The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-09 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, SATURDAY EVENING.
The borough elections, with the exception of Youghal,
which will be decided this evening, are 'brought to a close,
and the result can hardly have come up to the expectations
of the Government. The Derbyites have gained in Down-
patricle, Newry, and Mallow—in all, three seats, while they
have lost Limerick City and the borough of Carlow. As-
suming that Mr. Butt will be re-elected for Youghal—of
which there is said to be little doubt—this would leave a
positive gross gain of one for the Conservatives in the Irish
cities and boroughs. Upon the whole the changes in the
representation have been even less than was anticipated,
and do not number more than 10 new faces, some of which,
indeed, have been seen in Parliaments older than the one
recently doomed to premature dissolution. Four contests
werildecided yesterday, in three of which the Conserva-
tives showed fight, and were signally defeated. In Athlone
Mr.fjohn Ennis worsted Mr. Bailey by a large majority.
.Akoopos of this election the Evening Hail calls the atten-
tion.of the Lord Chancellor to the following extract from
the speech of The O'Donoghue, delivered at Naire's Hotel,
Athlone, at the nomination of his father-in-law, Mr.
Ennis
he time was now arrived when we should be united as
oneVy taking the sword and throwing away the scabbard,
and.zever cease until we exterminate and root out Orange
Protestantism from our native land. We then can recog-
nise in each a brother by having the sign of the holy cross
on his forehead."
In Drogheda Mr. Cann successfully disposed of the
claims of Captain Middleton, the protege of Cardinal Wise-
man, and a determined Roman Catholic Derbyite. Kinsale
has preferred the liberal and enterprising Mayor of Cork (a
Scotchnian to Captain Brine, a moderate Conservative;
and -New Ross has re-elected Mr. Tottenham, a proprie-
tor of the town, and a half-Radical, half-Tory. This con-
cluded yesterday's bill of fare. On. Thursday Mr. John
Patrick Somers's attempt to defeat the high Conservative,
failure, and in Water-
Mr. Wynne, proved a most signal
force Sir Henry Winston Barron, an old attache of Whig-
gery, made an effort to win back his old seat, but the Tory
Hassard and the hybrid Roman Catholic, Blake, were
re-elected. As already stated in the summary of the results
of the Irish elections, Mr. Miller, a terribly earnest sup-
porter of Lord Derby, was unexpectedly ousted from
Armagh, and the seat won by Mr. Bond, a moderate Con-
understood to enjoy the confidence of the
servative, generally
Lord Primate.
The county elections commence this day with Dublin,
concerning which there is not a word in the papers of this
morning, no one seeming to care a pin's point about the
matter. They will close with Kilkenny, which commences
this day week ; and it only remains to be seen whether Ire-
land is still to be regarded as the political grazing-farm for
the support of Conservative Governments in the hour of
their extremity. The Waterford News denies the report of
Mr. Power's intention to retire from the county in order
to make way for Mr. Osborne. The following account of
the fatal riot in Limerick at the close of the city election is
supplied by the Reporter, ultra Roman Catholic, and a
warm partisan of Major Gavin's, and, as such, ample allow-
ance must be made for one-sidedness. The same reserva-
tion will probably be necessary when the public obtain the
version of the opposite party's organ :
" The moment the result of the poll was ascertained it is
impossible to describe the extraordinary enthusiasm with
which the entire population was seized. Crowds, number-
ing some thousands of persons, grouped into George's-street,
Patrick-street, Rutland-street, &c. At 5 o'clock Major
Gavin appeared in the streets, mounted on his favourite
White Arab charger, and surrounded by men absolutely mad
With excitement. Followed by enormous numbers, he pro-
ceeded over the Mathew •bridge, down the Merchant's-quay
to the City Court-house, up quay-lane, where efforts were
made to detach the horse from the car on which some of
the major's friends were seated, in order that the people
should draw them. The enormous crowd, continuing to
follow the major, went down through Peter's cell, and by
the old historic walls of the abbey, and into the open ground
beside St. Mary's Chapel. Here the Major went to the
Dean's house to pay his respects to the Dean ; and then,
turning up Athlunkard-street into Mary-street, the proces •
sion went across Baal's-bridge into the Irishtown, still fol-
lowed by at least 10,000 persons, cheering, huzzaing, making
the. welkin ring with their earnest demonstrations of joy.
At the English side of Baal's-bridge, in a line with Mr.
Meskill's house, a detachment of soldiery, at the head of
which was Dr. Gore, J.P., was drawn up with bayonets
fixed, and the people passing on cheered them vociferously.
