The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-24 00:00:00

IRELAND.
SPECIAL COMMISSION, WESTMEATH.-AT-

TEMPT ON THE LIFE 'OF SIR F. HOPKINS.

MULLINGAR., WEDNESDAY.—The jury who tried the
case of Bryan Seery wire detained ih their box all
night, as they found it impossible to find a verdict.
Last night a wish whs expressed on their behalf that
some of the witnesses should) be recalled, in order
they might be re-examined upon particular points ;
but the Court refused to comply with this request,
adding, however, that they would willingly read the
notes over again, and give the jury every other assist-
ance which the law allowed. This morning at ten
o'clock the Court sat, when the jury were called out
from their room.

• CHIEF BARON (to the foreman)—Well, gentlemen,
have you agreed to your vediet ?
Juror—No, my Lord ; we aro in the same position as
we were in when your Lordship left us last night. Ten
of the jury are of one opinion, and two of mother ; but
there is no probability of our agreeing.
CHIEF BARON—I regret, gentlemen, that you cannot
agree, and that you have been put to so much incon-

ven ience.
Juror—We have been in attendance upon the busi-
ness of the Court for twenty-ft ur hours, and it is a case
of great hardship. We have had only a little water for
refreshment, and a very indifferent fire. The room is
more like a dungeon than anything else, and I trust, my
Lord, that you will discharge us.
CHIEF JUSTICE—The Court feel that it is a hardship,
but they have neither the power nor the discretion to
comply with your request.
Juror—lf there were a possibility of our agreeing, we
would not make the application, but there really is none.
Now, in the event of our being starved to death or of
losing our health, would it not he a dreadful thing? One
gentleman drove twenty:four miles yesterday morning,
in order to be here at nine o'clock in attendance upon
the Court.

