The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-31 00:00:00

DUBLIN, JULY 30.
TB.F. LITIA M UTTI‘: 7'7 A't' N E (1-11. —SEIce;
-TENCES ON THE PRISONERS.
The tHals of the rtelriaree,n charged with the murder
or attempted mukt..; during t..4e- TCPC4P Irrust4nrat lien ag h
were continued yester,lay at the ASRizea .itt:that 'town.
The same CotingilVitge,ligtigtd-nsTon the preceding. day,
Thomas Carr,- .t Eire ere-pored of than:ft:li, Tipperary
militia, was indicted fee' firing it icsellier named Cherles
Fox, with intent to *nA__stlizo -wjth firing -4t a
police-constable named al
generally with firing at 50 of her Nraj fro. -
the intent to commit murder.
The Attorney-General, who stated the case, observed
that the prisoner was a ringleader in the unfortunate
affair, and be was almost the only one of the nnn-com,-
missioned officers who took any part in the riots, the
others having all endeavourcA to bring back the men to
or.ler. Several witnesses having been examined,
Mr. Johnstone addressed the jury on the part of the
pris mer, and contended that there was not sufficient evi-
dence to identify:him as having, taken any active part ;
that be could not be said to have fired at any of the in-
dividuals specifically named in the indictment, and that
there was nothing to show the guns were loaded.
The prisoner reeeieed an admirable character from the
Rev. Mr. WitcHt rt
Judge Moore cearged the jury, who in a few minn fps
returned a verdict of guilty on the third count for
firing with intent to murder some of the rnillt.arv.
Cornelius Ryan, IV. Cummins, and E Lqfxn, were
next arraigned upon an' indiclampt for sbootng at the
military escort, in Barrackstrest, with intent to murder.
Mr. Johnstone said that having read the id rmations
he would not trouble the court or waste time, as the pri•
soners were willing to plead guilty. Thev threw them-
selves upon the mercy of the court and s.f the executive,
and for the commis =ion of the acts of which they bad been.
guilty they now felt sincere regret. They acted under
the excitement of the moment, and under the idea that
they were to have been deprived of some of the advan-
tages promised to them when enlisting. They were now
deeply sensible of having acted wrongly.
The Attorney-General felt bound to say that the pri-
soners acted very properly in adopting the very judicious
adgice given to them. As public prosecutor he felt bound
to have the law vindicated, and to showmen, whether in
arms or civilians, that they could not transgress the law
without beirg. punished ; but he world not interpose any
objections to effect the merciful consideration of the exe-
lcutive on. the part of the men who pleaded oiStz,..:or who
oad h . o.an . •

ar.
Jte,ge Mooreconsid,--reeltht4t.be peisorere had adopted
lhe wisest coarse in pleadin"liiit}a and in On three •
easeq previously tried P; renalct have been impoesible for
the jury to have found any other verdicts than those '
they had returned,
- Major Frew, of the Tipperary Wail, nave the pri.
Boner Ryan a goed character, pa did also Dr. Bagwell;
of the same regiment.
' Samuel Lawrence, a civilian, was then placed at the
bar, charged with exeitine: Stephen Brown, the man
convicted of the murder of the soldier Patrick Curley,
to the commission of that crime.
The Attorney-General applied for the postponement of
the trial until the next, a,eizse, the case not being yet
sufficiently made out ; and he took that opportunity to
'express his thanlot to the military authorities for the
great prudence and discretion which they had shown.
They had displayed an amount of temper and forbear-
ance which was most creditable, while at the same time
adopting the most efficient means of protecting life and
property from outrage. Their calm decision and wise
forbearance were equally remarkable, and from the
highest officer to the humblest soldier, their forbearance,
calmness, and activity in repressing outrage proved most
exemplary. Had it not been for this forbearance, the
town might have witnessed more fearful scenes of blood-
shed, and far more lives have been lost on this melan-
choly occasion. Their con•itiet was beyond all praise.
Judge Moore fully concurred in the very high opinion
expressed as to the forbearance, discretion, and humanity
displayed) by the military.
The Attorney-General wished to add that there existed
great mi&apprehension as to the treatment of the militia.
The Lord-Lieutenant had been always most anxious not
merely to do the men justice, but to do more for them
than they could demand as of right. As to the taking
away of a part of the regimental clothing and putting it in
store, this was absolutely necessary, for otherwise when
called together for training, a great portion of their
bounty might have been appropriated to the purpose of
new clothing. Thteanxious desire of the executive was
to act towards the whole of the militia force with Me'
rality, and in a fair and jest.spirit.
THE SENTENCES.
John Bannon and Thomas Carr were then placed at
the bar to receive sentence. His lordship said—You
have been tried and convicted for shooting at some of
her Najesty's forces with intent to commit murder, and
the evieence against you laid before the jury was per-
feed:, conclusive as to your guilt. It was impossible for
them, or for any conscientious jury, to come to any other
conclusion than they did. They have, however, strongly
recommended you to mercy, and, so far as I have it in
my power, I shall give effect to that recommendation.
Cornelius Ryan, William Cummins, and Edward Laffan.
you were indicted for a similar offence, and have pleaded
guilty, and never did counsel give more judicious or
more proper advice than in recommending you to take
the step which you have done. And I am happy to
believe and think that when you consented to act upon
the advice of that counsel you did so from a feeling of
contrition upon your parte, and from regret at he-ving•-•
been betrayed into the commission of the crime of which
you have pleaded guilty. It is very deeply to be la-
mented that you were betrayed by any circumstances into
such a crime. You resorted to open acts of violence in
a populous town, which ended in the deaths of several
persons. I feel convinced that you acted under very
great excitement indeed. I feel that that excitement was
caused by what I hope may turn out a gross misappre-
hension, and I would be disposed to go as far as I could
to find palliating circumstances in your respective cases,
but as judge, sitting here, I have a duty to discharge,
and I shall not swerve from it. ' I must discharge that
duty, acting under the obligation of theoath which I have
sworn. I shall, however, as far as possible give effect to
the recommendation of the jury, and bring under the
consideration of the head of the Government whatever
can be urged on your part—a nobleman whose humanity
and compassionate tenderness and indulgence for the
weakness of human failings are only to be equalled by
the firmness with which he discharges the duties of his
high office. It is not for me to say whether the recom-
mendation will be attended to. I will give to it every
effect, and you have theassurance of theAttorney-Gene-
ral that be will not offer any obstructions towards a le-
nient consideration of your respective cases. I have how-
ever my duty to discharge, and in the discharge of it
must pass upon pap a verysevere sentence, and that sen-
tence is that you each be transported for the term of 15
years.

