The Sun.
London, England, 1824-01-05 00:00:00

HEIUFFORD GAOL.

On Saturday Mr. Ilisemett, the Solicitor fpr
Hunt, arrived in Hertford, and had an interview
with his client. in he gaol. Both !luta and Pro
Bert's spirits are slieprtssed ; thosrof the latter,
it is said, from an apprehension of the rigid cross-
examination which .he -is-likely to endure, after
being examined as King's evidence. Thurtell
continues entirely unmoved, and talks of the fa-
mily arrangements for his future maintenance,
which he hopes- to have carried into effect when
he gets rid of the present accusation. He reads
the newspapers, and converses with great appa-
rent indifference upon the common topics of the
day. lie talks of being liberated from the gaol
about two o'clock on Wednesday next, and in-
timates the plan he will adopt of getting quietly
to town, when he hopes his father will enable
him to live on the Continent, in such a manner
as his circumstances will permit.
In the course of Saturday, Mr. James Con-
nolly, accompanied by a friend, , arrived at the
gaol, and applied to Mr. Wilson for permission to
see his brother, Mr. Patrick Connolly, on the
subject of employing professional assistance. Mr.
Connolly's friend said his name was Peters, and
that he was a military man : he introduced the
brother to 'the Governor of the prison, and said
that they were very solicitous to see the prisoner
with the least possible delay, as they meant to
drive over to the coroner's inquest, which was
about to sit, and be the hearers of a written au-
,
thority from him, to authorize Mr... Noel to act as
his solicitor, that gentleman deeming such an
order necessary. The Rev. Mr. Lloyd, the
visiting Magistrate, was immediately sent for,
and he promptly repaired to the gaol. The pri-
soner was then brought from the ward in which
he is confined, into the counting-house, where he
had an interview with his brother, in the pre-
sence .of Mr. Lloysl'and Mr. Wilson. The pri-
soner and his brother shook hands, and were
much affected. Mr. Peters (who had retired be-
fore Mr. Connolly entered) was then introduced,
and the necessary instructions for professional as-
sistance, being given, the parties withdrew.
The prisoner, Patrick Connolly, is a tall gen-
manly-looking man, fashionably dressed ; he says
that he was 13 or 16 years a surgeon in the Dub-
, lin militia. His manner was composed, and he
speaks of the fatal act which he pepetrated as
one justified by the violent attack made by the
assailants on the house of his friend Capt. Nestor.
Both the brother and his friend seemed desir-
ous, possible, to have the trial entered upon at
the adjourned commission, which will sit on 'fues
day next, to proceed upon the
prisoners charged
with the murder of Mr. Weare, but there is no
chance of Connolly's case being
heard before the
March Assizes. He is married to a lady who
she has, lhas some independent property ; s
how-
ever, resided away from him in Hampshire for a
considerable time. He has requested the daily
attendance of the gaol-barber, as he is not allow-
ed the use of his own dressing implements. A
lancet, and a small paper of gunpowder, were
found in his pockets when he was lodged in gaol.

THE LATE FATAL OCCURRENCE

IK HERTFORDSHIRE.

THE CORONER'S INQUEST.
On Saturday morning, at 11 o'clock,— R„OKE,
Ent., the Coroner for the county of Hertford, assembled a jury'
at the White Horse, Shenley-hill, for the purpose of inqainge,
uiring
into the circumstances attending the death of James Gr
who was unfortunately shot at Rabley-house on the night of
Wednesday last. The names of the Jury having been
called
, over they were sworn.
Mr. Roost having inquired if there were any reporters in
the room connected with the public press, and h
•ng received
an answer in the affirmative, he desired to state, that he felt it
his duty as Coroner to protest against any minutes of evidence
being taken either by the reporters for publication, or by any
other persons. He was induced to make his protest in
conse-
quence of observations which had recently fallen from a high
authority, in a case of great atrocity, upon which a Court
of
Justice would shortly have to decide. He certainly felt that it
was of the greatest importance that prisoners charged with
crimes of any sort should proceed to trial as free from preju-
dice as possible, and therefore was the more anxious that the
evidence taken before him in a case of so serious a nature as the
present, should be withheld from the public till the time of '
trial arrived. With regard to a Coroner's Court being an open
or a close Court, this was a point upon which much difference
of opinion had existed among Coroners themselves, and no po-
sitive or general decision had been formed; his own idea on the
subject was, that it was an open Court, and lie knew of no pre-
cedent whichi could justify him in coming to an opposite con-
clusion. In this feeling he certainly should not take upon him-
self to exclude any particular individual from his presence, con-
tenting himself with having made his protest, and leaving the
reporters to adopt that course which their own discretion might
suggest, iivi• upon their own responsibility--open, of course,
to such p ings as a breach of his orders might appear
to warrant:

