The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-18 00:00:00

HORRIBLE MURDER.

Patrick Cusark, Eleanor Ryan, Edmond Rail, and Patrick
Lennanc were given in charge ler the murder of John Ryan, the
husband of the female prisoner, at Ballyvorneen, on the 12th of
October. Ina—Patrick Cusack, for having given deceased one
mortal blow of a hatchet, of which he instantly died ; and that the
other prisoners ware aiding and assisting; and, on a second indict-
ment, that Patrick Cusack did strangle the said John Ryan with a
rope, and that the others were aiding and assisting.
Ooot.n addressed the Jury. The deceased,- John Ryan,
was a comfortable farmer. holding a considerable quantity of land.
There were four persons they might perceive charged with this
murder, the scene of which had taken place in the house of the un.
fortunate man. A map of this house had been made with a view to
this trial. I-fe would briefly call the attention of the Jury to a few
circumstances which would tend materially to elucidate the case.
The house consisted of a kitchen and rooms on the right and left of
it ; in the room on the right of the kitchen was the bed of the de-
ceased ; it was a long room, and near the bed was the partition se-
parating it (rota the -kitchen ; near the dour and at die same side
WIN a fire-place. Such is the scene where this dreadful and bar.
barous murder appears to have taken place. Monday, the Ilth *of
October, was the fair-day of Bally brood, to which fair the deceased
went to transact business ; that day was stormy, and, from the in.
temperance of the weather, the deceased was unable to return
home that night ; the prisoners, Cusack and Ellen, were that day
together in the house of the deceased ; the Tuesday following was
the day on which this homicide was stated to have been committed,
and they would perceive that the mode by which death was caused
was laid in the indictment in two different ways,—in one by stran-
gulation, and in another hy a blow indicted by a hatchet. The de-
ceased returned home on Tuesday. At that time they had a young
female child just recovering from the small-pox, who slept with her
father and mother. She was a small creature, and of very tender
years, but if her evidence should be required for the furtherance of
the ends of justice, the would be produced that day on the tabie. It
would be distinctly proved to them that there was a lire-place near
the entrance of the bed-room ; it would be proved that the fire that
night in that room was of so tremendous a nature as to attract even
the notice of strangers who pawed along the road, and extended over
more than half the floor ; it would be proved that a hatchet, which
used to be under the bed of the deceased, was seen in the pri.
caner Cusack's postsesaion, who made use of it to sharpen a spade_
tree the day of the murder. It might not be then improper to
state, that that identical hatchet had, some short time since, been
discovered near the house of the deceased, and that it was marked
with the stains of his blood. The unfortunate deceased, on the
eight of this transaction, went to bed intoxicated, they having
taken pains to ply him with liquor, as he had been made, as he
(the Learned Sergeant) was instructed to state, to drink four or five
tea-cups of whiskey; it would be proved, that while overcome by
intoxication and retired to his bed, Cusack fixed a rope round his
neck, and instantly strangled him, and that they then brought his
body to the fire-place to burn him, intending thereby to conceal
all means of discovery, which, having been unable to effect, they
used him in a way which he solemnly declared to God he was
unable to express. They next procured a sheet which they used to
lift the body and take it away. It would be proved that the
other prisoners, Hall and Leonine. assisted in the deportation of
the body, which they concealed. After long and tedious search, the
body was at length found in a bog-hole, and with great difficulty
removed. It would be satisfactorily demonstrated by a respectable
surgeon, that when the body was found, it was in such a state that
the deceased could not have destroyed himself, and that the con.
dition in which he was discovered was produced by the barbarous
usage he received. It would appear from the evidence to be pro.
duced before them, that the brother of the deceased came to Ryan's
house the morning after the murder, and on his approach to the
house met Cusack to company with two persons, Waters and
Sheehan, she latter of whom was eintack's brother-in-law; the
dialogue which took place between them he need not repeat, as it
would appear from the evidence. Anionic the witnesses he had
brought betore them would be an infant, about seven or eight
years old—it would be for the Court to determine how far tsbe was
competent to be extuntned on the trial l'herc was abo another
witness, Lamed Mary Cramer, • servant of the deceased, who
came forward under rather suspicious circumstances, because on
her showing, it appeared that the barbarous transaction had come
to her knowledge, and that she bad concealed that -knowledge, and
did not communicate it as she should hove done instantly to a
Nlaiitstrate. l'hir present woo lOM lit einealnetnnee, and if they

could not di.

