Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-06 00:00:00

MURDER IN WICKLOW.

The Irish papers contain accounts of a frightful out-
rage perpetrated at Mucklow, in the county of Wicklow.
The evidence taken at the inquest held ou the body
of the victim, an old man named Michael Boland, a
farmer under Lord Fitzwiliam, brought out the follow-
ing story :
It appears that Lord Fitzwilliam's agent wished to
" square" the two adjoining farms, held respectively
by deceased and the accused, a man named Richard
Behan, also residing at Mucklow, who holds two farms
under Lord Fitzwilliam, one of which adjoins that
of deceased. The agent wished to " square" the two
farms, so as to make them look better and tidier. Behan
objected to the arrangement ; in consequence of which
he was served with ejectment notices for both farms, and
decrees were obtained at the quarter sessions at Tinahely.
On Monday last Mr. Lawr,nson, the receiver to the
estate, sent the surveyor and bailiff, with other assis-
tants, to take possession of both farms. They went to
Behan's house and demanded possession, producing
the decrees. Behan was at home at the time, but
did not appear at first. His wife, however, pre-
sented herself, and spoke to the bailiff, abusing
him, and saying, " Although you have mea at the
bawn ' gap, I was never afraid of a man yet." The
bailifrreplied that he had a duty to perform, and that
he should do it. Behan then appeared, and said to the
bailiff that he might take , possession, as he would not
offer any resistance. The bailiff then sent his men to
drive the stock off the farm. Mrs. Behan then came
out with a pitchfork in her hand, and asked the
bailiff "did he think that would do ?" After these
words the surveyor and bailiff went to take pos-
session of some cottier's premises, and on their
return towards Behan's house they found Mrs.
Behan in the act of sharpening the prongs of the
fork on a " bank." The husband was in view,
and he asked the bailiff to feel the " prongs" (by way
of threat), which he• did as ho was passing. She then
said that he might be the first himself to "get it." The
bailiff passed ou and took possession of the dwelling
house and holding, and put a man in the house to keep
possession. After they had got possession of all the
tenements Boland (deceased) was sent for to get pos-
session of Behan's land which it was intended at first
to add to his farm. At this time there was a crowd of
twenty or thirty collected in the field all on Behan's
side. As soon as Boland entered the field, Behan
and wife, with several others of the crowd (Mrs. Behan
holding the fork in her hand) rushed down upon the
old man, and forced him violently over the " fence" oit
to the road. Behan also shook him violently on the
road. During these proceedings the surveyor, bailiff,
and an assistant endeavoured to keep peace and protect
the old man, who came at his own request "by him-
self." "When Boland was rescued from the hold of
Behan the bailiff strove to get him up the fence again
to take the possession. Mrs. Behan met him on the
top of the fence with the fork in her hand, and
kepi. " thrusting" it at him, but did not actually strike
him with it. The bailiff helped him up the ditch, and
the assistant (Gilbert), who stood on the top of the
ditch or fence, took hold of him by the hand to "haul"
him up. While these exertions were making on the
poor old man's behalf two young women (on Behan's
side) were not idle, for one of them exerted her
strength in pulling him down by the skirt of the coat,
while the other pushed him back, and, jostling Gilbert,
took the stick (a small walking stick) out of deceased's
band. At this time the deceased was noticed by
the surveyor to be in a fainting state and to have
completely lost the use of his limbs. On examination,
he was found to be in a dying state, and he expired
shortly after. When it was found he was dying,
Behan danced on the road and clapped his hands
with joy, thanking God that he had "struck him dead"
before "he got possession ;" and while being carried
to his house, five or six of the women were seen
kneeling on the road, praying that he might never
recover, and that he might never be forgiven ""in this
world or the next—the priest-selling dog !" I should
have mentioned that the deceased had sawyers cutting
timber for the purpose of roofing an outhouse, and one
of the women said, on coming up the road, that the
sawyers were " cutting the old dog's coffin." This was
said before the row commenced. Before possession was
demanded, Behan got £l5 from the agent, as he (Behan)
said that he had paid some arrears that were due on the
farm. The inquest is still proceeding. It is supposed
that the deceased got serious kicks, which must have
caused his death, but no more than the foregoing has as
yet been given in evidence. There are six persons in
custody—viz., Richard Behan, son, and wife, and three
other women.

