The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-10 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, TUESDAY MORNING.
THE MURDER IN THE QUEEN'S COUNTY.
The inquest on the body of Mr. Richard Ely
was held yesterday before Mr. Owen, one of the
coroners for the Queen's County. Several magis-
tratea were present. Two witnesses only were exa-
mined,—one of them his brother, and the other the
medical .attendant, who proved that the gun-shot
wound was the cause of death. Verdict—" Wilful
murder against persons unknown." The magis-
trates are now holding a private inquiry. The
evidence against the murderer, who is known, is
bccoiuing more complete. He has absconded, and
an active search is being made after him. The fol-
lowiiig additional particulars arc .supplied•by the
correspondent of Saunders's News Letter:— -
"
Itoscuas, Monday Evening.—The murder of
this estimable gentleman continues to occasion the
greatest regret and consternation throughout the
district. On this morning the inquest was held
be;bre Mr. J. H. Owen, the coroner for Queen's
County. The following magistrates were also pre-
sent :—Mr. H. White, justice of the peace ; Messrs.
B. Thacker and J. Lyster, and Capt. Whelan, resi-
dent magistrate, Maiyborough.. Sub-Inspector
Mullen and a large party of police from Borris-in-
Ossory and the surrounding stations were in at-
'tendonce. A respectable jury•was empanelled, of
which Mr. G. Steele was foreman. Only two wit-
nesses were examined, who proved the infliction of
the WOund• and that death was its consequence.
These procee,lings were merely pro forma, and the
jury returned a verdict of -Wilful murder against.
a peraon or 'pei:sens unknown.' The deceased gen-
-tkriurti was unmarried, and about 62 years of age.
lie resided in a- picturesque cottage; which was
dose beside Ballaghmore-castle, the residence of his
;brother, Mr. IL El r. Those houses were not more
than 200 yards apa.r.t, and a sister was also an in-
mate of the castle. The deceased was in the habit
of daily takina. his mea?s at their mansion, and re-
turning punctually to sleep at his own house. On
Friday, about 20 minutes past eight o'clock,
after dinner, and passing the evening with his
brother and sister,-to whom Ise was much attached,
he proceeded homewards by u- passage through the
farmyard, and while passing through a stile
into a small shrubbery leading is his house he was
fired at by an assassin, who lay there. in ambush.
The contents took effect in his left arm, a little be-
low the shoulder. On being wounded he returned
- to his brother's house, and there became -faint from
loss of blood. Messengers were despatched for me-
dical assistance, and Dr. Powell, of Roseres, was
soon in attendance, • and took the precautions he
thought needful. Next day amputation was deemed
necessary, since it was discovered that the bone was
broken, destroying the arteries, vessels, and nerves,
but he sank in two hours after the operation from
the loss of blood and the shock to his nervous sys-
tem. He underwent the operation with great forti-
tude: He also frequently and with minuteness de-
scribed the particulars of the attack on him, and
stated that he distinctly saw the person who fired
at him, and that the assassin must have been within
less than two yards of him; and he also stated that
he distinctly saw the flash of the pan. At the con-
ciusiOn of the inquest the magistrates held an in-
quiry, the particulars of which have not transpired,
and if made known at present might frustrate the
ends Of justice ; but it may be added that the autho-
rities have taken the most active measures for the
detection and apprehension of the assassin. The
remains of Dr. Ely were in the course of the day
removed to Kyle, the family burial place, attended
by a large concourse of the gentry of the Queen's
• County, King's County, and County Tipperary."
The correspondent of the Express notices some
further matters of interest connected with this ter-
rible tragedy:—
" Borris-in-Ossory, Monday Night. •
"It is many years since the annals of the Queen's
County have been stained by such a cold-blooded
assassination as that of Mr. Richard Ely—a murder
of the foulest character, of a man beloved by all
classes. A kind friend; a generous neighbour, a
warm-hearted good felloiv, in the tallest acceptation
of the term, has fallen under the shadow of that cas-
tle with which the name of Ely has been intimately
connected for centuries—within a few paces of
where he. had been born and had lived during his
entire life. The Borris-in-Ossory police, under Mr.
Mullen, were soon on the spot, and discovered in a
small'group of trees, within seven yards of where
Mr. Ely fell; a hat, which it has been ascertained
-belongs to. a man named James Delaney, who re-
sides.with his father on part of Sir C. Coote's estate,
a short distance from Ballagmore. Search was made
for Ilelany, but he has not been at his residence
since, and the police are actively in pursuit. A de-
scription of him been forwarded to the different
police stations. It has transpired that aUout a fort-
night since, when Delany's- father attended at the
office of Sir C. Coote's agent for the purpose of pay-
ing rent, the agent complained of Delany's keeping
greyhounds and of his son James being a poacher.