!se with the testimony of the child, they should not
_ln` • • • oy that circumstance from doing public Justice.
—Witnesses acre examined, who proved the holding of the body,
and other eircumstar.ces mentioned in the preceding speech. The
brother of the deceased called in on the night of the murder, and
saw tate female prisoner, who was then sitting with Leonine, near
a large fire, and stated her husband to have gone out to drink. She
pretended to expect and look nut for him. The most remarkable tes-
timony was the following :
Mary Cramer, a well-looking woman, about thirty years of age,
examined by Mr. LLOYD—Knew deceased, whose servant she
was ; recollects the fair day of Hallybrood, and his returning from
it the day after, pretty early in the looming ; it was on a Tuesday.
Saw him alter his return, and brought him his supper into the par.
lour. M'imeas slept in the other end of the house. below the
kitchen, which was betweea his room and hers : witness went to
bed, and through her sleep heard some noise, but she could not
tell whereabouts it was ; she awoke soon after and thought the noise
was as if she had clapped her hands together, but did not know
what it was, or where it was ; she fell asleep again in a minute;
•k_ shortly after awake, and heard Mrs. Ryan and Cusack talking
in the parlour ; she did not see them at this time, but is sure it was
their voices she heart ; Mrs. Ryan said, " If Mary Cramer knows
this, she would tell it about the road to-morrow ;" Clime cursed,
and then said, •• not to leave it in her power to tell it;" Mrs. Ryan
said, " there was enrugh done now ;" she fell asleep again, and
heard no more until Mrs. Ryan called her from the parlour door,
and asked if there was any water within ; witness got up, and went
to the kitchen, where there was a small tub under a taL-le, in which,
she got the water, put it into the can, and was going.into the par.,
lows with it, when Mrs. Ryan met her at the door, which
was partly open, anti witness saw Cusack there standing with'
his face towards the bed. Mrs. Ryan took the water from
her, and was then standing near the corpse of John Ryan,
which was lying on the floor of the parlour ; saw it by the
light of the lire ; witness then returned to hed, covered her head,
and thought she should be killed herself; Mrs. Ryan came to the
kitchen again, and desired witness to bring a sheet, which she
did, and Mrs. R. took it out of her hand. She now saw Hal
come out of a hole in a cellar, which was in the parlour; they thee
took anti bundled up the body in a sheet. As she was standing at
the parlour door she saw a glimpse of her master's face, which
appeared as if burned. Saw Cusack, Hall, and Mrs. Ryan thee*
at the time, and no one else. They wrapped the tour corners or
the sheet round the body, and then placed it in a middle-aized white
box near the parlour door. Ler.nane came in at this time, and
Cusack asked them all to help to lift the corpse off the box. Less..l
name put his hands to it, and witness stretched out hers for the same)
purpose. They all saw witness at the time. Witness *gain re.'
turned to bed, and was shortly after called up by Mrs. Ryan, who
desired her to come into the parlour, and told her it was Jack`
Ryan who hail lighted the tire before she went out, and desired her
to go and see if he was in the kitchen. She went out for that par-
pose with a lighted candle, and returned, when Mrs. Ryan desired
her, if any one asked her about the matter, to say that she had been
sent by Mrs. Ryan to see if her husband was in the kitchen. Mrs.
Ryan was getting up at the time, and desired her to call the boy.
TINI lire was very large, and extended front the fire-place over the
greater part of the floor, and it was far in the day when it was
burned out. She did net see what happened to the body after it was
taken of the white box by Cusack, hall, and Lennane. Mr. R.
was standing on the floor. She now identified all the prisoners,
and when she laid the crier's wand on the head of Lennane, ISO
called aloud •• get along you d—d perjurer, you scoundrel, to be
taking away the men's lives."
Slaty Ryan, the daughter of the female prisoner, and of the mur.
dared, man, was here brought into the court under theprotection of
