The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-28 00:00:00

THE AFFRAY AT DERRYMACASH.

The proceedings connected with the inquest on the
body of Thomas Murphy commenced at Lurgan
yesterday, and had not concluded up to post hour.
It appears that the report of M'Cann's death was
premature, but the unfortunate man is not expected
to survive many hours. The excitement in the
neighbourhood is intense, and party feeling runs
extremely high. The reporter of the Freeman's
Journal writes :

" There were 44 jurors summoned to attend the
inquest, 28 of whom were Protestants (some of
them Orangemen), and 16 Roman Catholics. There
seemed to be an antipathy on all hands to serve on
the July, and it was not until fines of £2 each had
been struck by the coroner against a number of the
absentees that a jury could be formed. The jury,
as sworn, consisted of 13 Protestants and 10 Catho-
lics, and after some observations from Mr. Rea as
to the legality of the jury being sworn, they pro-
ceeded to the country to view the body. Cars were
provided to take the jurors out to the house where
the deceased lay, and about 4 o'clock they returned.
The body presented a horrible spectacle, the head
swelled enormously, and face quite black; and
such was the offensive odour that lime had to be
used to keep it down in the house. After returning
to Lurgan, an application was made by Mr. Rea
for an adjournment, which was agreed to by the
coroner. The excitement in the neighbourhood is
immense, and 111‘Cann, another of the victims, is
expected to die within less than 48 hours."

In the course of the proceeding the following
curious discussion took place between Mr. John
Rae, solicitor, who appeared on behalf of the
friends of the deceased, and Mr. Edward Atkin-
son, the district coroner for the county of Armagh,
and formerly a member of the Orange brotherhood:
Mr. Rea applied that, as the case was a political
and sectarian one, arising out of a collision between
persons of hostile politics and. different religious
persuasions, any member of the Orange Society
who had answered—and he was instructed some
had—might be permitted to retire. The society
was, he contended, illegal in some lodges, though
it might not be illegal in others. He believed that
four or five years ago the coroner himself ceased to
be connected with it on being appointed to a judi-
cial position. There would be no difficulty in
making up the number of jurors from persons in
the town who were not connected with the Orange
Society.
The Coroner—lt is quite true that I was a mem-
ber of the Orange Association, and have ceased to
be so for some years. From my knowledge of that
association my opinion is this—that if. accordine
c. ch. hilVb cum constitution of the society, its
members wore guided by the rules 'of the Bible,
and acted up to them, there would be no objcction
to any man because he is an Orangemen. I am
sorry to say that some ,members of the body—not
all, but some—do not act up to these rules. In this
case a precept has been issued to the sub-inspector
of constabulary, and he has returned :a list of 45
persons. Their names having been called over, cer-
tain persons have answered, and others have been
fined for nonattendance. I apprehend that this
is not a case in which there is a right to challenge
or object at any side. The proper officer has made
his return, and I, for my part, do not know that
there is an Orangeman on the jury. I hope there
is not, but I do not think it is a subject of inquiry
here. Did you ever know it to be the subject of a
challenge on a grand jury ?
Mr. Rea said he did not, but the present was a
different case. The coroner having been an Orange-
man formerly did not, in his (Mr. Rae's) mind, raise
any objection to him, legally or morally, but he
thought that Orangemen should retire from the
jury. _ . _

The Coroner—l think we are better without any
society of the kind, but I am not going to suggest
that a person by being a member of the Orange
Society is incapacitated from holding any office or
executing any duty. My own opinion is that the

time for such a society has expired, but I will not
say that being a member of it is an objection to a
person serving as a juror.

Mr. Rea said it -was very important that the
verdict of the jury should be above suspicion. The
Lord Chancellor had written to the Lord Lieute-
nant of Ulster directing that no one should be
recommended for appointment to the bench who
was an Orangeman. The coroner had the same
power to exclude them from the box that the Lord
Chancellor had to exclude them from the bench.
There was no registry of Orangemen, but the con-
stabulary could state which of the jurors belonged
to the society.
The Coroner—l am quite persuaded that the
sub-inspector did his duty, and as you say that the
constabulary know those who are Orangemen,
must take it for granted that they have done their
duty.
Mr. Rea did not mean to say that the constabu-
lary had not done their duty ; bit, as ho was in-
formed that some Orangemen had answered, he

persisted in his objection.
The Coroner—There would be a great deal of
weight to be attached to that objection if on the
verdict the parties were to be set free or hanged'
but even suppose that the verdict is Justifiable
homicide, they could not get out until the Queen's
Bench released them. They aro now fo about under
a magistrate's warrant, and we are only to do
what I may say the magistrates have done already.
Mr. Rea—The case then was an assault; now 1
will press for a verdict of Wilful murder.
The Coroner—Whatever the verdict may be, the
Crown can send up what bill they like to the assizes.
The case will not be affected by the verdict of this

jury.
m my knowledge of the laws
Would
acted u t they
e Orange Society in Belfast l
do
shape or form ; and,
and constitution of
Mr. Rea renewed his objection.
Flvrteh°re. p o
The Coriofntehre—y
not think lead
anydividnal or individuals though an in may disgrace
however I may en •
and
man to.do wrong in any
the body,
that now such a body could be, and should be, and
ought to be dispensed with, yet the religion which
Orangemen profess is a religion of peace and good-
will. That, I think, is best expressed by abstaining
from party demonstrations of all kinds, whether by
flogs, music, or anything calculated to excite ani-
mosity. The time, in my opinion, has arrived when
anything of the kind should not be allowed in a
Christian country. But, from my knowledge of the
laws and constitution of the Orange Society, I
know nothing in those laws or that constitution to
cause or to lead or induce men to do that which is
wrong. It is founded on Bible prineiples, and if
they only acted up to their laws and constitution we
should not be met here to-day.
Mr. Rea—They sometimes interpret the Bible
too literally, and go beyond the Jews in slaughter-
ing the Amalekites. (Laughter.)
The Coroner—lt may be that members of the
society do not follow the laws and constitution of
their order, and it may be that that is the reason I
left them ; but it is not because some do wrong that
all are to be condemned. You belong to a religious
body yourself. If one member of that body com-
mitted a crime, it would not be fair that therefore
the rest should be slandered.
Mr. Rea—The Presbyterian congregation_ tos,
which I belong never do wrong. (Laughter.lrlanh__
do not even accept the reyiunz demon.
think
Oran
Society is a secret society, and I do not
..__ Yu'
its members should act on the jury when other
mem-
bers of it aro implicated.
h oCiOtY arc open
The Coroner—The Imys of t—o