Delany denied that he had any dogs, and offered to
take his oath to that effect ; and thereupon Mr. R.
Ely, 'who was present, stated he was surprised that
Delany could make such a statement in his hearing,
or words to that effect. The agent thereupon tore
a receipt which he had prepared for Delany, and
said he would require the. full arrear to be paid if
Delany did not get rid of the dogs. This is the
only cause of offece that poor Mr. Ely is supposed
to have given. • He was a keen sportsman, but a
more generous one never existed ; in fact, the game
on his lands were for the use of his friends, and
those not- only of his own class in life, but the
farmers and labourers of the district were always
welcome, and usually joined his coursing parties.
He Was never known to prosecute in any court of
law in his life. Delany, the person suspected, has
not borne a good character. About four years ago
he was tried at the assizes of Nena°h for the mur-
der of •a man named Kishem, by stabbing him, was
found guilty of manslaughter, and suffered two
years'
imprisonment. An inquest was held this thy
before Mr. J. H. Owen, assisted by Capt. Whelan,
resident miraistrate. Messrs. R. Palmer, H. White,
R. 'White, and B. Thacker, justices of the peace,
were alsoisresent. An intelligent jury were sworn,
of whom...Mr:G. Steele was foreman. Mr. R. Ely,
brotfier of the deceased, and Dr. Powell, of Roserea,
wsre es:amined as to the causes of death, and an
open verdict was found. It is worthy of observa-
tion that one of the jurors remarked that Mr. Ely
sasa in the habit of carrying a gun, and might have
f,ll.Dt I..iatielf. The coroner did- not appear to think
that-such -vas at all a probable matter. The funeral
took- plaCe soon' after, and was attended by all the
gclitry of the"-. surrounding districts, anal a good
many of the peasantry; but the attendance of th-,t
tits:; was not so large as might be expected, consi-
cei•.ng what a favourite Mr. Ely was. The rector
of the parish, Mr: W. Roe, offered some most suit-
able observaiions over Mr. Ely's grave, which were
attentively listened to. The sad occurrence has
cre7.tca a most painful sensation, nlv, panic, through
the ethintry, the universal expression being, When
a man who had the good word of every one is shot
clown no one's life is safe.' The district has not
been altogether peaceable lately, two gentlemen in
the neighbourhood having received threatening
notices. -It was sought some time since to place
the barony of Clemernagh, in . which. Ballaghmore
is situated, under the operation of the Peace Pre-
servation Act, but-the matter (partly for political
reasons) a.ras opposed, and the application was not
granted. It was also sought to have a police sta-
tion in .a house within 20 yards of where the mur-
der took place, and which had formerly been used
as police barracks ; this was also opposed, and among
the opponents was Mr. Ely. A -meeting of- magis-
trates was held afterthe funeral at Borris-in-Ossory
details did not transpire, but it is the anxious
desire of the well-disposed classes that a large force
of police should be placed in the locality,. under
the immediate direction -of a special resident ma-
-istrate, as it can hardly be supposed that the local
justices of the peace can devote their time to a case
which, though not strictly speaking of an agrarian
character, yet-wi
being
to be carefully handled,
the party charged. closely connected by rela-
tionAhip with half _ the families in the populous
district in which he lived. The present resi-
dent magistrate i.s stationed
t at Maryborough,
which is upwardsgmiles distant. -It
is piobable that a coantymeet3in of magistrates will
days,
assemble in a fewand that Sir Chas.
Coote, who held thedeleieisased iu the very
high of
highest esteem as one
it,
anexteulsive tenants, '
will take an- active. part in
will be. subscribed. The
scene
of dthae
uargearesvard
short distance from the high road from Limerickeris toa
Dublin, and about three miles distant from the town
of llorris-in-Ossory. The property has been in the
hands of the Ely family
withoutinterruption since
Cromwell .rested there." -
THE BATTLE OF TILE BANKS.
The great Sadleir swindles arc again brought
before the public, and
fierce battle between the
Tipperary and London and County B.anks is at pre-
sent raging in one •of the Dublin law courts.
" Whoever loses," remarks the- Freeman's- Journal,
lawyers will gain,"in the present-struggle _ between
official manager of the Tipperary- Bank and' the
directors of the London concern, over whose inte-
rests John: Sadleir presided with such matchless in-
tegrity. '
" It is not our 'duty (says the Freeman) to decide
between the contending claims- but• had we the
power, jigs dieere, we know how the , judgment.
would go. If the official assignee obtains a decision •
in his favour, there will be something- for the cre-
ditor; • but if the London and County Bank should -
convince the Court that the directors were wholly I
ignorant of the immense and various transactions in
which John Sadleir was
.engaged, and for which