Mr. Yokes. She appeared betwt:o eight and nine years of age,
and was a fine sensible-looking child, and when she first came into
Court looked round with much curiosity. She tam nicely dressed,
and on the whore appeared a very interesting child. While she
remained on the table under examination, her mother, on whom
her production evidently had a most strong effect, continued sitting
down, and covered her lice with a handkerchief to conceal her
emotion. His Lordship, before he would allow her to be sworn,
questioned her very minutely as follows, as to her knowledge of
the nature of an oath, and her perception of good and evil :
COURT—What is your name ?—Mary Ryan, Sir. Do you
know how old you are ?-11 do not, Sir. Did you ever hear from
your father or mother how old you are ?-1 did not. Have you
a brother ?—Yes. What's his name ?—Johnny. Is he older or
younger than you ?—He is older, Sir. Have you a sister ?
Yee. Where did you live until you came here P—Atltallyvour.
peen. flow old is Johnny ?—I don't know, Sir. How old is
your sister ?—lndeed, I don't know. Do you ever say your
prayers ?—t'es ; Dr. Hogan taught me to say them. Whom
do you pray to always pray to God. What becomes of
paityile who do evil ?—They will go to Hell, and be burned. 1)0
pea know where good people will go . —Yes. W here ?—To
ttleaven. Who live in Heaven ?—God and his Angels. Where
would you go if you told the truth ?—To Heaven.. If you told
Yea, and what was false, where would you go ?—To Hell.
His Lordship permitted her to be sworn, and she repeated the
termination of the words, " and nothing but the truth, •' as the
(dark of the Crown was tendering the oath to her. " Recollect now,
Mary," said Judge Toners, " that you have taken an oath before
(iced Almighty, who is looking down upon us all, and will punish
sad send you to Hell if you say what Is not true."
• She was then examined by Mr. Sergeant GouLD—Remernhers
Me day her father came from the fair at Bally brood ; there was
a kitchen and parlour in the house ; she slept in the room next the
Iliethan, which every person in the house used to call the parlour;
Mere was a bed in that room ; knows Cusack and Hall ; was sick
Then, and her mother kept her up ; when her father came front the
Air she was in bed, and when he came home in the evening he gave
her mother two apples, and gave herself two more ; the last night
entirely that she saw her father she saw Cusack and her mother
'shag with hint Cusack often came into the house, and Cusack's
mother used to follow him, and he always hid himself in a cellar;
ht father is dead, and she saw something done to him ; they were
drinking whiskey which Nelly Flinn had brought in a bottle from
Limerick, and which she left there in the day time ; there was a
groat fire in the parlour ; when they were drinking the whiskey
Gesack threw a tea-cup of whiskey in her father's face, and her
father cursed him ; Cusack came by night with a hatchet, and
alter her father went to best he came with a halter and squeezed
k round her father's neck ; it was her mother bid hint ; they
dragged her father out of the bed on the floor, and cut his legs and
arms (pointing at the time to both) y she cried, and Cusack swore
he'd kill her if the disturbed the people with crying ; she cried for
seeing her father choking ; her mother desired Cusack, for God
Almighty's sake, not to kill her ; after that they cut his arm and
leg • they threw him on the tire, and left him there until they
heard a car coming ; they took it up and threw water on it to cool
the body ; her mother took hits' by the head, and Cusack took
him by the legs and put him into a sheet, and then laid him on a
box ; indeed, indeed, she saw all this ; her father did not speak
but grunted when the rope was round his neck; often saw Cusack
before ; saw Hall watching abroad at the door, and he laid the
latch down very easy and was peeping into the room, but was not
inside entirely ; when her father's brother carne he asked why did
not her mother send one of the servant boys to look for her father ;
the body wax laid on the white little box when Ilall was peeping
in ; she told this first when her father was found in a little boghole;
there was water thrown on the body, and it was brought in by
Moll Cramer.

