The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-08-22 00:00:00

AN AGRARIAN OUTRAGE IN
TIPPERARY.

A tragic affray occurred in Tipperary last Friday, involving
the loss of two lives and serious injury to others, and
which painfully recalls the memory of past, almost forgotten,
scenes.

For many years Tipperary has been remarkable for
the tranquillity and order which generally prevailed in
it, and presented a suggestive contrast to its former
state. At the last assizes Baron Deasy, in opening
the commission at Nenagh and Clonmel, bore willing
testimony to the peaceful condition of both divisions of
the county and the creditable absence of any serious
crime. It is a pity that an agrarian outrage should no
soon occur to detract from the high character given to
Tipperary on such excellent authority. There is some
reason to think that the outbreak of a lawless spirit in
this instance is exceptional, and that the feelings of
the people were exasperated by special causes. There
appears to have been unfortunately a feud of long
standing between If ir. Scully, who is an extensive
landed proprietor, and his tenants, and his attempt to
enforce compliance with the strict terms of their agree-
ments and to evict the refractory brought matters to a
crisis. The Clonmel Chronicle contains an account
of the affray, from which the following facts are
gleaned :
Mr Scully had incurred such ill-will among the peasantry
that he found it necessary to have two policemen in con-
stant attendance to protect him. They remained at his
kouse, and accompanied him wherever he went. on
Tuesday, having reinforced them by the addition of two
other constables and a labourer, named Maher, he drove to
Ballycohey, near the town of Tipperary, to serve notices to
quit upon some of his tenants—a service especially odious
at this time, when the land question is so keenly discussed.
The reason for desiring to evict theists not clearly known
but it is conjectured that they were either defaulters (Sr had
refused to comply with certain conditions in leases which he
had prepared. The moment he made his appearance a
number of tenants and labourers who were at work in the
fields assenibled and received him with hoots, shouts, and
fierce menaces. Unarmed as they were, they were not de-
terred by the presence of Mr. Scully's escort, foil, closing
in upon him made a violent attack, which the constabulary
vs its great difficulty resisted. Only two or three notices
could be served. The houses were barricaded, and admission
was only to be obtained by using force. Mr. Scully and his
little party were not prepared to encounter such formidable
opposition, and he withdrew. It is stated that on
reaching his car he found that his travelling bag had been
abstracted, the tenants, no doubt, supposing that it con-
tained legal processes, and the man Maher had been assailed
and obliged to take shelter. Two of the farmers, named
Dwyer and Greene, endeavoured to appease the fury of the
people and induce them to return to their work, and to some
extent they were successful. Mr. Scully drove towards home,
and on his way was attended by a crowd of women and
children, who pursiAed him with will shouts, and threatened
to take his life. Ile was ultimately obliged to take ref uge
In the hotel, and obtain the aid of a large force of con-
stabulary to protect him. Determined to complete the ser-
vice of the notices, he returned next day to the scene of the
former outrage, with an increased force of police, but in the
Interval a fiercer spirit had been aroused, and he found the
tenants prepared to offer a desperate resistance. The police
and the peasantry came into collision. Shots were exchanged,
and two of his party, a bailiff named Gorman, and Morrow,
a sub-constable, were killed. Another constable, named
Colleton, received a wound, and a fourth, named Cahill,
had a narrow escape, a ball having passed through his coat.
Great excitement prevailed in the locality.
- -

The Irish Government has offered a reward of £5OO
for the arrest of any of the parties who fired on Mr.
Scully and the police, and also a reward of rmo for
information which may lead to their arrest.