The Reporter of the Morning Chronicle, who had anewered
to Mr. Rooke's first question, said he should feel it his duty to
give publicity to the opinions which the Coroner had thought
fit to promulgate. He thought it necessary to remark, how-
ever, that in his experience he had never known an instance
in which the proceedings of a Coroner's Court had been sup-
pressed, or in which every facility had not been given to the
gentlemen who attended at such proceedings from the public
press. Many very important cases had come under his obser-
vation, involving questions of peculiar delicacy, where the Co-
roner, although strongly urged by persons of high rank, had
not ventured to close the doors of his Court ageirst any persons
_whatever; and in some cases even counsel and attornies had
attended, both for prisouers and prosecutors; • and these indivi-
duals were suffered not only to take minutes of evidence, but to
cross-examine the witnesses. He instanced particularly the
cases at Manchester ;• the inquests on Honey and Francis, who
were shot by the Life Guards during the progress of the
Queen's funeral; the inquest on the body of Mr. Perceval,
who was shot by Bellingham ; and others of &similar nature.
The Coroner had said that there was no precedent upon which
be could act. This was the fact ; and until some such prece-
dent was established, he, the reporter, felt it but consistent
with candour to say, that he should certainly publish such evi-
dence as came under his observation, subject, of course, to any
consequences, to which the breach of the Coroner's protest might
expose _him. He could have no personal feeling to gratify be-
yond the discharge of the duty which brought him to Shenley,
and be saw no reason why he should be the first to establish a
precedent, or to recognize a principle upon which the opinion
of the Coroners themselves seemed to be so much at variance.
Mr. ROOKS admitted the candour of this declaration, and
said, that all he was desirou:4 of doing, was to state his feelings
publicly on the subject. Whether any proceedings should fol-
low a breach of his order, was a question on which lie was not
then to determine.

The Rev. Mr. Nvwcomr., the Magistrate, here remarked,
that he had nothing to do with the present Court, but as far as
his own feelings went, he was a friend to the publication cf
correct reports. There was' a precedent, however, in a recent
case at Durham, in which the Coroner had excluded certain
persons from his court, in consequence of the observations
which had been made by Mr, Justice Park at Hertford and
elsewhere. With regard to the law on this subject, he cer-
tainly was aware that the Judges had intimated their opinion
that a Coroner's Court partook of the nature of a Grand Jury—
it was simply a court of inquiry, and might be kept strictly se-
cret. This opinion was given after arguments which had been
urged to their Lordships in the case of Cox v. Coleridge, which
involved a question as to the right of attornies to be present for
prisoners while they were under examination before Magistrates.
He had stated this fact not with a view of influencing the con-
duct of the Coroner on the present proceedings, but simply as
point of information. He repeated, that for himself he was

friendly to the publication of truth ; but not to_those imperfect
and garbled accounts which too frequently appeared. He did
not recollect any 'decided case in which-the power of the Coro-
ner to exclude strangers from his Court had been recognized:.
Three other Magistrates were present, Messrs. Winter,
liadow, and Mason, but they made tio observation.
The Jury then accompanied the Coroner to take a view of the
body, which lay in an upper room in the cottage occupied by
his family—a wife and four children. The unfortunate widow
was greatly distressed ; her appearance was highly respectable,
and her house neat and clean. She baS been left entirely de-
stitute.