A witness was examined on behalf of the female prisoner, who,
however, proved nothing in her favour.

The Jr DOE then summed up with great care and perspicuity.
The Jury returned the following verdict:—Eleanor Ryan,
Cuilt.; Edmund Guilty; Patrick Cusack, Guilty; and
Patrick Lennanc, Not Guilty.

The prisoners, Ryan, Cusack, and Hall, were then set forward,
and bennane was ordered to be put back.
When the usual questions were put to the convicted persons, if
they had any thing to say why sentence of death and execution
should not be passed on them, the prisoner Hall said that he was
asleep at the time of the transaction ; that he was as innocent of it
as he was on the day he was born, and that he had a heavy charge
to leave behind him. Cusack said he had nothing to do with it,
and was, thank God ! as innocent as any one in Court. Mrs. Ryan.
who appeared during the entire trial to be undergoing great mental
affliction, was unable to speak, but sunk exhausted on the seat
behind her.

His LOIDSH/P, before pronouncing sentence on the prisoners,
addressed them in 3 most feeling and forcible manner.

Airs. Ryan fainted on the pronouncing of the sentence, and was
immediately attended by Surgeon Franklin, jun. but she was
obliged to be removed in a chair from the Court to the prison,
where she continued in the same senseless state until about ten
o'clock that night, when she came to herself, and became com-
posed.

The trial terminated about seven o'clock, and the gloom of the
Court, over which the candles threw " a dim religious light,"
added to the melancholy solemnity of the awful scene.

Mns Ryan appeared to be about twenty-eight years old, and,
from her dress, seemed a person in comfortable circumstances; her
face bore evident marks of extreme anxiety and depression of mind,
which made her look considerably older. She perspired copiously
during the trial, and frequently wiped her face with a handker-
chief. There was something like resignation to the fate which,
she must have been rontdent awaited her, in her whole demeanour.
Cusack is almost forty years old, was dressed in a large flint
coat ; there was a settled melancholy in his face, which was of a
very dark and fiendish hue. He appeared quite unmoved during
the trial, and when die ♦erdict was announced a sort of sneer of
contempt quivered on his lips.
Hall seemed most affected of all the prisoners, and during the
trial was fr:quently in tears.
• • - - -

The crowded state of the Court during the entire of the trial—
the almost breathless silence that ptrvaited sithin hearing of the
evidence—the vast multitude that filled the hall, and every avenue
leading to the Court-house—the eagerness with which the pro-
gress of the trial was transmitted in all directions, and the cosnt-
less hundreds who waited to catch a glimpse of the prisooers on
their return to gaol, at every street that cuminandeci a view of the
proussion, evinced, in the most palpable manner, the intense
anxiety felt by ail to whom this atrocious murder has been coin.
inuoicated. NVe hope that the providence of God, tli4played in the
development of this deed of horror, will not be without its moral
effect oo our people.
- -

The public., and the interests of humanity in general, are
much indebted to Dlr. Vokes, who assiduously examined into
the whole transaction, collected and compared the entire evi.
denre ; and to AIL Balmer, chief constable of the Barony, whose
exertions to establish an unbroken chain of evidence, which ter-
minated in the punishment of the guilty, ere deserving of our
warmest praiso.—Lioserirk %tenor.

ROSCOMMO.V 4SSIZES.
On Tuesday, the Bch instant, an alarming fire broke out in the
town of Roscommon, in the middle of the night, by which two
houses were consumed, and much more extensive damage would
have beta done but for the great exertions of the police, humanely
seconded by some gentlemen of the Bar.
(In Wednesday, a trial came before Baron Smith, which excited
• very general interest. It was a charge of murder against Bybe.r
Browne, Pt:hick O'Neill, William Larkry, William Galvin,
and Thomas Cook: snd during the seven lours that the trial
last, the Court was crowded extremely. The prisoners were the
1 watchmen of Athlone. Browne was the commander of the pprty.
The person killed was John Connor, a person of very good cha-
-1 racier. The Baron's summing up was as concise as the mass of
evidence which he had to recapitulate would allow. The Jury,
which was a most respectable one. found O'Neill guilty of the
murder, and the other four of manslaughter, expremin; their opi-
nion that it was an aggravated case. O'Neill was immediately called
up for judgment, and received sentence of death. The Baron Olen
announced to the other four that the rule which he made was, that
they should be transported for their live,.
Rose Barrett was indicted for the murder of her sister. The
case was a suspicious one, but ended in an acquittal. There were
other trials for murder, but they ended in acquittals or convictions
fur manslaughter.

POLICE.

