The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-26 00:00:00

SUSPECTED MURDERS BY POISON.

A paragraph from the Boyle Gazelle, announced
the death, under suspicious circumstances, of the
brother and sister-in-law of the late Rev. Thos. Ma-
guire, the celebrated controversialist, and also stating
that there were grounds fur believing that the rev.
gentleman had been himself the victim of foul play in
some quarter. The stomachs of the brothers were
forwarded to Dublin for medical examination, and
this day Dr. Brady, after a careful analyzation, dis-
covered a quantity of arsenic in the stomachs, quite
sufficient to cause death. The demise of Mrs. Ma-
guire following so close upon that of her husband,
the inference is that she, too, did not die from natural
causes. Suspicion has fallen upon a female domestic
who resided for fourteen years with the Rev. Mr.
Maguire, and who, it is said, expected upon his death
to be put in possession of some property which he
held, but which he subsequently willed to his brother
and family. It is supposed that the rev. gentleman
partook of the poison by accident.
REPEAL ASSOCIATION.
The usual meeting of this body was held to-day at
Conciliation Hall, Burgh. quay, and was numerously
attended ; Mr. Jeremiah Dunne, Lord Mayor of
Dublin, in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN requested Mr. J. O'Connell to read
a letter he had received from him on the subject of
the omission of the late. Mr. O'Connell's name at the
recent civic banquet, in which be stated that the cir-
cumstance occurred quite unintentionally on his part.
Mr. O'CONNELL then read the letter referred to,
and on behalf of the association, accepted the apology
offered by his Lordship.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL next read en extremely long
communication from the Right Rev. Dr. O'Higgins,
enclosing 411. from the diocese of Arriagh.
The letter was then inserted on the minutes and a
„Tote of thanks passed to the writer.
Several sums of money were then handed in ;
amongst others, 31. from the Right Rev. Dr. Blake,
Roman Catholic Bishop of Dromore, and 51. 10i. per
the Rev. John Kelly, Kells • 4/. 10s. per the Rev. E.
Costigan, Lusk ; 51. per the Rev. R. Kelly, Roman
Catholic curate, Dunboyne, which the rev. writer
designated " the Shrewsbury repeal rent."
The rent for the past week will be something more
than 1071.

IRISH SPECIAL COMMISSION.
LIMERICK, JAN. 22, SATURDAY NIGHT.

Shortly after the transmission of the dispatch by this
afternoon's post, the fearful ceremony of passing sen-
tence of death upon the three men, Skeehan, Quaine,
and Howard, was completed. The two former
affirmed their innocence in so many words. Howard,
on being asked whether he had anything to say, said,
" I am innocent of this charge, and many in my
country know that I am ; I am as innocent as the
child unborn; many of my clergy know it. However,
I have nothing to gain or lose by what I say. I
forgive those who prosecuted me. I did not know
them. I could not identify any of them yesterday ; and
if I got my liberation at this moment, I could not
identify Hourigan's house unless it was pointed
out to me. The boy that stood there (pointing
to the table) yesterday swore against me; he had
my description learnt before I was arrested. I have
reason to understand it was combined against me.
He knew there was a reward. He learnt I had moles
on my face. That was the reason he was able to
identify me. It was so plain to the world the minute
he turned round and said, he had moles on his cheek.'
Let any one give me a description of a man that he had
moles on his cheek, and I would identify him. I hope,
my Lords, by your mercy, and the mercy of Almigh7
God, you will take my case into your serious consi-
deration—for it deserves it. lam innocent, but lam
satisfied to die. lam not afraid to appear before my
God, for I never killed any man. I lived ten miles
from Hourigan's. lam as well pleased to die as any-
thing else if it is the will of Almighty God to inspire
your hearts with it. I shall have a better master than
any master in this world, and I am not afraid to ap-
pear before Him."
The men were left for execution on the 22d of
February next.
An idea prevails amongst the lower orders that
unless theirs is the hand by which the fatal shot is
fired or fatal blow is struck, they are not guilty of
the murder. It is said to be true that neither
Skeehan nor Quaine filed the shot by which Hill was
murdered, and that Howard's was not the actual hand
by which the Hourigans were killed, and upon that
ground they persisted in their innocence. The evi-
dence, however, upon their respective trials estab-
lished beyond a possibility of doubt that they were
parties present at, and participating in, the outrages
which resulted in the murders of these persons.
Howard has the reputation of being one of the worst
characters in the neighbourhood of his residence,
and it is reported that last year, during the opera-
tions of the Board of Works, he, by his threats of
revenge, compelled the superintendent officer to keep
his name on the books, and to pay him the usual
amount of wages, though he performed no labour in
return.

On the prisoners being removed,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, addressing their Lord-
ships, said, that as Monday was fixed for opening the
commission at Clonmel, it was impossible for them
at that time to proceed further in the arduous duties
in which they had been engaged in this and the ad-
joining county of Clare. The very dreadful exam-
ples they had witnessed during those three weeks
would, he hoped, prove to the unfortunate, infatuated
people of the two counties, who had been engaged in
crime, that it was utterly impossible for them to
escape withimpunity. After tho scene they had just
witnessed, it was unnecessary he should refer to them
at greater length. The number of capital convic-
tions that had taken place, and which must be carried
into execution, and the number of persons who were
now bidding adieu for ever to all they held dear in
this country—if these examples ha 4 no effect upon
those who were engaged in a course or crime, it would
be impossible that anything he could say would more
impress them with the danger in which they stood.
After complimenting the jurors on the manner in
which they had discharged their duties, he said he
hoped that it would be unnecessary to resume the
proceedings under the commission, but he would
suggest to their Lordships that, in case it should be
necessary, the Commission should be adjourned until
Thursday, the 10th of February next.
The LORD CIIIEF JUSTICE said the proceedings
under the Commission were entirely under the regu-
lation of the Government, and he and his Learned
Brother, therefore, bad no hesitation in complying
with the application of the Attorney-General. It
only remained for him to say that he entirely con-
curred 'in his observations on the attendance and
conduct of the jurors. The country owed them a
debt of gratitude, for never, in his (the Lord Chief
Justice's) opinion, had he seen jurors discharge
their duty with more firmness, patience, or con-
scientiousness.