The Express.
London, England, 1853-01-11 00:00:00

THE CASE OF KIRWAN.

Yesterday a number of gentlemen who are dis-
satisfied with the verdict in the case of the convict Kirwan
met at Anderton's Hotel, Fleet-street. to consider the pro-
priety of adopting certain resolutions having reference to
the subject. The chair was taken by Mr. It. A. Boyle of
the Chancery bar, and Mr. J. J. Hardy, who acted as
honorary secretary, read a number of the drieumenta
already pualiehed, by which the movement in London was
originated. In addition to these Mr. Hardy also laid Le-
fore the meeting a very long report which had Dion re-
ceived through the Dublin Committee from Dr. A. Taylor,
the eelebratel authority in medical jarisprn.lence, and
in which Dr. Taylor stated that the appearancis deeerilied
did not justify them in attributing the death of Mrs. Kir-
wan to drowning, but that she died from an attaci: of apo-
plexy or epilepsy. Tho bon. secretary likewise read a
statement which had been made to him by Mr. M'Grei sr,
of the Temple, son of Mr. Frunean M`Gregor, of the Irish
constabulary. Mr. M'Gregor, jun., said that he wa, him-
self on the nay in question close to the place where the al-
leged murder had taken place. At that time there acre
several fishir.g boats lying becalmed 112... r the spa., oud,
from the peculiar nature of the localities any of the fishermen
might have landed in their punts and hays offered violence
to the unturtunate lady without being observed. At the
very time there were a number of baskets put down ter tha
purpose of taking crabs, so that the buy might
have been injured by that species of shell-Leh •
and there was in the neighbaurhoed a rock
frequented by cormorants, the cries of which greatly
resembled those of a human being. There was, alse, dose
by ft rock, Li) feet high, from which Mr. Kirwan, had he
really wished to murder his wife, might have pushed i.er
in the sea; and in that case her body would ► aye heen car-
ried away by the tide.
Mr. Madder said it had been stated by Mr. Sitayley, the
crown barrister, that the prisoner's coon x:• a. w.tn lus wife
I,llli unknown to the woman Kenny, as l that that with
Kenny was equally unknown to his wife. NOW he (Mr.
Madder) had attended Kenny in her first eouilneuii at
about II years ago, and she then told him that she had
been engaged to Mr. Kirwan, but that becoming ae.quaii.ted
with the deceased lady, who was a pro sou of property, ho
deserted her • and that afterwards .isiug unimi.pily with
Lis wife, he !tad preferred her society to that of Mrs. Kir-
wan. . .

Several gentlemen then expreaied their °phallus
strongly against the transportation of the prisoner ; for
if he was really guilty of the offence he ought to be hanged,
and if he was innocent of it, be ought to be at once set Ist
liberty.
A GENTLRMAN said that a new charge bed recently been
brought against the prisoner ; and it showed strikingly the
truth of Dean Swift's remark, namely, that if you put an
Irishman 04 a spit you would easily find another Irishman
to twin him. (Laughter.) The charge via, a ridiculous
one ; no doubt Mts. Bayer had been induced to came tir-
ward by persons who the:null% that us Mr. Kirwan had b. en
convicted on one charge, it was a goad time to bring another
against him.
Dr. Kiser moved the following resolution: " Thatstbis
meeting is of opinion (in which it is coinirmed by the high
authority of Dr. Alfred Taylor and other eminent me .ii ail
men) that according to the medical test:twiny no uturiler
was committed." (Hear, hear.) Ile (the learned doctor)
thought that if there had only been a proper medical in-
vestigatiou previously to the trial, Mr. Kirwan WOPM4 not
now be in prison, and would not have had any slur cast
upon his moral character. (Oh.) In his own opaiim the
medical testimony was not only ineufficient to prove, tut
was the strongest possible testimony to disprove, the charge
of murder.
Mr. It. R. R. Mooaa seconded the ululation in a speech
of considerable length. It had long been a rule of law
that no one could he convicted of murder unless th^_ body
of the supposed victim had been found ; but, in this case,
though there certainly was a body, there was no proof Vitt.
it had been murdered at all. On the contrary, all the cir-
cumstances want to show that, according to tie nest malt-
cal authorities in the world, it was a ease of
natural death. lie hoped, therefore, that there would be
such a manifestation of popular opinion as would rased: in
placing the prisoner in as nearly the same position es p isai-
. ble as that in which he would have stood had this evidence
been placed before the jury at the trial. Unfortunately
they could only now appeal to the mercy of the crown ; but
if there were, as there ought to be, a Court of criminal
Review, he telt certain that the verdict would be entirely
quashed.
Mr. TEETH thought the meeting was putting itself in a
false position. The circumstances were quite consietiint
with the hypothesis of the pritentr's guilt, hut they wi ra
equally so with that of his innocence. All that tbny
ought to do, therefore, would be to express their diasatistac-
tion with the verdict.
Serjeant ALLEN was etrongly of the same opinion, sod
moved an amendment, but it was not persisted in. . _

Mr. JAMES' M'Mattox dwelt on the point that 110 c. jets
cialieli had been proved in the case.
Mr. Moons, iu reply, only regretted that the nsolut:en
was not couched in stroug,r terms. It
nem. ton.
A E•ezond resolution was next proposed, and carried una-
nimously, to the effect, " That this meeting is 01 opia:.
Oa', according to the general evidence given at the .1,
there was no satisfactory or legal pivot of the ferit.....9.11
guilt."
A vote of thanks having finally been given to the dm:,
man, the meeting broke up.

EDTatjeseritle".... .tle
men of a new patented means of consuming %mule.. y
bNefl'orl:A:CpEart)i.t.EfM
engineerso •
Mears. Acheson and Evans, on board the Weddini. 1.:..g.
iron steamboat. The results gave satistation to ell p:. s ~
Sh..%u:d future experiments confirm the favourab UwB:11l‘ madeE
preaslou produced on this first occasion, the putt,. a ..,
have to congratulate itself on basin- at last fours', a rem ,y
triTd
for a daily unreasing nuisance. lii the promo eva,.•••. d.
yesterday a column of hot air is made to pass thraug . a
fire, and ensures %lie entire combustion of all souk l'o
make its advantages wore apyarent, it was so ad,pt a
this trial set, be made applicable at will • tutee:
rolling. from the funnel is a de , ns.
suddenly extingui►hed by the sing' . • - '17.• . .:
I any aae on Ward. This was do . Obk-textie
.
Iratc3t
always with tha moot anceeselt rekfits. tv oat Le ; tat!-
trial of the imentitio is to take otaitgAd af• . s. •
et'
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