GUILDHALL

CAME OF DIST/TESL—John Layton, a decent looking young
man, was charged with stealing a basket, containing about a dozer-
Pounds of haslet, out of the tail of a cart, mantling in the Georg
Inn-yard, early on Widneaday morning. Upon being seized, lie
wept bitterly, and declared that he was a shoe-maker, but wag
almost starving from not having the means of purchasing materiaLa
to complete a little job or two he had by him.
Ford, an active constable of St. Andrew's, Holborn, wbo had
been called in. immediately set off to the prisoner's lodging, N 0.14,
Tash.street. Gray's Inn-lane, to ascertain the truth of his state-
ment, and found it to be correct. Two or three pair of women's
old shoes were lying en a stool, bus none of the necessary articles to
put them in repair. The prisoner's wife was standing with a fine
infant beside an empty gre.grate, and there was neither chair nor
bed in the room, and Ford was upon inquiry so convinced of the
most deplorable state of destitution this pour family were suffering
under, that he could not leave the place without furnishing out of
his own pocket to the unfortunate woman the means to obtain some
lire and food.
Under these circumstances the prosecutor expressed his unwil-
lingness to proceed, and the filagistrate discharged the prisoner,
with an admonition never to place himself in such a situation
again, hut apply, if he were distressed, to the officers of the pariah
in which he scalded for relief.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSALL; S, MAucer 17.

The betting to-day was exceedingly brisk on the Derby,
Riddlesworth, and Oatlands, and various alterations took place.
Rufus and Muleteer are even for the Derby, and Bolero and Pas-
time for the Riddlesworth—Bolero for choice. Legacy was brought

up tor the St. Leger, except which very little was don, on the out.
side horses or on that Stakes. The odds are as under :

OATL ANDS.
2 to 1 agst bonpraist 6 to 1 at Carnival
aptl 7 to 2
Buzzard 8 to 1 apt Burly Burly
RIDDLEIMOATII.
6 to 4 agst Rufus 10 to 1 agst Bolero
7 to I agat Sorcery 10 to 1 apt Lord G. CaTec..
10 to 1 agat Pastime dish's Selina colt

Dcl
8 to 1 apt Rufus
8 to 1 agst .Nluleteer
14 to 1 agst Webb
14 to 1 apt Parisut

Ii to 1 agar Bolero
18 to 1 agat Dauntless
20 to I agat Legacy
The oiler Horses as before.
10 to 1 agst Attica
11 to 1 agat Walt:
11F:R.
20 to 1 agat Homer
25 to I &gm Brigand
1000 to *2.1.1 agat Legacy

4 to I agst Aline
8 to I apt Sorcery (taken)
11 to 1 apt Pastime

to 1 apt Memnon
13 to 1 asst Cleveland
11 to 1 apt Redgauntlat
15 to 1 apt Androgens

IT. 7.:

EOT U.

ml•

---•
•
MEETINGS OF CREDITORS,
AT TUE BANKRI.A.T6' COURT, HAAINGHALL.STRIZT,

- TO.MOUROW. ,
—.NSW--
' THIRD MEETINGS. .a.
Burslein, T. and Cella, P. Abchurch.lane, wine-merchants,
-
(enlarged) - - - • 11
Chambers, C. Southampton-row, Russell-square, mercer - 10
Draper, T. White-street. Southwark, dealer . . 11
Griniwtod, J. Hoxton, carpenter . . - • IS
Grocock, S. Gray's Inn-lane-road, oil arid colour man . 111
Hughes. T. Speldhurst-street, Burton-crescent, draper - 11.1
Jones, E. Newington-causeway, linen-draper • 12
Lantana. T. T. de, Canterbury, porter-merchant . . 12
slosciy, Rosa, Conl.ton-square, Whitcchapel, glans-merchant 11
Nathan, Mary, George.street, Adelphi, bill-broker - - IS
Tooth, E. Hastings, haberdasher . - - - 1
Turner, 0. Chancery-lane, stationer . - . 12
Saunders, J. Ilulland•street and Bankside, Southwark, bacon.
dryer - --- 12

SECOND MEETINGS.
Passey, R. Fliub-arreet, Newington.butts, Surrey, bookseller It
Stanley, E. Old Kent-road, linen-draper . *
FIRST MEETINGS.