The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-16 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

THE POTATO DISEASE.
IRELAND

ATROCIOUS BARBARITY.
(From the cork Einer
MURDER 01 A CHILD BT HER STE.)
P-MOTHIA
Richard Foot, Esq., coroner, held an inquest on "Moll:
day last, on view of the body of Johanna IferiihYr"
child of three years old, who, it was alleged, was 11311 r.
dered on the previous Friday by her step-ni other.
Ellen Mahony, a very Intelligent young girl, about tots
years of age, after being questioned by tl,te coronerag '
,
the nature of an oath. and having answered satisfactorily;
was sworn and examined. Lives as slirvant to JohtuleA
Herlihy for the list eight weeks ; knew the deceased
child Johanna Herlihy ; considered her a healthy Chi!
never ,riw her sick since she came to live there ; revers
hers last Friday, the child was in her usual good hekt's
on that day ; she washed and dressed the i
early on that day expecting some ladies w°ll
ld
come to see them ; the child after being
lo
washed was standing by the fire, it was about
o'clock, when the step-mother came and threw her /0.1
the fire-place against a door opposite, a distance of about
ten feet ; the child cried ; went over and naught
again and threw her on the hearth on her face sti
hands ; struck her several times with a rod on different
parts of the body ; was beating her about the house Ihe,
a long time ; threw away the rod, and took 1113 t-th poker, and struck her two heavy blows on the back el's,
it, then caught her, and put her on the fire ; caul 6,,afc distinctly that she put her on the fire, the woman's bas
being between her and the fire ; saw her make Ow "..
three efforts as if to push the child down on the fire'
the child screamed ; there was a large fire down ; te?t,
her away from the fire almost lifeless ; she was ‘11!',
speechless ; she walked about the house with her trylphi;
to make her speal• ; did not appear at all sorry ; !iv,
child on the bed, arid then sent her, witness, to call
huher who was at work in a neighbouring quarr-r,;
the father came after being twice sent for ; he took uP
the child off the bed, after looking at her for some 'dale'
and tried to make her speak, then gave her in 'Joe
the
•
the step-mother whilst he went for a doctor ; when
father sook up the child, her head fell on one side 0 / the neck was broken ; does not know who the doctor
was ; went out on his arrival ; the child died about
seven or eight o'clock that evening.
Her testimony being corroborated,
The jury, after a short consultation brought in the '‘)
lowing verdict.
That the deceased Johanna Herlihy came by her del°
in consequence of sever4l blows and other in juries
Meted on her body with a piece of iron, and othervit:
by her stepmother Johanna Herlihy on Friday last
6th of February, without any previous cause or proTu`74
tion whatsoever ; and we find and
present that the se
Johanna Herlihy died, of the injuries she received, ien.th
le
,
dwelling house, where the body now lies, in the after
noon of the same day.
The CORONER, made out tho usual order of c(r
r,d,"
mittal for Johanna Herlihy, who was arrested
,ti
Saturday morning and lodged in gaol by constable JO"
Hourigan of the Wilton station.
We were told the woman has shown not the snate-ifels
sign of compunction since her arrest.