The Times' correspondent, writing on Monday,
says :
The outrage in Tipperary Is a subject of general comment
In private circles anal in the press. While its lawless
character is regarded with concern as indicating the
existence of an agrarian spirit which it was hoped had died
out, theri is a strong feeling of disapproval if Mr. Scully's
conduct. Some further light has lieen cast upon the history
of the occurrence, and facts are diseloseal which lead to the
conclusion that his dealings as ith Ins tenantry have
been rigorous and exacting ill the extreme. This opinion
is stated to be entertained by none more firmly than by the
gentry of the county, who in such a matter are not likely to
be prejudiced against one of their own order. Irrespective
of any arising out of the relations of a very strict
landlord and his tenants, there are personal grounds of dis-
like connected with the fact that Mr. Scully has renounced
the religious creed of his ancestors, and apostacy from
their own faith, lion-ever conscientious, is always bitterly
resented by the peasantry. In the management of
property he is not the only member of his family who has
been unfortunate, for it may be remembered that Mr. Vincent
Scully, his senior brother, u-ho inherited a large property by
the death of his eldest brother, was murdered. It is to be re-
gretted that Mr. W. Scully was not in a condition to be examined
at the nquest, as he ntight probably have been able to ex-
plain some circumstances which seem to justify the antipathy
felt towards hint by his tenants, although, of course, they
cannot justify their treacherous and terrible revenge. The
report that he had counted upon their taking out leases
which would have made them little better than his serfs was
received with sonic incredulity. It is now, however, to all
appearance verified by the publication of the fonn of lease
which it is stated he tendered for their acceptance on pain of
miction—an alternative which families such as the Dwyers,
who had been living on the lanai for generations long before
he bought it, viewed with alarm and despair. They
had ueen contented and prosperous under the previous
management, and instinctively dreading the effect ad the
transfer of the property to Mr. Scully, they petitioned the
former landlord to retain it, or not to hand it over to him. His
policy towards them, it local reports speak correctly, was but
little calculated to restore confidence and conciliate esteem.
His most recent proceeding was to serve notices in June
last, requiring payment of the May rent on the Sat of July,
and the acceptance of a new lease, the out terms having
nearly expired. Printed forms of the lease were al-a, served
upon them. They were also directed to pay a month's
rent in advance, in order to bring them into a new
quarter. They determined not to accede to the
terms. On the appointed day he attended to receive the
rents at Dobbye's Hotel, in Tipperary, the scene of the
murder of Mr. Braddell by Hayes. All paid punctually, but
only four of the tenants came in person to pay, the rest send-
bag the amount by messengers. The leases were presented to
the four, sho refused to sign them. The othera stopped
away to evade the dilemma which he offered. The lease
u-as a very voluminous and stringent document. It contained
provisions to the following effect:—
I. Binding the tenant to pay the rent, free of all deduc
tions on account of rates and taxes, excepting quit rent anal
rent charge, but mat excepting poor rate, notwithstanding
any Act of Parliament to the contrary.
Deprivingthe tenant of any claim for implements or any
growing crops.
3. F.rhhuting the cutting of timber, and requiting the
tenant to keep the lands anal premises in good tenantable
order, and to deliver it up on the Ist of December, ist of
March, lot of June, and Ist of Septennier next following the
receipt of a gt days' notice demanding possession.
4. Stipulating that the posting of such not ice on the door
of the dwelling-house shall be deemed got RI service.
5. Containing a covenant against alienating air in any way
disposing at the lands without the landlord's consent in
writing.
6. Forbidding the erection of •1 any house, building,
hedge, ditch, fence, dyke, or draiu whatsoever," unless
authorised in writing."
7. Prohibiting the burning or breaking up of the soil, or the
meadowing of more than a prescribed portion, and reqturing
that all game shall be protecte I.
There is a urther covenant givingthe teeanta corresponding
right to give a2l days' notice of surrender. It was for not
accepting such leases as these, most oppressive, if
.not
Illegal, that the tenants were to be served with the eject-
ments. Is it to be wondered at that a passionate people,
u-ho had been accustomed to generous treatment, revolted
against such a measure ? It is possilale, however, that Mr.
Scully can offer some explanation which would set the trans-
acti, air in a different light, but if no. it cannot be done too
soon. The public requitu the fullest inf. natation, anal the
propriety of a searching magisterial inquiry is strongly
urged.

Another account, written on Sunday evening,
says : _

Mr. Scully left Limerick Junction railway station on
Friday morning, with Gorman, his steward, and Maher, a
herd, escorted by Constables Maher, Kelly, Cleary, Collison,
Cahill, and Morrow. The party walked down the hoe to the
lee House, and then took the fields to cross to Ballycohey,
when some signals were given, and a crowd numbering 100
or 150 persons assembled on all sides. Mr. Scully, armed
with a double-barrelled breach-loader and a revolver, went
with his steward and herd from house to house to serve
notices—the people, meanwhile, shouting out that they
would have his life, and calling him 'robber" and " mur-
derer." After he had lunched, the police advised him to
return. Ile consented to do no; but on the way back he
resolved to visit the house Of a tenant named Dwyer. A
by-road leads to a quadrangular farmyard, on one side of
which is Dwyer's house. At right angles to the house, and
facing the entrance, are ont-ollices, and on the other side are
hedges. All seemed deserted. Mr. Scully, Gorman, and
Maher first entered, the constables remaining at the end of
the by-road to keep back the crowd. Two shots were im-
mediately fired from the dwelling house, and a third, which
killed Gorman, from a rude porthole made in one of the Out-
officer. The shots fired at Mr. Scully came from a loft over
a kitchen, where a feather bed bad been placed. He
received three wounds in the head, one ball passing through
his throat. Having tottered back to the lane, he fired a
revolver at the house. Cleary, calling on his Men, entered
the enclosure and went into the kitchen, which was empty,
the party having escaped through a bole in the thatch.
Collison, finding Maher lying wounded. stopped to lift him,
and was shot from an out-house in the back of the head.
Morrow was afterwards found dead in an angle of the build-
ing. Ile was riddled with bullets, one having passed
through the heart. Kelly was wounded in the thigh. Mr.
Scully having entered the house and taken Dom his steward
sonic papers and a revolver, made his way to the house of
Mr. Bolton, Lord Derby's agent, who sheltered him until he
was escorted home to Ballinarlough. From 12 to le shots
were fired. On searching the buildings the police f,,und a Man-
derbuss burst, a five-barrelled revolver with two chambered is-
charged, bullets, cartridges, and a brandy bottle half full.
At the inquest, the jury found that Morrow and Gornian
had been shot by some persons unknown, and added "the
jury are farther of opinion that the conduct of Mr. William
Scully as regards proceedings towards his tenants at Bally-
cohey is much to be deprecated, and the sooner legislative
enactments be passed to put estop to any such proceedings
the better for the peace and welfare of the country."
A magisterial investigation was held after the in-
quest. Patrick Dwyer, his cousin John Dwyer, and
two other persons are in custaly. Four others who
had been arrested were discharged.