The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-04-14 00:00:00

THE
PHCENIX PARK MURDERS.

At half .past eight o'clock on Monday morning six
of the prisoners charged with the Phconix Park murders
perpetrated in May last, and with conspiracy to
murder were conveyed rum Kilmainham Gaol to the
Commission Court, Green-street, where they were led
to the cells under the Court House. They were guarded
on the way by a strong body of mounted and foot
police, and an escort of the 2nd Dragoon Guards. No
excitement, and but small curiosity was caused along
the three miles route, and even at Green-street very
few people were present in the streets to witness their
arrival.

The names of the prisoners so selected are JOSEPH
BRADY, TIMOTHY KELLY, THOMAS CAFFREY, DANIKG
CURLEY, PATRICK DELANY, and JAMES FITZHARRIS
(nicknamed "Skin the Goat.") None of these ap-
peared to be recognised by the persons assembled near
the approaches to the Court, which were kept by a
strong force of city police. The Court House in which
the trials took place was soon filled by those who had
obtained cards of admission, by the members of the
bar, of the Grand and special jury, Court officials,
and a few ladies. A large proportion of space was
allotted to the police, who mustered in unusual
numbers.

At ten minutes past eleven Mr. Justice O'Brien
took his seat upon the bench. The Commission was
then formally opened, and the Deputy Clerk of the
Crown proceeded to swear in the Grand Jury for the
County. This being done, Mr. Justice O'Brien
delivered his charge, which, although of no great
length was highly linpressive in tone and effect.
The Judge passed in review the nature of the
indictments submitted to the Grand Jury for
their consideration, and expounded the law of
eriminal conspiracy. In conclusion, he pointed
out that although the crime was a most henious one,
its enormity ought in no way to influence them in de-
parting from the strictest lines of ordinary duty. He
asked them to apply the principles he had expounded
to the judicial consideration of an event of which it
was not too much, perhaps, to say that it was
destined to hold a place for all time in the annals
of the world. The place, the time, the occasion
of that event, the eminent station of those who
fell victims, the swiftness, the suddenness, the
secrecy at once and publicity, and the success of
attack, combined to render that event one of
the most memorable that had ever happened. The
life that was violated on the 6th of May, in the Park,
was dear and sacred to the law; and the life of a
person accused of a crime for which his own life might
be taken was also sacred to the law. The vindication
of the law differed in no respects from the assertion of
justice. By justice, and justice alone, the law was
successfully and effectually vindicated; and he did
not entertain the least misgiving that upon this occa-
sion, in the performance of the duty assigned to them
by the law, they would be found unfaithful in the
least degree to the high engagements of impartial
justice.

At the close of the Judge's charge, the Grand Jury
retired to consider the indictments presented to them.
The Clerk of the Crown then proceeded to call the
Special Juries. Oat of the connty panel, numbering
one hundred, only fifty answered to their names;
whilst of the city special jury, also numbering a
hundred, seventy-four answered. Of the latter four
were exempted, so that out of the whole panel of two
hundred only one hundred and twenty were available.
Those who did not answer to their names were ordered
to be fined twenty pounds each. The Attorney-
General desired to call attention to the fact that the
fines inflicted only referred to that day's attendance.
A cry of " Silence " from the officer of the Court
having announced the return of the Grand Jury, a
solemn stillness ensued, when the Foreman said: We
find a true bill against Joseph Brady for the murder of
Lord Frederick Caverdish.

Mr. Geale (Clerk of the Crown) : Do you also find a
true bill against Joseph Brady for the murder of Mr.
Burke?
The Foreman: Yes.
The Attorney-General then asked that Joseph
Brady should be arraigned on a charge of the murder
of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr, Burke.
Amidst profound offence Brady was placed at the
Bar. The prisoner was very pale, but quite self-pos-
Bossed. The Clerk of the Crown, addressing him,
told him the charge upon which he was about
to be tried, and asked if he pleaded guilty or
not guilty? The Prisoner declared, in a firm voice
that he was Not Guilty. He added, in answer to
the officer, that he was not prepared for his trial, as
he had no counsel. Mr. M'Cune, solicitor, entered
into an explanation regarding his position in reference
to the prisoner, and stated that, although he had acted
for Brady at the Kilmainham investigation, he had
since been informed that there were no funds to pro-
vide professional assistance at the trial. He, there-
fore, made application for a postponement of the trial
for three or four days.
The Attorney-General opposed this application on
behalf of the Crown, and said every facility had been
given to the prisoner to prepare for his defence. He
applied that the trial should go on the next morning.
Eventually the argument ended by the decision
that his trial would take place on Tuesday, and Brady
then left the dock.
True bills were

D Amy= I
AITRET,