Passing by the house of a person named Richard Gamble,
in Broad-street, some few of the small broken stones on the
street were flung at the windows by two or three boys in
the crowd, and a few panes of glass were broken. Missiles
were in return flung from the upper windows of Gamble's
house, and the people at once interfering an immediate
stop was put put to this mark of the indignation of those
.persons who foolishly wreaked their resentment on this
mdividual for voting for the Derbyite candidate, for
whom, it is alleged, he worked with wonderful zeal
and assiduity during the election. Major Gavin was con-
siderably in advance when this occurred, and was totally
unaware of the circumstance—it did not occupy one minute,
and created no sensation. The Major passed on through
John's-square, up Cornwallis-street, down William-
street, and up George's-street, accompanied and followed by
several thousands of people, who continued cheering, hus-
zaing, and applauding, and making the welkin ring with
their acclamations, At GeoFge'tstreet, several who had

thus far accompanied the gallant Major 'opposite the house
of his agent, returned, some homewards, others to other
parts of the city ; but the Major. passing on, went to the
Crescent, by the statue of the Liberator, which was saluted
with every mark of respect by Major Gavin and the people,
and on by Perry-square to Boherbuoy, down through which
he passed, amid continued rapturous greetings from the
thousands who followed him.
" Passing down High-street, Mnngret-street, and into
Broad-street again, everything was as tranquil and as joyous
as possible, a band playing Garry-owen. in front, and the
Major returning the salutations of the crowds in the win-
dows by taking off his hat, and bowing repeatedly to his
admirers. Oppolsite Gamble's house a party of police under
Sub-Inspector Milling, and commanded by Mr. E. Gonn
Bell, R.M., was drawn up at this time; as the Major and
those immediately about him were passing, some missiles
were thrown from Gamble's second floor window. It is said
by very many that there were no stones or missiles thrown
until this occurred at Gamble's. Stones were then thrown at
Gamble's windows, and some panes of glass were broken,
but no further injury was done; neither the sashes, the
doors, the shutters, the walls or any other portion of the house
were in the slightest degree damaged. The police then,
with fixed bayonets, charged, by order of Mr, Bell, a
large number of persons up the street, towards Old John's-
gate or the Market -house, and the crowds, separating in
every direction, ran as rapidly as possible into the adjoining
lanes, West Watergate-lane, Flag-lane, crying out
Murder,' and in the greatest possible state of alarm. The
police then came down the street again in a body, headed
by Mrs. Bell, but between the old Market-house and Gam-
ble's house there was no crowd whatever, and very many
females had the windows up enjoying the enthusiastic
scene before them.
" At the Market-cross the police were observed loading
by those down the street, who could not imagine why they
loaded, particularly as the streets were nearly emptied,
with the exception of some 20 or 30 boys and girls who
were throwing stone's at Gamble's windows, some of which,
it is said, fell on the police, but none of that body sus-
tained anything like injury. It is said that Mr. Bell read
the Riot Act, and gave orders to the police to fire I To the
inexpressible horror and dismay of the unfortunate people,
no sooner was the word given than it was instantly obeyed I
One tall policeman walked a few paces in front of the others
and fired. A volley was then fired by the platoon—then
another—then another volley—in all about 50 shots of ball
cartridge, on a retreating, powerless, and defenceless peo-
ple, the majority of whom had nothing whatever to do with
the stone-throwing at Gamble's windows. In a moment
the scene was converted into one of utter horror and agony.
A. fine young man named Grace, a carpenter', about three
months married, was shot through the mouth, the ball
passing out through the back of the head; his fate was in-
stant death ; he was not near Gamble's, and had nothing
whatever to do with the stone throwing. He was return-
ing to his house after his day's work—a home of sorrow
and desolation which he was never destined to behold. The
wounded persons were conveyed to their own residences
amid the screams, curses, and lamentations of the multi-
tude. Three men were carried to Banington.'s Hospital.
Grace was already dead when laid on the table of the sur-
gery. The piercing cries of his wretched wife, who was
carried out after fainting away, were echoed by the multi-
tude, very few of whom could refrain from tears.
" Poor Grace was shot through the mouth, the ball
piercing the brain. His countenance wore an expression
of great anguish. The other victim., who has since died,
was quite a lad, and had been shot through the abdomen.
The third was wounded on the shoulder, the bullet having
ploughed up the flesh very deeply ; but we have not been
informed as to whether the wound is very dangerous or not.
st clohessy, the boy, aged about 14 years, the son of a
widow in Gaeryowen, and an apprentice to a shoemaker
named Holmes, was shot through the abdomen. His agony
was excruciating, and he expired last night at the hospital.
His mother, in a paroxysm of grief and terror, ran to the
hospital soon after the occurrence, anf d the dreadful
story, fainted in the arms of somefemale fiends by whom
she was surrounded. John MacNamara, a fine young man
from the island, the son of a widow, was shot through the
thigh, and he is in a precarious condition in the hospital,
the ball having passed through the flesh. John O'Brien, a
young lad from the Green, near the Blackboy, was shot
through the shoulder, and his case is a very serious one also.
