters in the county.

After the Chief Constable of Police, Captain Henderson, had made his statement, Mr. Corbally (one of the wealthiest and most respectable magistrates in Meath) rose, and, in allusion to that part of Captain Henderson’s statement which attributed apathy to the peasantry, denied that such was the cause. In the instance of Mr. Hackett’s robbery, one of the peasantry got up and shot one of the people on the watch.  He did not think it right to run away with the character of the peasantry, and he wished in some measure to vindicate them.

Mr Tisdall differed in opinion from Mr Corbally, and observed that when the lower orders were found in a particular instance as Mr. Corbally stated, they deserved credit for it; but when in general it was notorious that they acted as Captain Henderson described, the general disposition did not deserve praise.  It was well known that the generality of the people were disposed on all occasions to shield and protect offenders.

This Mr. Tisdall is a great Biblical, and therefore his testimony with regard to the character of the people is not to be depended on.  The County of Meath has long been distinguished for quiet and good order, and it is really too much to hear this man impugn the character of an entire people, because some outrages have occurred, the perpetrators of which can be traced to s single gang.

The meeting concluded with an attack made by Rev. Francis Hamilton upon strictures appeared in the Patriot.  The editor of that journal replied to the Parson, and his reverence was silenced.

The Rathkenny Murder 4 Sept 1834

Meath Assizes Trim Tuesday July 20 1834:

The prisoners charged with these appalling murders were brought into the dock to be arraigned while the sentence was passing.

On Wednesday Judge Burton took his seat in the Crown Court at half past 9 o’clock, when Thomas Baily was again brought to the bar, and it was intimated to him the latter part of his sentence would be dispensed with, and his body be buried within the precincts of the goal.

Michael Devine, James Slevin and Patrick M’kenna were then arraigned, the first for the murder of Thomas Cudden and James Brown at Rathkenny, on the 5 March 1833, and the other two for inciting him to commit the act.  Devine, a miserable looking man, upwards of 70, apparently labouring under much anxiety, and Slevin a young well looking man, of about 30, without any visible symptoms of mental suffering, were first put on their trial, and formed a strange contrast.  He is reported to be a wealthy and well conducted farmer.  He seemed throughout confident of his acquittal.  Patrick M’Kenna was ordered to stand aside for a separate trial.  The following facts were elicited during the examination: -

James Slevin was a tenant of Edward Thomas Hussey Esq., on his estate of Rathkenny, where he held 100 acres at a rent of something above £200, which he paid punctually.  In 1827, he was given a lease of the demesne, house and garden, by Mr. Hussey which it appeared he had not a right to do without being joined therein by his son, who on his part desired that he and his father should retain a part of the house, the orchard garden, and some land about the house.  Slevin was dissatisfied with this “renewal with reservations”.  Mr. Hussy offered him some other land instead at a distance that would be soon out of lease.  Slevin refused, and in 1833 accepted the second lease, which left the Hussey family in possession of part of the house and garden, where they occasionally (and Slevin constantly) resided on terms of a continual bad understanding.  To increase it they had a quarrel about rent, and Slevin paid it up to the day on an implied fear of his cattle being driven to the pound for sale to discharge it.

Further, he had spoken against the tithe system at one of the then popular meetings;  His speech had been “misreported” to Mr. Hussey, who thereupon told him his mind, and informed him moreover that he had reported him to Mr. Blackbourne, a neighbouring magistrate, who had in his turn reported him to the Attorney General (Blackbourne).  Thus the differences of these joint tenants of one house grew wider every day.  The details were all adduced in evidence by the Messrs. Hussey (father and son), evidently with the with the view of convincing the jury that there was a substantial deadly “landlord and tenant” feud between them and James Slevin, the prisoner at the bar.

Devine was a poor under tenant on the same estate, who, it was sought to be proved, had been employed by Slevin with others to assassinate Mr. Hussy.  The later was secretely aware of his existence on the estate.  The murdered James Bunn was steward, and his unfortunate companion under tenant to Mr. Hussey.  They met their fate in a mistake under the following singular circumstances:- Mr. Hussey was leaving Rathkenny on a short visit to England unknown to his tenantry, and on the fatal 5 March had driven in his gig with James Bunn to reach the Monaghan coach at a cross roads about a mile and a half from his house, where he intended to have left the gig to be brought home by his steward, and to proceed to Dublin on the coach.  It appeared both from the testimony of the approver John M’Kenna, a tenant on the estate and from the confession of Michael Devine (written while in gaol under the hope of pardon, held out by a fellow prisoner, an apothecary) that these two wretches, together with a third named Anthony Callon (escaped to America) had lain in wait behind a hedge for Mr. Hussy, on his expected return in the gig, to shoot him with a blunderbuss, which they say they got with the requisite ammunition from James Slevin, the unfortunate joint-tenant with the landlord.

Mr. Hussey had, however, missed the coach at the cross-roads, and had driven on with his steward three miles and a-half further to Slane, where he overtook the coach and proceeded to Dublin, leaving the gig to the care of James Bunn, who returned in the dark of the evening to the house at Rathkenny, taking with him for company the tenant, Thomas Cudden, whom he called for at his house as he passed.  The assassins seeing two men returning in the gig who they had no doubt were the same that went in it a few hours before (though the darkness prevented them from distinguishing their faces) fired the blunderbuss at them loaded with slugs and at one shot killed both their victims, conceiving they had thus destroyed the obnoxious landlord and his no less hated steward.  The alarmed horse dashed on with the gig and the murdered men to the house, where Slevin and the servants found them both quite dead.  Bunn pierced with 14 slugs and Cudden with 5 (which were subsequently extracted by Dr. O’Brien and exhibited in court) besides others lodged in the lining and cushions.