The Jury next proceeded to take a view of Captain Nestor's
house, which is situated aboula mile and 'a half from Shepley-
hill, in the parish of Ridge." They went into all the rooms on
the ground floor, and particularly examined the fractures in the
windows and doors, and part of the shutter of the front door,
on which there was a large mark of gunpowder, and an ap-
pearance as if a charge of shot or a ball had passed through.
The Coroner and Jury returned to the White Horse at one
o'clock, and desired. the witnesses to be called.

Previous to the first witness being sworn, the Coroner said
he understood some other reporters had entered the room ; he
therefore felt it necessary to repeat his protest against notes
being taken, or the evidence published.

Mr. SrEvnis, who, we believe, is the Attorney of Mr.
Andrews, at whose suit the execution was issued against Mr.
Connolly, then addressed the Coroner, and complained of the
gross misstatements which had been published respecting this
occurrence ; he alluded particularly to a paper of that morning,
" The Morning Herald, and to that part of the statement, in
that paper, which alluded to the nature of the transactions be-
tween Mr. Connolly and Mr. Andrews, at Brighton. This was
wholly false, and infamously libellous.
Mr. NOEL, who was in attendance for Mrs. Brown, said he
had seen an account of the action brought by Mr. Andrews
against Mr. Connolly, in the Brighton Herald of the 28th of
M arch last.

31r. STEVENS repeated that the statement to'wbich he al-
luded was altogether false. He then pointed out the exception-
able paragraph, and said his object was to have it promptly
corrected.

The Con.wrEn. interposed, and observed that this was a
matter with Which he had nothing to -do. All he had to do
•was to inquire into the cause, of• the death of James Urainge,
and must request that all obserVations should be confined to
that.

Thomas llesketh was then called. He deposed that he was
a shoe-maker at Ridge, in this county. In consequence of
having heard that a murderhad been committed at Rabley-
house, at half-past four in the afternoon of Wednesday last, he
went to the house in company with other persons. On arriving
st the house, lie met a gentleman on the road, who said
he was an Attorney's Clerk. He asked him what was
the matter, and the gentleman said they had a warrant or a
writ to apprehend a gentlenian of the name of Connolly. Wit-
ness was accompanied by Thomas Lock, a constable. They went
to the door and knoeked, but there was no admission. The
door was not broken then, and what he had heard about the
murder proved to be untrue. lie had not seen the attorney's
clerk that morning. The attorney's clerk wanted the door to
be forced, but Mr. Lock said he had no authority for this. A.
short time after Mr. Connolly opened the window, and said he
would shoot the first man who offered to enter the house. The
constable talked to him, and begged him to give himself up ;
but he said he would not. They waited a few minutes, and
the gentlemen thought they would go for further advice to the
Magistrates. There was another gentleman, besides the attor-
ney's clerk. It was said that some assault had been committed
before witness went. Witness accompanied the two gentlemen
to the Magistrate. When they went back from the Magistrates,
there was a large party, and among. them James Grainge, the
constable. Witness saw James Grainge in the yard, and bege
ged him not to he too hasty, as Mr. Connolly had used dreadful
threats, and said he would shoot any person that went into the
house. James Grainge knocked at the door twice ; the second
knock was answered from within ; witness did not know by
whom ; somebody asked who was there ? James Grainge, the
deceased, replied, " The constable of the parish of Shenley."
The person inside wanted to know what he wanted ; this was
between six and seven ; but lie could not speak with certainty
to the time. It was star-light, sufficiently light to discover
-any person close to you. Mr. Grainge answered, "he had a
warrant to apprehend one Mr..C,onnolly." It was a male voice
that spoke from within the house. The reply was, that "' he
should not surrender ; he would not attend to it." The shut-
ters were all closed. Mr. Grainge begged of him to surrender,
and he said, " the first person that entered he would shoot."
Mr. Grainge said he hoped not ; he hoped he would govern his
Passion, and added, that if he would not give himself up, he
must break in by main force. Somebody then said, "Constable,
do your duty," Witness did not know who said this. Jam„
Grainge then began to knock the door with a hatchet; he was
standing on the right side of the door, on the stone step. After
he had struck the door twice or ;him times, witness heard the
report of a gun, but did. net see blie &Ml.'. At that moment
witness heard Grainge say, " You have blown my arm
off!" Witness was not near enough to see the state of the door,
but had heard the glass break. :Could not see who fired the
gun. Witness was so much terrified-that he then went away.
Prior to the gun being tired, witness saw two females, and an-
other man, beside Mr. Connolly, in the house. It was out
of the front cif the bouse Mr. Connolly looked. It was Mrs.
Brown and a female servant he saw look out of the window.
Understood Mrs. Brown to be the occupier of the house. Had
seen Mrs. Brown before on horseback.