CHIEF BARON—It is a great hardship, but ,there is no
mode of relieving you.
CHIEF JUSTICE—Do not attribute it to the want of
sympathy upon the part of the Court.. We desire to
relieve you if we could, and we have a full consciousness
of the pressure upon you; we cannot, however, relieve
you. Be good enough to go back to your box, and you
shall have a fire lighted. If you go over your notes
again, and there be anything which the Court can ex-
plain and elucidate, the Chief Baron will read over his
notes to you.
Juror—l am afraid there is no earthly chance of our
agreeing.
The jury then returned to their box.
At seven o'clock the jury entered the box for the
third time during the day, and intimated to their Lord-
ships that there was no probability of their agreeing.
They had been 36 hours confined without food, fire, or
rest, and several of the jury, particularly two, who were
ill when empanelled, were in a very serious state of in-
disposition.
Mr. Maxton said that ho was very ill, and his medical
adviser, Dr. Middleton, could satisfy the Court upon
that point, if he were, produced.
The Chief Justice then dispatched a messenger for
Dr. Middleton, who returned shortly afterwards, having
in vain searched for him.
Mr. Maxton's son then went in search of Dr. Middle-
ton, but that gentleman not being in the way, Dr.
Gabriel Stokes was sent for, and he gave it as his
opinion that Mr. Dawson and Mr. Maxton were very
seriously ill, and further confinement might .endanger
their lives. The jury were then discharged.
The ATTORNEY• GENERAL announced that he would
again arraign Seery this day (Thursday), and have
another jury empanelled to try.
There was a verdict of Not Guilty returned for John
Egan and Michael Delemour, who were charged with
having assaulted Charles liednie, and with having taken
a gun from him.
Michael Keena was found Guilty of delivering a
threatening notice to Benjamin Digby, Esq.
Michael Martin was found Guilty of attacking the
dwelling-house of James Dalton, and fcr firing at con-
stable Matthew Campbell.
POTATO DISEASE—FEVER AND DISTRESS.
The reports from the country are quite disheartening.
The Cork Examiner gives the following account from
Dungarvan, a populous town in the county of Waterford :
—" We regret to learn that the condition of the poor in
the town of Dungarvan is deplorable in the extreme ;
and that, to add to their misery, the potato crop of the
Union not only was not an average crop, but that one-
half of the crop is totally unfit for human food. Besides
a want of employment for the large working population
of the town, the price of provisions has enormously in-
creased ; so much so, that even the worst quality of
potato is beyond the reach of the poor householder. In
the words of a most respected correspondent, Mr. An-
drew Carbery, of that town :—• Famine, distress,
and sickness have already set in • here to an
alarming extent amongst our unemployed population,
from the use of bad food, and from want of money
to purchase even that same.' He further states
that the rate at which potatoes are sold is sd. per 141 b.
for mixed, good and bad ; 6d. per ditto for middling ;
and 7d. for good. That would be, according to our
weight of (211 b.) 7-id. for bad, 9d. for middling, and
lOid. for good. Combine these famine prices with
sickness, poverty, and want , of employment, and the
picture becomes appalling. So urgent and terrible is
the state of distress to which the poor householders of
Dungarvan are reduced, that a hurried meeting was held
on Saturday last in the chapel, Dr. Hally, P.P., in the
chair, at which meeting the sum of 100/. was subscribed;
and so great was the necessity for active measures, that
the houses of the poor were visited that very clay by the
subscribers to the fend, and the names of 200 house-
holders—the most urgent cases--taken down for imme-
diate relief ; which temporary relief, we are glad to
learn, was administered to those distressed creatures on
Monday. Our readers will remember that the sub-
scribers were enabled to administer relief to what they
considered the most destitute, leaving some 200 families
more in a condition only a degree removed from the
lowest state of suffering and want. Alarmed, and justly,
at this fearful aspect of affairs, the townspeople have re-
solved on an immediate application to the landlords of
the town, to whom the people must look for relief at this
period of general suffering.'
The King's County Chronicle says :—" Fever and dy-
sentery are very prevalent in Philipstown."
The Castlebar (Mayo) Telegraph contains the follow-
ing :—" Fever, we regret to state, is very prevalent in
this town and neighbourhood at present. Alas ! what
will become of the poor ? Famine and disease stalks
abroad. The grain has been shipped from our coasts,
to fill the granaries of England. Our population are
without permanent or remunerative employment—and,
to crown all—the drivers are impounding for the No-
vember rent."
CORK, JAN. 21.—A meeting of the parishioners of
Liscarrol was held in the parish chapel on Sunday, the
13th inst. (at which the Rev. William Golden presided),
for the purpose of ascertaining t e probable amount of
injury done to the potato crop in that locality ; and to
transmit the substance of the information derived to the
proper authorities. The accounts given of the gradual
progress of the disease were truly appalling, and to
judge from analogy, the prospects are gloomy, despond-
ing, and deplorable.
DREADFUL MURDER NEAR CLONMEL.
The Tipperary Constitution contains the following:—
" On the night of Sunday last a most atrocious murder
was perpetrated in the vicinity of Woodroffe, in this
county. This victim was a man of the name of Patrick
Crotty. He was a servant to a man named Thomas
F.ennessy, and was shot through the left breast, the ball
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Esq., coroner, assisted by Samuel Perry, Esq., J.P. Cap
tain Plunkett, county inspector, and C. Brew, Etq., sub-
inspector of the district. After a minute investigation
a verdict of ". Wilful murder against some person or per-
sons unknown was returned." We understand that two
persons have been committed charged with the perpetra-
,on of this heinous crime.

NORTHAMPTON, BEDFORD, AND
CAMBRIDGE RAILWAY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—lncluded in the list of defunct lines published
in your paper is the Northampton and Bedford. This,
I beg to say, is incorrect, as we fully intend going to
Parliament this Session, the plans, sections, books of re-
ference being deposited, and quite prepared with the
money, when required by standing orders.
I am, Sir, your obedient Servant,
WM. J. IRWIN, Secretary.
Company's Offices, 12, Bedford Flow,
London, 23rd January, 1844.