The Express.
London, England, 1847-11-05 00:00:00

MURDER OF MAJORMARON.

---
Major Mahon, a gentleman of high connexions, large
fortune, a magistrate, and deputy-lieutenant of the county,
was shot dead as he travelled in the early evening near his
residence, Strokestown-house Roscommon. He was accom-
panied at the time by a medical man, Dr. Shanley, and he, it
has been said, is severely wounded. The Evening Mail con-
tains the following notices respecting this atrocity from more
than one correspondent, and the horrid incentive to the
murdrr which is there disclosed will recal the disturbances
which marked the year 1844 in Roscommon, and which
originated in the refusal of certain landlords to grant conacre
to the cottiers.
"Major Mahon has been in possession of the Hartland
property for a couple of years. The tenants owed rent
amounting to 30,0001. The property is so overpeoplcd, that,
if left unaided, the population must have starved. Major
Mahon, therefore, laid out 6,0001. last year in assisting a
large number to emigrate; many more solicited to be so
favoured, but in one year nothing more could be done. At
first the tenants refused either to pay rent, till the land, or
give it up. Last year, however, a large portion of them agreed
to leave the country, and Major Mahon. at his own expense,
chartered two vessels, and sent a number of the tenantry to
America. Long, however, before this occurred, it was well
known in the country that Major Mahon was adoomed man.
His name stood first upon a list of 12 gentlemen, all of whom
have been doomed to death on account of their refusal to
continue the conacre system. The failure of the potato crop
saved them for the time. As Major Mahon has been taken
off, there is little doubt that other gentlemen will soon fol-
low. Major Mahon, within the last few days, was publicly
denounced, in one of the reports to head-quarters, as an ab-
sentee, and oue who refused to contribute to the local Bub-
scriptions of the neighbourhood. On Tuesday he had driven
into Strokestown, and called at his agent's office, to lay out
plans for the employment of men upon a large scale. He
proceeded to Roscommon, where, for want of hinds, the
poorhouse was in danger of being closed, and his wish wu
to keep open everything that could benefit the poor. Re-
turning from this charitable duty he was marked by two
assassins, who fired at him at about four miles from Strokes-
town. One piece missed fire, but the other took effect,
lodging a heavily-loaded discharge in the breast. The
victim exclaimed, ' 0 God !' and spoke no more."

SCOTLAND.
EDINBURGH, Nov. 3.
The unwillingness of Highland proprietors to avail
themselves of assistance when gratuitously tendered
is a phenomenon altogether inexplicable. The High-
land Destitution Committee, in the plenitude of its
liberality, offers to advance, in the truck shape of a
grant of oatmeal, one-third of the cost of constructing
roads in the remote and still inaccessible districts of
Lochbroom and Gairloch, provided the combined
counties of Ross and Cromarty, in which these dis-
tricts are situated, will advance the remaining two-
thirds, amounting, according to estimate, to 1,6001.
The combined counties meet, Sir Evan Mackenzie
proposes, and " Cromertie" seconds the motion, that
the heritors assess themselves for the payment of this
sum, in proportion to their valued rents. Mr. 11.
Macleod moves, and " Geanies" seconds the direct
negative, and the noes have it by 18 to 14,
and so the matter stands, and the board must I
hawk their meal bags to some more hopeful
district of destitution. But, before parting with
" Geanies," it may be well to remind him of
the state of the counties whose improvement he
neglects so coolly. The annual value of real property
in Rom was, in 1843, 140,6881. ; in Cromarty also,
140,688/., or together, 281,3761. ; but it may be said
that the assessment was to be on the valued rents.
Be it W. These in the aggregate amount to 87,9401.
Scots, or some 7,300/. sterling, but as this was the
valuation of 1674, it may easily be conceived how it
must or ought to have increased since ; and hence the
very obvious conclusion, that for such parties to refuse
to raise so small a sum as 1,6001. for such a necessary
purpose indicates the extremest infatuation. The
state of the soil will further corroborate this. The
total number of acres in the two counties is 1,815,520;
of these only 321,000 axe cultivated, 530,000 being
uncultivated, and 944,520 unprofitable.
The Edinburgh Property Investment Gong:mp, in-
stituted in terms of 6 & 7 William IV., c. 32, is about
to enter on its second year. The share is a fortnightly
subscription of Is., by the accumulation of which