Tne prisoners looked somewhat astounded at the sen-
tence, but made no observation.
Stephen Burns was then brought up, and asked if he
had anything to say why sentence of death and execution
should not be passed upon him for the murder of Patrick
Curley. lie made n 1 reply, but stood calmly and firmly
at the bar.

Judge Moore then briefly addressed him and said—
Yop have been found guilty of the wilful murder of a
soldier of the name of Patrick Curley, and there is no
doubt that the unfortunate man lost his life at your hand.
He was iu the service of her Majesty ; he had served
with great distinction, and baying escaped all the pe-
rils of the recent war, he returned home to meet his
death by your hand. I believe you acted under cir-
cumstaum, like the other man convicted, of great ex-
citement, but I am sure you now are deeply conscious
that no excitement ought loran instant to have led you to
commit the fearful crime of murder, and that against an
unoffending man. Nothing would be further from my
wishes than to say anything calculated to aggravate
your own feelings at what has passed. Yon are, no
doubt, perfectly convinced of the aggravated character
of your offence, causing the death of a fellow•creature.
However great your crime, it was not attended with all
the circumstances of atrocity that have too frequently
characterised the offences committed in this county.
You did not know the man who fell by your hand. Yon
certainly, as far as 1 4an ascertain, bore him no
but rash and excited—l might say by drink—you de-
prived that unfortunate soldier of his life. I have no
power to give effect to the recommendation to mercy of
the jury. It is not in my power in the slightest degree
to alter or vary that awful sentence of the law, but the
recommendation of the jury will be laid by me before
the head of the Government, but it is not in my power
to hold out to you any hopes. I cannot say there is no
hope, but all I can say is that I will transmit the re-
commendation of the jury to his Excellency the Lord-
Lieutenant. The learned judge then proceeded to pass
sentence of death and execution upon a day to be subse-
quently named.

The men found guilty of attacking the military near
Templemore, at the races, were senteliced to tan months'
imprisonment.

Judge Moore intimated that he had altered his opi-
nion as to the validity of the three cownts in the indict-
ment charging the Tipperary Militia rioters with firing
generally at her Majesty's troops without naming the
latter specifically ; and he would not reserve the case for
the Court of Crimindl Appeal, should his views after
full consideration remain the same as at present.
The trial at the Kildare Assizes relative to the Italian
professorship of Trinity College has not yet terminated.

STOPPAGE OF THE FRASCATI RAILWAY. - -A letter from
Rome of the 24th states that the railway from that city
to Frascati has been stopped by order of the Govern-
ment. It was, after its opening, at work for a week,
during which time the whole affair was a continued suc-
cession of mismanagement.i
On the 21st it was closed
in order that an examination into its construction may
place, after if the result be satisfactory, it
in open to the public.
Hill
le
b
THE SIIKHS. —The Government of the Punjaub has
just published a report upon the census taken on the
last day of 1855. Tliis document, among other facts of
interest, contains the announcement that the Sikh Mi.
gion is expiring. There are no Sikhs by birth, the
disciples being initiated when able to answer for them-
selves. Since the annexation of the country the number
of the initiated has gradually declined. No longer a
dominant caste, the Sikhs find their religious isolation
inconvenient and burdensome. They have therefore
ceased to initiate their children, who remain pure Hin-
doos, and are not taught to reverence the gruntls. So
rapid has been the change that it is believed the next
generation will witness the total extinction of the creed.
The division of Lahore which contains Umritsur, the sa-
cred city of the Sikhs, and which comprises their strong.
hold, comprises 3,500,000 inhabitants ; of these only
200,000, or less than 6 per cent., are Sikhs.

Jr.