The Express.
London, England, 1859-01-04 00:00:00

DESPERATE AFFRAY IN MANCHESTER.

In the early part of last week a violent attack
was made upon 'several members of an Irish family. chiefly
by maims who were distantly related to them. An old man,
John Dirkin, upward. of 70 years of age, lived in a cellar
in Brighton-street, Red Bank; and in the YAM, eireet, in
different dwelling*, there live hie son, M`Cormick Dirkin,
bit son-in-law, end two married daughters, named Sarah
M`Doonough and Mary Casey. On Tuesday last four
ternone, by monism, related to the above, and named
Nathaniel M'Donnough, Frank M'Donnough, John I.l'Don-
nought brothers, with their sister, Smell fd*Donnough,
living in Ashley-street, off Angel•street, Manchester,
were joined by three or four others whom they knew from
Liverpool, and the party appear to have deliberately
planned an attack upon the old man Dirkin and his sons
end daughter. At three o'clock in the afternoon of the
day named John M'Donnough went to old Dirkin's cellar,
to inquire where hie sons and daughters were. Mrs. Dirkin,
an team old woman, who had no suspicion of the object of
the inquiry, told him they were at their work, and would
return at tit or seven o'clock in the evening. He repeated
the inquiry several times during the afternoon; then between
six and seven mastered with his amociatte in the street,
and began to make a disturbance. The old man, Dirkin,
left hie cellar In order to go into the house of his daughter
Sarah, to make • tire, when he wan immediately set
upon in the most brutal manna, knocked down, beaten,
and kicked to such an extent that on Saturday morning
last, when the subject came before the magistrates (some
i et the assailant, being captured), he was not expected
to survive many hones. Babies other injuries be bed re-
ceived. several ribs were broken. The 'creams of the old
man brought the people into the streets, and as soon as
bin children came to his help they also were attacked with
life-preeervers and other wearer., and severely injured in
various ways, being both beamed and cut. The old man
wee taken into hie cellar, and hes been since attended by
Mr. Meacham, surgeon. Sarah 11`Donnough had to have
her wounds deemed at the Infirmary ; the husband of Dirkin's
daughter (Mary Casey) was to much beaten on the head that
hie face was covered with blood. The assailants escaped at
the time, some of them to Liverpool, and the rest otherwise
concealing themeelves; but on Friday night Sergeant Charles
Wilma apprehended Frank M•Donnough, in St. Michael's-
place; and shortly afterward., in their house in Ashley-
street, Nathan and Sarah M`Donnusigh.
The prieonere were placed in the dock at the City Police
Court on Saturday.
Patrick Dirkin stated that be was a hawker. On Tuesday
night, when coming home from hawking, be was met to the
street by • man who shook hire by the hand, and inked if he
would have a glom of ale? He replied that he would not ;
upon which the man salted if he would fleht. He replied
that he wan not a fighting man, upon which he was im-
mediately etruck on the head with some weapon, and knocked
down. While this was being done he saw others of the
party beating his father-in-law.
M•Cormick Ditkin said be heard a disturbance, and coming
out of hie house, saw the prisoners (with others not then in
rusted) beating his lather. Witness went up and asked
what they were doted that for, when he wee knocked down
himself, and ill-need.
Mary Cam, said she was returning home from her work,
at nearly eight o'clock, when she wan met by • girl, who
said, " Your father to killed by • greet Terry." Witness
eet off towards her Rither'n cellar, when the prisoner,
Frank M'Donnough, pulled • life-preserver oat of his pocket,
and knocked her down with it. Several of the kicked
her. She maw them beating her father, and
than, don't kill my father." After that they jostled him
away, and she could not an what they did at him.
Sarah M'Donnough (married to a man of this name, net
la custody at the time) was coating from her work, sad Mat