The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-26 00:00:00

tECOND TRIAL OF BRIAN SEERY FOR SHOOTING AT SIR

F. HOPKINS.

MULLINGAR, FRIDAY, JANUARY 23.—At ten o'clock
this morning the Lord Chief Justice and the Lord Chief
Baron took their seats on the bench, and the long panel
was called over. The Court was very much crowded,
and a great majority of the landed proprietors and ma-
gistrates of Westmeath were present.
Prisoner's counsel challenged, as on the first trial, 20
jurors peremptorily. They thought to set aside others,
assigning " cause, such as their having expressed opi-
nions unfavourable to the prisoner, and being prejudiced
against him ; bat the Crown objected to this course.
Brian Seery was then placed at the bar, and the Clerk
of the Crown ri ad the indictment, charging him with
having discharged a loadod gun at Sir Francis Hopkins,
on the night of the 18th of November, 1845. He pleaded
not guilty.
The following jury were then sworn to try the pri-
soner :—Charles Arabin, of Moyvoughly, foreman ;
James Fetherstone, J.P., of Balrintober ; T. F. Le-
strange, of Lynn ; Wm. Bagnall, Rahue ; John Dud-
geon, Rostella ; Richard Megan, Rockfield ; John
Rochford, Sidebrook ; Mark A. Levinge, Eniscoffy ;
Wm. Perry, Ballnagore ; Wm. IL Magill, Littleton,
J.P. ; Edward Hodgson, J.P., Twyford ; Samuel
Revnell, J.P., Archerstown.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then stated the case to the

jury. It is not necessary to recapitulate the facts; they
have been already fully.published.
Sir Francis Hopkins was then examined. Having
detailed all the facts of the case within his knowledge,
he said, with regard to the identity of the prisoner, I
caught the man who had attacked me by the throat, and
I almost choked him; I immediately recognised a coun-
tenance which I knew, and I was so astonished, that I
felt it difficult to express my surprise that Seery was the
man who assailed me; I forced his head into the air
between me and the sky, to take his side face, and the
man's countenance, even if I had never seen him before,
was indelibly infixed upon my mind. I never had the
least doubt of him.

Mr. MURPHY, Q.C., cross-examined the witness at
considerable length.
Mr. MURPHY, at the close of the cross-examination,
asked witness why it was that the name of Brian Seery
was omitted from his information? Sir F. Hopkins
said, in reply, that the Government did not pay the sti-
pendiary magistrates 6001. a year that he should tell
them their duties.

Mr. MURPHY-Mr. French took the informations, and
do you consider that he was ignorant of his duty? Sir
F. Hopkins—l consider that the omission of the name
was a very great omission; there were two or three
other magistrates in the, room, to all of whom I spoke,
and they were all within hearing at the time I made the
depositions.

Mr. MURPHY-Sir Francis Hopkins, was not Mr.
French the person who was responsible for those infor-
mations ? Sir F. Hopkins—Yes.
Mr. MURPHY—Did you read over the informations be-
fore you swore them ? Sir F. Hopkins—Yes.
The jury retired to their box at eight o'clock, and at
half-past nine o'clock four constables were sworn to keep
the jury.

The JUDGE stated that if jury agreed to their
verdict before twelve o'clock, he wuu!d come down and
receive it.
At twelve o'clock the jury returned a verdict of guilty.
MAYNOuTH COLLEGE.
At Maynooth quarter-sessions, on Tuesday, the Duke
of Leinster presiding, 131 students of the Royal Col-
lege of Maynooth took the oath of allegiance to her
Majesty.