osfutstlol
ragricultural yilla village of d
iJEATH FROM EXTRAORDINARY CRUELVV"—The l
uScte.on Faith's
o f
tbo Newtonm o,stio
dihset
reaouskri
produced
cases of ill-treatment and death, from more and cruelty, that we ever recorded. This
'4114-ho t
situate in the Eastern Division of the county,
and is 8.07,5 four miles north of the city of Norv,ich Mi„ John
lives in the Abbey-farm, and he has had a lad in his 43"-in-
eo•
ployment, named John Pointer, alias Tice, about fourfo
years of age, who has lately been employed the 10,
to scare crows, to keep sheep, and to top and tail turnips
ore
Working in the same field, or on the
same premises, t
been three larger boys, respectively named- James Frost,
Richard Stone, and James Woodcock, and these latter bilv
were in the habit of using much cruelty towards the bi°,l4
Pointer; and a short time since they tied him up by r
heels in the shepherd's house, hung him upon a book or
spike, on which the gun generally hung, with
• his he.
downwards—beat him with a hurdle stake--made /1.1
drink a quantity of cold water, knocked him down!,
kicked him when down—put his head into a jilt in
4.•
the field, and threatened to drown him—took out b,is bau.,
and threatened to cut his throat and used variolmotbe,
cruelties towards him. The boy lingered from the i. 11,10141
and from such being frequently repeated, and a'z ,
being so ill, crawled from the field where he was at word'
to a lane adjoining, where he could get no loather, ¢p
where he was fallen in with by two men from !I dour;
cart, who took compassion on him and carried. him b
to his father's. He was put to bed, anel never a-of
out any more. The parish surgeon, a Kr. DlY:c' out
Norwich, attended upon him; but the poor boy
by
the morning of Monday last, from mortiticAtion canarf„,
the injuries he had received, and mortidcation whim' poo,
lowed. An inquest was held on the body, at the Siva?! rim
St. Faith's, on Wednesday, February 4th, before Mr. Flood
the Coroner, when evidence to prove the facts before 2,nced
was adduced, and the jury, after a few minutes,. efurilso-
that they were unanimous in finding a verdict of Tames
slaughter" against James Frost, Richard Stone, etn_g_v,ich
Woodcock. The two latter were fully committed to.l'T'ct
Castle, on the Coroner's warrant, for trial at the swamp
a warrrant was issued against Frost, who absconded:
er'
MR. W. BATTY.—The admirers of equeFitruen P
welt
farmances will be gratified to learn that this gentlextgn..
who known as the proprietor of Astley's Royal Amphitiveattl.._,Test.
suffered so severely of late from asthma, is now, under the able
melt of Dr. Cronin, almost recovered from that coninowft, 111-
wre favoured with an interview with air. Batty, A" cow
formed us that he had been confined to his, bed, at
quently inc ipacitated from attending to the routillat. wider
arduous duties but that "since he had placed Wm: 00
Dr. Cronin, who had done more bi Jib ' all 111°_,
is called anaspasla) towards effecting a cure ...Is wableo
previous medical attendants, (these were his words) he fee!
to resume the onerous duties of his efitabliKorasnt, ancirasted
almost well." Such cures as this cannot be too widely ering
the public journals, for we have no doubt there are wally .ar
i;;lxagfe
from asthma and other pulmonary disorders, whoETon
themselves incurable. United Service Vazette. lait evening
Viscount Civtleraigh arrived from Paris _ "fore tO
to vote on the division on the miateterial moan new
!tonsil of CeIAUI4II9.

....=,

.—..0•

The Queen and Prince Albert, and the Ladies and Gentle•
men of the Court, attended Divine service yesterday at
Claremont. The Hon. and Rev, C. Leslie Courtenay
cht ed.