The principal circumstances which appeared to connect James Slevin with the transaction besides the already mentioned, were;

- 1^st, his positively denying (at the time he was arrested, and gave up his arms to George Despart, Esq., (stipendary magistrate) having had at any time any other arms than what he gave up a list of all together, concealing the fact of the fatal blunderbuss having been even in his possession, though it was afterwards proved that he purchased it at the Truelock’s shop in Dublin, sent it to the Navan coach-office, and finally lent it to Andrew Callon, the escaped assassin, by the hands of John M’Kenna (the approver), whose son afterwards gave it up to the magistrates.  This latter fact of the loan, however, rests on the testimony on the approver alone.

2^nd anxiety displayed by Slevin respecting Mr. Hussey’s return in the gig or otherwise.  Carney (Mr. Hussey’s driver) stated relative to this suspicious circumstance, that he saw James Slevin in the course of the day; he came to the door of Rathkenny House, and asked him if he could see Bunn.  Witness called Bunn.  Slevin asked him when he came, could he see Mr. Hussey.  Bunn asked Slevin would he tell Mr. Hussey that he wanted to speak to him.  Slevin replied that he had heard among the men that Mr. Hussy was going to England, and all he wished to know was he to come back in the gig that evening.  Bunn told him that Mr. Hussy would come back that evening and that he was not going to England.

Cross-examined - It was about five minutes after he returned with Mr. Hussy to Rathkenny that he heard the conversation between Bunn and Slevin.  There was no one present then but Slevin, Bunn and himself so that if he were telling lies, no one could contradict him.

Devine made no defence.  Slevin produced E. Grainger and A.H. Pollock Esqs., magistrates, who gave him an excellent character.  Two solicitors, one, that employed by Slevin gave Andrew Carney, the chief witness against him, a very bad character, and said he was unworthy of credit upon his oath.

Mr. Hussy sen., was re-examined - Had had frequent opportunities of knowing Carney’s characteras any other man in the country of his condition.

The chief-approver, John M’Kenna, was a singular being.  On his cross-examination by Serjeant O’Loughlin, he acknowledged that he heard of money being offered for information.  Heard there was £1,000 offered.  It would be a fine thing to a man losing his land, and to save his neck into the bargin.  It would be if he had it.  Would rather shoot Mr. Hussey than get £1,000.  Would shoot six men to save his land.  Would not kill 1,000 men to save his own life; (after hesitation) would kill 500 men to save his own life.  Believed there was a God.  Knew he had forbidden to commit murder, and yet he would kill two men at all events to save 17 acres of land.  Would not swear falsely against anyone, but would commit murder to save his 17 acres of land.  Would rather take a false oath than be hanged.

Judge Burton began to charge the jury at a quarter to 9’clock, and did not conclude until a quarter before 12.  He particularly impressed on them, that Devine’s confession was only admissible as evidence against himself, and that in considering the evidence against Slevin, they should dismiss the other prisoner’s confession from their minds.

The jury retired, and returned in about half an hour into court, and said they agreed as one of the prisoners, but could not agree as regards the other.

The learned judge, who after some observations, sent out the jury; and they again returned in a quarter of an hour, saying there was no likelihood whatever of their agreeing.  They were then locked up in the jury room, and Judge Burton observed that he would at 10 o’clock the following, again take his seat on the bench, when they might have made up their minds.  He then left the court at between 1 and 2 o’clock.

Thursday

At 1 o’clock the jury, which was locked up all night, came into their box, and Slevin and Devine were placed at the bar - the jury found the former not guilty and Devine guilty.  Devine being asked what he had to say for himself, why sentence of death and execution should not be passed upon him? He replied “The doctor is a perjured man” he subsequently explained, that the apothecary Cudden had induced him to make the statement contained in his confession, urging him to do so with a view to save his life and saying, that if he made such a statement, captain Despard would get them both off.

Judge Burton addressed the prisoner with much pathos, and concluded with passing sentence of death, naming Saturday for the execution, and appraising the culprit that his body would be buried within the precincts of the gaol.

The unfortunate man seemed in the deepest affliction, very unlike Baily, who was executed to-day at half-past 3 o’clock.

Dreadful Murder at Dunderry, 28 Dec 1843

Thursday a most inhumane murder was committed on John Sherlock, a respectable farmer, holding, in conjunction with his brother, 200 acres of land in Crealstown, a few miles from Trim in the Athboy district.  This man came to Navan to consult Dr. Byron on the case of his wife, who was extremely ill.  The doctor being absent on a medical call, the poor man waited his return.  The doctor gave his advice, and medicine being prepared agreeable thereto the man proceeded home; on his way beyond the village of Dunderry-bridge (a short distance) he was waylaid and fired at; the shot took a sure effect; he dropped, and survived only a few hours.  This Dr. Byron has communicated this day.  The doctor was sent for, but the man expired long before his arrival.

From another correspondent

Trim, 23 Dec 1843:

Yesterday, about 6 o’clock a cold blooded murder was committed at a place called Rathean, about five miles from this town.  The victim, a respectable man named Sherlock, holding a snug farm, was on his return from Navan with his wife, where they had been marketing.  He complained of being cold and got down off his car to walk, when a man came up and shot him.  He survived about five hours.  Had he been fired at on the car it is more than probable that the two lives would have been sacrificed instead of one.  Ribandism has spread to a fearful extent through this county.  The alleged for shooting Sherlock is for dispossessing some tenants on the estate of Lord Trimblestown.

Irish Times, 15 June 1860: Court of Common Pleas - Yesterday