We (Athenteum) are glad to hear that the Russian
naval department has taken up that wonderful inven-
tion of Mr. Piazzi Smyth, for making astronomical
observations on board a rolling ship, and that the Pul-
kave astronomers and mechanicians are now engaged
in manufacturing a large free-revolvinF apparatus for
observing altitudes-0f stars at night without the aid of
the sea horizon.
The Capitol at Washington is nearly ready for the
reception of the American Congress. The apartment in
the senate wing, for the use of the President, is more
than half done. The ceiling is embellished with historical
and emblematical paintings. The Intelligeneer says that
" hundreds of visitors circulate through the Capitol daily,
feasting their minds upon its glories.'
THE RELIGIOUS DISSENSIONS IN ST. GEORGE'S-IN-
THE-EAST.—On Sunday something like peace was res-
tored in this hitherto excited parish. For many weeks
past the battle at the eleven o'clock morning service has
been for the choristers' seats, and in many cases the
malcontents have succeeded in taking possession of them,
driving priests and choristers to perform their part of
the service as best they could. An attempt of the
same sort was made on Sunday morning, but Mr.
Churchwarden Thompson gave strict injunctions that
they should be kept clear, and that no one should be
allowed to stand in front of the chancel. Every person
who attended was offered a seat, and in every case of re-
fusal the offending party was ordered to leave the church.
The 'Rev. A. 13. Machonochie performed the service
throughout. There was the usual amount of coughing,
and every now and then the rev. gentleman was hissed,
especially when he ascended the pulpit in his surplice.
The afternoon Litany service was interrupted through-
out. Some sang, others said the responses, and the re-
sult was, of eourse, a most indecent exhibition. The
seven o'clock evenini, service was commenced in the
midst of confusion, which was, however, peremptorily
checked for a time by the churchwardens and police.
The Rev. C. F. Lowder preached. Taking Sunday's
services as a whole, they were far more orderly and
decent than the Parish Church of St. George's-in-the-
East has witnessed for many months past, and it may
fairly be hoped that the agitation is now dying out.
DEVELOPMENT OP EAST INDIAN PRODUCTS.—Coin-
cident with the departure of the Right Hon. Jas. Wilson
to prop up the finances of India, it appears by Tuesday's
Gazette that a company has been formed to bring home
the many and important fibrous plants of Indian growth,
and subjecting them to certain patented processes to feed
our textile fabrics to an almost unlimited extent. Plants
with
called rheea or Assam grass, Neilg,herry nettle, plain-
tain, and aloe, which can be had in great abundance,
tiatlipitaecda, foarndsilmkohoarir,woaoker or mix
sub-
jectedeing
to those processes, to • produce an apparently
fabulous profit. They have been already tested by
great manufacturers in the North of England, and
the results are most satisfactory, with a strength
fibre hitherto rarely silkmay obe
r wool,sub s
found. The field of operation is
e largenough—especially as China appears to be united
I to India in the act of parliament which this company is
, seeking to obtain—not to confine it to the few large
capitalists, who will try under their patent to make it a
monopoly. We hope that other companies, if they
have been dexterously kept out of parliament and com-
petition this year, will be prepared to go also for acts of
incorporation' and powers to take lands and advance
money to zemindars and others- next year. The arena
is large enough for all, and we do not think it should
be subject to a monopoly, which one company alone
would be.—
Shipping Gazette.

`--------lIIINTING APPOINTMENTS.
CHESHIRE lIOUNDS.
Wednesday Dec. 7 Oulton Park.
Thursday Dec. 8 Duddon Heath.
Saturday . Dee. 10 Manor House.
At Half-past Ton o'clock
•

LATEST BETTING AT TA'PPERSALLS.--NIONDAY,
THE DERBY.
8 to 1 against Umpire (o)
100 to 8 against Buccaneer (o)
25 to 1 against The Drone (t)
50 to 1 against Paleface (t)
1000 to 10 against Oliver
12 to 1 against Thormanby (t and o)
20 to 1 against High Treason (t)
33 to 1 against Upperhand (t 40 to 1)
50 to 1 against Restes (t)
CROYDEN STEEDLE-CHASE.—The stewards have adjourned
the consideration of this disputed race till Monday next,
December 12th,