The ColtoriEn now intimated that it was not likely he should
close his investigation that day ; ne should, therefore, adjourn
the inquest in good time until Monday morning; and as the
Surgeons who were in attendance -might feel it inconvenient to
stop, he would take their testimony next
Mr. STEVENS begged that the adjournment might take place
to such an hour as would enable the two witnesses,to whom the
last witness had alluded, to come from London.
The CORONER. said he should be sitting all day, and their
evidence might he taken at any time.
At this moment a letter was handed to Mr. NoEr, from the
prisoner Connolly, which had been brought from Hertford by
This letter he sheaved
htois
obleroßt brother,
r.appointingec om ehiann.i4h
the
sh
ea tctoorrnoenye.r.

Mr. George Neville R.idli , surgeon, of St. Alban's, was
then called. His deposition was to the following effect :--Be-
tween eight and nine oclock in . the evening of Wednesday,
December 31, I was called to a: man of the name of James
Grainge, of Shenley, who had met with a dreadful accident
by a shot from a gun ; I immediately proceeded to the !'spot,
and found the arm very much lacerated, and the man in an
exhausted state from the loss of blood ;
I got him to bed as
soon as possible, and whilst doing so, Air. Lloyd Morgan, of
Barnet, arrived : I then applied a tournipuet to restrain any
further hemorrhage. It was then thought he was in an im-
proper state to undergo any operation, and it was determined
that we should meet early in the morning, to consider the pro-
priety of removing the limb, that being, iii our opinion, the
only chance of saving his life ; .amputation Was performed, and
he died, about four o'clock on Thursday afternoon' the Ist of
January 1824, and I do verily believe the "wound he received
was the occasion of his death. Upon examining the limb, I
found two small shot In the brachial artery, and lacerations in
other places; likewise three shot in the median nerve, besides
others to the number of 30, in the muscles and different por-
tions of the bone, which was very much shattered, and some
part was carried through the wound.
Mr. Ridley being recalled, said that the deceased died about
four o'clock on the following evening. Much blood had not
been lost, either previously to or during the operation of am-
putation. Mr. Ridley produced the shot extracted from the
wound : they appeared to-be commousliot..-The wound where
he found the shot caused the death.