Her Majesty and her Royal Consort took an airing erester.
day afternoon in Claremont Park.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince AI"
fred, the Princess Royal, and the PrinceseAlice, were taken
is the pleasure grounds of Claremont yesterday.
The Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay arrived at Clare'
mont on Saturday, on a visit to the Queen.
Her Majesty and Prince Albert took their accustomed earl,'
walk on Saturday.
The Royal Family were taken out on Saturday on Ponie*
and for walking exercise, in Claremont Park.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent attended divine
service yesterday in the Chapel Royal. St. James's. The aerr;
men was preached by the Bishop of London. The prayer
were read by the Rev. Dr. Vivian, and the lessons 127...'e
Rev. Dr. IL Dakine. The anthem was, "Give the le•Lun
( Boyce). Sir George Smart presided at the organ. b„
Lady Fanny Howard was in waiting on her Royal Hig f
ress. Among the nobty present were, the Marquissesil
A nglesev and Winchester, Lords Sheffield, Wilton, Sandwic '
Devon, Cawdor, Ingcstre, Hatherton, Cantalupe, and Cal;
bury The Duke of Wellington, Lord G. Paulet. and the
Frederick Trench attended the early service yesterday in .e
Chapel Royal. St Jamee'S. The Rev. Dr. Wesley offiejet"--
and preached the sermon.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent Ifet town at brit
past nine o'clock on Saturday morning for her reeidenear
Frogmore House, near Windsor. Her Royal Highness rei
turned to Clarence House, St. James's, in the afternoon,4
in the evening dined with her Royal Higliress the *Dueurd,
of Gloucester, at Gloucester House. Lady Fanny Bowsa to
the Baroness de Speth, and a select party were ereeen"t
meet the Royal Duchess.
A Deputation on the subject of hops, had an interyie:
with Sir Robert Peel on Saturday at his official residence
Downing. street.
Lord Netherton had an interview with the Earl of Pal'
houise on Saturday, at the office of the Board of Trade.
Mr. de Bulow left the Danish Legation on Friday eYell'
on his return to Denmark.
The Earl of Ellenborough and Admiral Bowles left town en
Saturday for Portsmouth.
Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonialeelca
from the Governors of the North American provinces. . w
Mr. Dean, Chairman of the Customs, bad an interelfo
with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Saturday, al
official residence in Downing-street.
Sir Robert Peel had a dinner party on Saturday evening
at his residence in Whitehall. gardens.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat on Satin:,
day, and commenced the hearing of an appeal from TohaPre
the Colonial Bank v. Warden. The Lords present were L° 4
Brougham, the Dean of the Arches, Mr. Baron Parker an
the Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall.

(From the Dublin L'vening Pasi of Thursday.).e,
ALA RATING PROSPECTS OF THE COUNTRY'
It is really appalling to contemplate the prosiw.:;
before us, will the supply of food repidly dimmishl7,
in all quarters, and in some d-stricts entirely
haunted.
This, in brief, is the substance of the reports from
country, received yesterday and this day, with the a.
ton of the alarming fact that typhus fever is spr,aelinbe
In Mallow, as we learn from the Cork Examiner, tbre4
deaths have occurred, caused by the use of the diseased
potatoes as food.
In Lim, rick, a Commissary General has arrived, SO
make arrangements for the storing of corn and Ineel'ut.
regard to measures of this nature, we would urge the ,i 0
most promptitude, and a great increase of the suPP'
contemplated by the Government, Tor the evil is lloVi
extending, and multitudes must perish if ample supP
of food be not provided.
The pressure upon our space will, we hope, excuse °I
to our ..Athy Correspond( nt” for nut inserting, i-
exienso. his communication, received this morning., of
brief abstract from the detailed reports of the Boar°,
Guardians we deem so important that no time should ""
lost in publi-hing the information they supply:— 0$
The CHAIRMAN, Sir Anthony Weldon, stated, that,
his own authority, he would assure the meeting, that, Pi
two of the colliery districts, comprising a population °I,
200 fatoilies (1,200 persons), the food on which the(
have subsisted—diseased potati‘es and a small
quantity s 0;
oatmeal mixed—did sot equal one week's consumPtl°_
that the pseprietors of the collieries had signified their
intention to discontinue thtir workings inamediately.
The state of the district, without food—withoute
ploymerit to purchase food—was deemed so appalarli
that an immediate representation of the Gets has bee
forwarded by this p,st to the Chief Secretary, for.
information of the Lord Lieutenant.
rid
Mr. LYONS, the elected Guardian for Moyanna
—an intelligetrt, observant, and most accurate meo
stated, that be had occasion to open his pits to suP,Pi'ts
purchasers of potatoes. He had deemed his potstv'",
quite safe; but was alarmed to find, that, in the seleoto"
of 20 barrels, by weight—
In January, he found, of diseased potatoes, 28 11*
per barrel of 20 stone.
In February, from the same pits or pyes—and which, f
were carefully attended to since January—he fount,
diseased potatoes, 84 lbs. per barrel of 20 stone!
.We arc authorised to verify these FACTS.
We have communications of a similar kind from other
d is triets.