The Express.
London, England, 1848-02-02 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 2, 1848.

IRELAND.

DMILIN, FRB. 1.
RESVINATION OF MR. D. O'CONNELL.—It was
stated at the Repeal Association on Monday that Mr. D.
O'Connell intends to resign the representation of Waterford.
His pecuniary circumstances (it is said) do not permit him
to continue in parliament.
MURDEII BY • YOUTH OP SIXTEEN.—The Cork paper
received to-day contains the following :—Murder near
Donereile.—An inquest was held on Thursday last at
Doneraile, on the body of Johanna Murphy, a widow. It
appeared in evidence that Richard Ryal of Streambill, who
is only about 16 years old, called on Benjamin Penn, a pen-
sioner in Doneraile, on last Monday morning to any he
could give information against the persona who stole Mr.
White's cows, and asked his advice as to what he
should do. Penn advised him to report the matter
to Mr. White; he said be would, and left the
house to go there. Ryal called on Penn on the Wed-
nesday after, and told him that he saw his father
murder the widow Murphy, on Monday, by striking her en
the head with a shovel, and that he afterwards rummaged
the house, and gotbut 7d., and that if his father was searched
the key of the padlock on the widow's door would be found
in his boot. Upon Penn's saying he would not believe him,
in consequence of his having told so many lies about the
stealing Mr White's cow, he replied, if you doubt me go up
and you will see her sitting dead on a chair. Penn reported
the matter to head constable Bentley, to whom Ryal gave
the same amount. Both then proceeded to the widow's
house, and found the door locked with a padlock. They broke
the staple, and on entering the house found her dead in the
position described by Ryal, and a gardener's spade, together
with a billhook, near her. There were several wounds on the
forehead and face. Bentley suspecting that Ryal was the
guilty party afterwards searched him and found the key of
the padlock in his pocket.—Catherine Collins examined;
I Proved that, on her way to Contrails, about 1 o'clock on
Monday, she went into the widow's house for a drink at
water; the prisoner (wham she identified, and never saw
before) and the widow were the only persons in the house
at the time.—Patrick Ryal, a boy about 9 years old, de-
posed that, about 9 o'clock is the morning of the day
of the murder, he saw his brother, the prisoner,
put • bill-hook (which belonged to his father) into his
breeches Pocket, and cover the handle of it with his
coat. Did not see him after until late in the evening
of that day, when he banded witness 7d. to buy meat. His
brother bad no employment, nor any way of getting money.
He did not see the bill-hook after until he saw it in the
police barrack.—Norry Ryal, a sister of the prisoner, corro-
borated the evidence of the last witness—Ellen Shanahan,
Mr. White's lodge-keeper, examined, stated that the pri-
soner, on last Tuesday week, came into the lodge-house,
which is next to the widow Murphy's, and acted her
if there was any person living in the house with the
widow. She said not, but that persons were sometimes with
her at night.—Doctor Reardon, being examined, stated that
the injuries inflicted on deceased were the cause of her death.
The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Richard
Ryal, who has been transmitted to the county gaol, and the
father, who was in custody, was discharged.—The only mo-
tive that could be assigned for committing the murder was
to get possession of some money which it was reported de-
ceased got from her daughter, who is is America. It ap-
peared that the prisoner, having been supported m a mown
witness, prosecuted persons to conviction about a year ago
fee stealing milch cows, for which he got a large reward,
and it is supposed he was induced by a similar hope to prefer
unfounded charges in this ease.