The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-28 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY MORNING.
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION IN DONEGAL.

The wretched Gwcedore dispute is likley to bear
bitter fruit. One of the landlords, whose name in
connexion with the district has been frequently
before the public, has ere this probably perished by
the bullet of the assassin. Late yesterday evening
a hasty report reached town that the Rev. Alex-
ander Nixon had been fired at and badly wounded
on Sunday last while leaving church, in company
with his wife and daughter. Other accounts state
that the shot had proved fatal, but a despatch
dated Tuesday (last) night says that the unhappy
gentleman was. still living, but that no hopes were
entertained of his recovery. The ball passed
through the neck by the mouth.
The Derry Guardian of yesterday gives the fol-
lowing version of the dreadful affair :--" According
to a report which was generally circulated in this
city yesterday, the Rev.. Alexander Nixon, when
returning in his carriage from the church of Myra,
within 41 miles of Dunfanaghy, accompanied by
his wife and daughter, and not far distant from his
place of residence, fell a victim t• the bullet of an
assassin. The only particulars that we have heard
respecting this sanguinary tragedy are that three
men, disguised in female attire, were observed on
the road along which the carriage was passing, and
from their conduct it was supposed they were
slightly intoxicated. As the carriage drove up
one seized the reins and stopped the horses, while
another commenced singing, and the third began
to leap and fling himself about. The rev. gentle-
man, with the view of ascertaining what was the
matter, opened the window of the carriage, but no
sooner had he put his head out than a pistol
was discharged at him, a ball from which is said to
have entered his mouth and passed transversely
close to the opposite ear. Our report states that
he was killed on the spot, but the latest account
that reached us is that he lived till yesterday
morning, in great agony, and then expired. We
have not learned whether or not the murderers
were pursued, or any efforts made to take them
into custody. The worst of it is that there is too
much reason to believe
.that the peasantry of the
surrounding district would rather screen than de-
liver up to justice the perpetrators of this cold-
blooded murder. The deceased, it will be remem-
bered, was one of the witnesses examined before
the Parliamentary committee appointed to investi-
gate the state of Gweedore, being. himself a
land-owner in the district, and his evidence
.was
'totally at variance with the statements contained
in the appeal' of the 10 priests. M . Nixon
affirmed that his lands were let at low r
thateu
mhis t a
n tenantsee
s tba
than they e then
had
beenin m osreemcomfortable
and
years
.ts,
be
circumstances .
He
the
deasalaisitry afterothattli tberelev emaesanTtteme wasdgof
sfotorcekby peasantry
granted, and that the money placed at the disposal
of the Roman Catholic priests was disbursed in
some cases among undeserving persons. Judging
from his answers to the interrogations put to him
on that occasion, we should regard him as 'a fear-
less, just, clever, and good-natured mon_one
unlikely to act harshly towards his tenantry.
Yet his life has been ruthlessly sacrificed, either
because he dared to tell the truth, or it may be
exercising his legal rights' as a landlord. Since the
Romish clergy haye not used their influence to
repress. crime in the locality, the strong arm of the
law must be employed to put it down, and to extr-

pate that n4arious conspiracy which has caused
the life-blood of so many of our fellow-countrymen
to stain Our fields and highways.. Instead of
removing the extra police from Donegal, it must
now be increased, even though the population
should be made to feel in reality the privations
and suffering which their spiritual guides so
pathetically described from imagination.
" Tuesday morning, half-past 2 o'clock.—We
have heard that Mr. Nixon is still alive."
A correspondent of the Freeman's Journal gives
an account of the outrage, of which the following is
an extract :—" Shortly after 3 o'clock this (Sunday)
evening our neighbourhood was thrown into dread-
ful excitement by the arrival of a servant of the
Rev. A. Nixon, at Falcarragh, for the doctor, an-
nouncing that his master had been shot at on his
way from church, and quite close to the gatehouse
of :the avenue leading to his own house. Subse-
quently the particulars of this melancholy event
became better known, and they are as follow :
While the Rev. A. Nixon, in company with Mrs.
and Miss Nixon, were proceeding homeward in a
covered car, after being present at Divine service,
he was met quite close to his gatehouse by three
persons dressed in the garb of women, one of whom
seized the horse by the bit, while another proceeded
towards the window of the car which was opened,
and, aiming a pistol at Mr. Nixon's head, lodged
its contents in the jaw of the unfortunate gentle-
man. I have heard it stated that had the shot
(which was of slugs) taken effect a few inches
higher his case would have been hopeless ; but, as
it is, I am happy to be informed his condition is not
considered beyond recovery. Dr. Brady, of Fal-
carragh, and Dr. Eames, of Dunfanaghy, are in at-
tendance; but, of course, at the present stage it is
folly to offer an opinion howso sad and terriblea case
may terminate. Many causes are assigned as having
led to this act of desperation."
Immediately on the intelligence reaching Dublin
the Lord Lieutenant issued a proclamation offering
£lOO reward for the discovery of the assassins.