The Sun.
London, England, 1823-08-06 00:00:00

IRELA,I4O.

•• LIMERICK ASSIZES.--Ao9ysT
YAsterilaythe most important trim 'which figs
occurred since the commencement of Our ikit:iieS„ tame on to be
tried before Baron PEN NEri TUEt. in the County Court, when
Richard Molony,, Michael Ryan, Wm. Casey, 1 Moylan,.
Dabr Conway, and Thos. Meade, were capitally arraigned for
attacking the housed El enry Harding, Esq. at Derawlong, in this
County, on the 1911 of May last, and robbing it ofarms and am-
munition. Mr. Harding, with his 3 sisters, deposed, that their
Louse was attacked by 0 armed men, at 10 o'clock in the morning
of the 19th of lay last; that they entered the house by bursting in
the lower windows, when one of the prisoners rushed up to• Mr.
Harding's bed-room, and demanded his arms and ammunition.;
Mr. Harding fired at, .but missed him, when anceher'of the
gang fired at Mr. Harding, but without effect; • they then plan.
detect the house of whatever arms and ammunition it contained.
Thesix prisoners at the liar were identified. as forming some of
the party. The trial lasted ?rem twelve .o'clock in the morp-
ing till nine in the evening, 'When the Jury retired for a quar-
ter of an hour, and brought in a verdict of Guilty, hilt recom-
mended them for mercy, as they committed no violence on the
family.
The Learned JUMTE then addressed the prisoners, and after
expatiating on the enormity of the crime for which 'they were
convicted, said that it was Ills painful duty to pass upon them
the awful sentence of the law, [Mt that lie would give them a
long day, so as to forward the Jury's recommendation to the
proper quarter. They were then conveyed from the Court to
the gaol, accompanied by the heart-rending shrieks of ,their
afflicted friends and relatives. They were all young men.

COUNTY or DOWN-JuLy 28.
SINGULAR TRIAL FOR MURDER.

Patrick llit'Cann, otherwise Bernard M'Cann, otherwise Jas.
Hughes, was indicted for the murder of Owen M'Adam, near
Lisburn, on the 26th July, 1813, and although nearly ten years
bad elapsed, and he had left that part of the country, and bad
settled anti prospered under another name as a butcher in the
town of Galway, he was accidentally recognised, brought to
justice, and at this Assizes convicted of the aforesaid murder.

lll4Adam, it seems, was a horse. dealer, with whom the pri-
soner had been drinking on the day on which the former lost hiA
life; and tempted by the money in his possession, he murdered
him, and threw him into the anal. The evidence was circum-
stantial, but conclusive. Although so long n time had passed,
the horse and watch of the deceased were traced to the hands of
the prisoner, who had also left the country on the committal of
the murder.

The unfortunate culprit, who bad escaped the punishment
due to his crone for so long a period, and who had in the inte-
rim married a respectable wife in Galway, maintained for the
last ten years, an unexceptionable character and a family of
five children, and also an independence not often found in that
rank of life. He was supposed, to be worth at least 1,500 T. of
capital, and had twenty-three acres of land, nearly rent-free
for ever. Hia behaviour, previous to conviction, exhibited ex.
treme levity, having danced down the steps of the Court-house
on the preceding evening. Even on this awful occasion he re.
tained his firmness, stating audibly, and with a strong tone of
voice, that he did not care a farthing for the sentence, as he
would die innocent, and kept up the same tenor of conduct,
and assertions of innocence. even to his brothers ; he, however,
acknowledged to the Sheriff, about eleven o'clock on Wednes-
day night, that he had been at the murder, and was about ten
yards off when it occurred; that the person who murdered him
was named James Hughes, and that he took that name when
he went to Galway.