Mr. Webster, a surgeon, residing at St. Alban's, corrobo-
rated the testimony of Mr. Ridley,
Edward Tinsley examined.—.l live as gardener with Mr.
Sharp, South-Mims. I went to Rabley-house about five
o'clock in the evening, having heard that there was a man
there who had been stabbed. It was on the 31st of December.
I went inside the iron gate with the constable, T. Lock, and
was charged by him to assist. 1 was placed by him against
the front of the house, where I remained until J. Gramge
came. I believe the house belongs to Captain Lestor (Nestor).
When Grainge came up, he . went to the front door and
knocked. A person inside asked, " Who's there ?" He an-
swered, •' The Shenley constable, with his Majesty's warrant."
Grainge demanded admission; some person inside said, " You
shall have none." I did not hear the person inside ask what
the warrant was for. Grainge then said, " Then we must use
violence." The answer from the person inside was, " If you
do, I will shoot the first man that enters the door." Grainge
said, "'I hope not, Sir." Some person said, " Grainge, go
on, it is no use waiting." 1 don't know who said this.—
Grainge then began to batter the upper part of the door, and
made a hole through it. Through that hole some person
from inside discharged a gun. , Grainge then repeated se-
veral times, " He has blown my arm off." The greater
part of the people then drew from the door, and I went to
the kitchen-door. Prior to this I heard persons at the window,
hut could not see them ; it was dark. Nothing was said that I
could understand. I knocked at the kitchen-door, and a Verson
inside asked for the officer. The voice appeared to be a female
voice. I called the officer; I don't know his name, and he
came to the door. He asked " Who let the gun off ?" The
person inside said, " Mr. Connolly ; and he has made his
escape ever since." 1 then left the premises to attend my
business ; this was about half.;past seven. Shortly after the
first shot, I heard a second shot fired from an upper window ;
it appeared from the flash to have been aimed at a man who
stood near me. I heard no shot whistle or any thing rattle
when the second shot was flied ; I know nothing more. I
never saw Mr. Connolly until after this transaction. The gun

appeared to have been aimed at a man named W. Walsham ;
be is in attendance.

• By a Juror.—There was a light in 'the parlour when the
first shot was fired, but I could not see anybody.
Louisa Howard examined.—l live at Mr. Bartholomew's,
iat Rabley-farm, near to Rabley-house. A man named Hugh,
and servant of Mr.., Connolly,. came, to my master's house
on Wednesday last ; he asked me if my master was at home?
I said no. Be then asked if the gun was at home? I told
him yes. He then said " Will you ask Mrs. Bartholomew
if she will • lend- it to Mr. Connolly." I did so, and she
said she did not like to lend it, as it was not theirs. A gen-
tleman present, named Russell, told her to lend it, as he would
not injure it. My mistress gave it to me, and I gave it to
Hugh. I don't know what time this was; it was more than an
hour before dark;l can't say exactly. - I called to Hugh, and
told him. I did not think it was loaded ' • he then came back and
asked for a charge of shot, and I gave him some powdei, and ,1
he then loaded the gun, and put some paper and leather in it.
He asked if my master had any balls ? and I said I did not
know. After loading the gun he gave fine back the powder-
horn. I saw. him put shot into the gun • I asked him what he
was going to shoot ; and he said Mr. Connolly was going to
shoot some birds in the tree. I asked him what kind of birds ?
and.he said he did not know. He then started off towards
Rabley-house, and in about a quarter of an hour be came back
for the powder-horn, which 1 gave him, and I did not see him
after; he did not ask for more shot; soon after this I heard a
gun go off: I was then up stairs. I did not hear a second gun
' that evening. I told my mistress I heard the gun, as lam al-
ways frightened at firing. I was afterwards goinidown, and I
met Mr.-Grainge, who told me he was shot. This was on the
Wednesday.' lam not 20 years of age. lam not married.
I forgot to state that the servant yesterday told me his name
was Hugh Moran. Mrs. Brown is considered the occupier
of Rabley-house.
Thomas Bush examined.—l am a labourer, residing at
Ridge. I went to Rabley-house about half-past five on Wed-
nesday evening last, as I heard there had been murder there ;
I saw many people there; I saw the officers come back from
the Magistrates ; and I saw Mr. Grainge ; I saw Dr. Connolly
..;-mot Mr. Grainge; I was standing near Grainge at the time;
Grainge had an axe, and was breaking in at the door ; he
broke it so that I,could see through it; I saw Dr. Connolly
point the gun, so as to shoot through the crack ; it was fired,
axd when Grainge said his arm was shot off, I took hold of him
and led him off the step ; I knew Dr. Connolly ; I am sure the
gun was fired by no other Man but him ; Grainge did not fall;
there were two lights on the table in the room ; the crack in the
door was more than an inch wide.
By a Juror.—l saw him load the gun again. (Here a part
of the door was produced ; it was much battered, as if by a
leitchet or hammer). I took up the axe and threw it against
the door; I did so, because I was angry with Mr. Connolly
for shooting Grainge. I afterwards saw the flash of a second
shot--it come out from the crack in the door, the same as the
first. lam sure I saw it come out of the door.

