The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-17 00:00:00

JANUARY 17, 1848.

IRISH SPECIAL COMMISSION.
MURDER OF MR. WATSON.
ENNIS, THURSDAY EYENING.—After the dispatch I
of my letter several witnesses were examined for the
prosecution. The principal evidence was that given
by a lnd named Crowe, about fifteen years of age,
who deposed as follows :—I saw Mr. Watson riding
up the road, and shortly afterwards I -saw Ryan,
" Puck," and Hayes again together. Ryan, " Small,"
was not with them. Mr. Watson was riding towards
me. He was about thirty or forty yards from me,
and was walking his horse. At this time Ryan,
" Puck," jumped off the ditch at Larry Flynn's field,
and cocked the gun at Mr. Watson. He was about
the length of the table from him. Ryan did not fire,
and when the gun was presented at Mr. Watson he
turned his horse and went down the road towards
home as fast as he could. He had not gone far when
Ryan, " Small," one of the prisoners, jumped over
the hedge and caught the horse by the bridle. The
horse plunged, and Mr. Watson fell off; arid Ryan,
" Puck," then came up. Mr. Watson fired at Ryan,
" Puck," but missed, and then Ryan, " Puck," struck
him on the head with the butt-end of his gun. The
deceased called for mercy, and ityan, " Puck," again
IE struck him, and smashed the gun on his head. After
this they ran away towards Keogh's bog, and I saw
Hayes in the bog immediately afterwards. He went
a piece with them, and then turned. The two
Ryans went towards Ballymolony Wood. Hayes
had either a gun or a blunderbuss with him, and he
was about half a quarter of a mile from where the
murder took place. Mr. Watson was not killed five
minutes when I saw him in the bog. He and the
R yens went about a field together and parted.
To the COURT—Hayes was not standing so as to
conceal himself.
A police-constable having proved that he arrested
the prisoner Hayes, who was about leaving the coun-
try for America, in June last, the case for the prose-
cution closed, and
Mr. O'HEA. addressed the jury for the defence, in
which he said the principal witness in the case was
the boy Crowe, who was evidently influenced by bad
feeling towards his uncle, who was one of the par-
ties charged with instigating the prisoners and Wil-
liam Ryan " Puck" to commit this offence, and
therefore should not be relied on in a case of such
vital moment; where the lives of two men were at
stake.

NUMEROUS ROBBERIES.

On Wednesday last Mr. John Parsons, of Mot-
combe, as he was returning from market, was stopped
on the highway by four men, who robbed him of 301.
in gold and silver, a cheque for 251. 17s. 6d., and
another cheque on the Wilts and Dorset Bank
for 401.

On the previous evening Mr. Picket, of Great
Bedwin, was stopped by four men under similar
circumstances, and robbed of a sovereign and his
pocket-book.
Mr. Robert Bennett, of Chuddleworth, a few days
ago was pulled off his horse by two men, and robbed
of his purse, containing two 51. notes, two sovereigns,
and two pounds in silver, and also his watch.
Mr. llichins, of Knell Farm, wits on Saturday,
while returning from market, stopped and robbed by
four men of six 51. notes, and about 41. in money.
On Tuesday Mr. Covil, the landlord of the Albion
public-house, Woolwich, was robbed of a cash-box,
containing 101. in gold, a bag, containing 901. in
gold, four 51. notes, about 201. in gold and silver from
a drawer, about 181. in silver, besides other property.
It is supposed the robbery was effected by three per•
sons who came to the house in a phaeton.

ISLE OF SKYE.
A correspondent writes, of date the 4th current,
from the neighbourhood of Portree :
" The weather continues wet and wild. For some
days we had a slight frost, which soon gave way to
high winds and torrents of rain. Had the quantity,
of rain which fell for the last four months been me-
chanically gauged, it would have been found unpre-
cedented even in the Isle of Mist: The, crops of
last autumn suffered greatly in consequence. They,
will not yield two-thirds of the produce of the pre-
vious harvest's [crop. The poor people are therefore
much more depressed in circumstances than they
were twelve months ago. The great majority must
necessarily be supported, ere long, by the Highland
Relief Fund. The parochial local committees are
now superseded, without any feeling of regret on their
own part. Last season their duties were arduous
and irksome. They performed them, however, man-
fully—and it is to be hoped, with a very few excep-
tions, impartially. Without fee or reward, and at
the expense of much time and toil, they did their
utmost to discharge the duties imposed on them.
While their services may have been found fault with,
on the one hand by the recipients, as being too
illiberal—and on the other hand, by the Central
Board, as being the reverse, they have no cause to
regret that they are relieved of such a troublesome
and thankless office.—lnverness Courier.