By a Juror.—l turned round before the shot was fired, and
saw it come out of the door. I was then on the left side of the
door, within 5 'or 6 yards. (Witness having several times
smiled, he was cautioned by the Coroner to consider the seri-
ousness of the business which he was come upon, and to re-
member he was on his oath.) A man named Walsham moved
back when the shot was fired at him.

By Mr. never had any dispute with Dr. Connolly.
Some of the Jurors objected to this question, and Mr. Noel
said, he most readily abandoned it.

I was there when Mr. Newcome came. I saw nobody in the
room but Dr. Connolly.
William Walsham examined. lam a straw-plat-maker at
Ridge. I was at Rabley-house about four o'clOck on Wednes-
day last ; when I went there I saw the officer who went to take
the gentleman for debt. We heard there was a man mur-
dered. This was before the shot was fired. The officer ordered
us all to keep upon the ground. The gentleman I mean is
Dr. Connolly. We were there three hours before the man was
s theh o t ;
w e
greater pa w a lkr
ed
t o
dow first floor. He swore he would shoot any man who attempted
to enter the house. He did not then point the gun at any
ill
one particular. I knew it was Dr. Connolly. Ths officersaid, said, 4, Throw your gun out of the window, and come down
fu
thepo n the premises, and Dr. Connolly was for
time with the gun out of the back win.
and give me a bit of tobacco." Dr. Conolly said, no ; but
if the officer would give him twenty guineas, he would come
down stairs. The officer said he would not give him a quar-
ter of it. I saw nothing done with the fork. When Grainge
came, he knocked at the front door several times ; this was
about seven or eight o'clock. Dr. Connolly said, 4' Who
is there ?" a knew his voice.) Grainge said, " It is
the constable of Shenley parish, and I have got a warrant for
you, and rnust enter the house." Dr. Connolly said he would
xhoot the first man who entered ; Grainge read the warrant;
Dr. Connolly asked him to put it under the door, which Grainge
refused to do ; Grainge and his brother then began to break
the door open, and the shot was fired ; I cannot say by whom,
nor do I think any man can; it might be the Doctor, or it
might be his man.; I knew the Doctor's voice when he said,
" If any one attempts to come in, I'll shoot them ;" he said
so all the evening. I was close to Grainge when the shot was
fired. I saw the hole in the door. In about five or ten
minutes I was passing the door, and lie fired at me ; the shot
was fired from the same door as the first ; no shot was fired
from any other place. When I saw the gun, I stepped back;
I could not see the man who pointed the gun, nor did I see
candles ; there was a light in the room ; the split in the shutters
was not large; I could not see whether the gun was fired by a
man or a woman; I know Mr. Connolly ; I saw him in one
room, and a servant in another ; I can't swear the servant is his
servant or not ; I saw a maid-servant and Mrs. Brown ; some
persons from the outside spoke to Mrs. B. through the win-
dow, after which the Rev. Mr. Newcome promised that if Dr.
Connolly would surrender to him, no man should hurt him ;
and the Dr.. did surrender himself to that Magistrate. I know
nothing more. I don't know how the back-window came broke.
I was never employed at Rabley-house, nor did I ever speak to
Dr. Connolly before that day. I don't think there was any shot
in the gun fired at me.
Two other witnesses were examined, and corroborated gene- I
rally the statements already given. The Inquest was then ad-
journed to Monday—(this day.)
During the absence of the Jury on their going to see the
body, and to view Rabley-house, a subscription was opened for
the relief of the widow, to which there were several liberal con-
tributions. - The Magistrutes present all gave 5/. each, Captain
Nestor had previously sent 51. to the widow, and there were a
great many smaller sums added. Before the close of the day, I
neatly 401. had • been collected, and no doubt this sum will be
greatly increased.—( Times.)