A fine boy, a son of Mr. Meskill, boatmaker, of Mary-
street, was shot, though far distant from Gamble's house,
at the opposite side of Baal's-bridge, by a spent ball; but
we are happy to observe that his wound is not considered
dangerous i he had a narrow escape. Three balls perforated
the shop window of Mr. Meskill's house, which is situated
at the corner of Ball's-bridge, at the opposite side of the
river from Gamble's; and other members of his family
escaped through a miracle of Providence. Some of the
,lice firing less murderously than others, hit sign
rd; and houses over shop fronts, and the sign of Mr.
Carr, near Gamble's, was thus struck, and the front of
houses in the neighbourhood. The Rev. William Bourke
picked up a ball cartridge
in the street, h some
rather than
inflict death with it on a defenceless and wretched flying
crowd of young lads, women, and
,children. A boy who
was putting up shutters at Donovan s_ publichouse_ escaped
providentially, a ball having perforated a cask ofbeer which.
lay on the flags within a few feet of him. The hospital pre-
sented a sad spectacle as the victims of this atrocious out-
rage lay on their beds groaning in anguish, and as the dead
lay stretched in a gory shroud, the bloody evidence against
this unexpected massacre. In a moment the report of the
firing was heard, and people ran in all directions to the city
authorities with the news. The Mayor was speedily on the
spot, and his Worship asked Mr. Bell had he read the Riot
Act ? Mr. Bell showed a small card, and said he had read
the Riot Act ; he also added that he was roughly handled,
but he bore no traces on his person of rough usage, neither
did the police, who were questioned by Sub-Inspector
O'Reilly as to the injuries they received, and one of them
alleged that he got a stroke of a stone on the ankle, but it
did not appear to maim or cause him inconvenience. Mr.
Crawford, the county inspector, was soon on the spot. Mr.
M`Leod, sub-inspector, Mr. Enright, sub-inspector, several
other Bub-inspectors, and a large police-force, and about an
hour afterwards Mr. Coniston resident magistrate, and a
squadron of the 3d Dragoon Guards. Dr. Gore, J.P. was
near the scene from the commencement. He stated that: he
took no part in the orders that were coven to fire, and it ap-
pears that he did not. The doctor as the evening advanced
appeared to fear more bloodshed, and energetically spoke of
the necessity of sending home excited crowds at a moment
that the people were quiet and orderly, brooding over the
horrific scene which the city had
just witnessed. About
belf_past 8 o'clock Major Gavin, accompanied by Dean
Butler, the Rev. Messrs. Bourke, Moloney, Hickey, Shane-
tan, Quinlan, &c. Messrs. Lenihan, Raleigh Boan, Sze
rocooded to the Irishtown, where immense crowds' were yet,
assembled.
The ganant Major expressed his deepest regret at
the slaughter (as if they were dogs) of the poor men who
were shot down, and appeased the wrath of the multitude
by assuring them that he was determined that the blood of
the poor fellows should not be shod =avenged. He besought
of the people to go home, and not afford another opportu-

nity for the re-enactment of another sanguinary tragedy.
The Dean and clergy also besought of the people to retire
peaceably homewards ; and they proceeded home, cursing
the event they had witnessed with feelings that cannot be
desOribed, and, which, in all its features, is 111 e startling
and awful than the ever-to-be-remembered tr tgedy at Six-
mile-bridge.
" We counted 12 bullet marks on the wal:4 of the house
No. 1, Assembly Mall.
"It is asserted by very many that no vocation what-
ever was given for this murderous outr ge ' - by others it
is said that the police were hit by stones, but the stones did
them no injury; and out of the entire number of police
present not a man was seriously injured or incapacitated
from attending to his duty. It should be stated that
the Rev. William Bourke and the Rev. Mr. Halpin did
all that could be done to assuage the
ers feelings ofhem the
people after this revolting outrage, and in puading t
to go home. Dr. Gore, J.P., spoke to a number of gen-
tlemen who were standing at Verlin's corner, alleging that
there was fear of further bloodshed ; but the doctor took
a very erroneous view of the matter, which he was shown
by some of those who were present. Mr. Joseph Murphy,
in the presence of Mr. Thomas Boyse, J.P., took the
depositions of the poor boy, Clohessy, who stated that
he was quietly coming across Ball's-bridge at to time ;
that he was neither standing nor throwing stoßbs ; that
he had given no provocation ; several persons had a most
narrow escape. A young man standing at his house in
Mary-street was near a person who was hit with a ball
as he was speaking to him. Groups of women remained
till a late hour outside Barrington's Hospital, and their
cries and lamentations were piteous in the extreme. At 3
o'clock yesterday the Mayor, Captain Gavin, Mr. Barron,
R.M., Mr. Hartigan, and Mr. M'Mahon held a court at the
City Courthouse for the discharge of persons who bad been
taken up for rioting. Mr. Lynch appeared for the prisoners,
and the Rev. Mr. Bourke stated that during an experience
of 40 years he never witnessed so orderly an election as the
present. There was some rioting at the election before the
present ; but at this election there was none whatever, nor
anything at all of the kind, and he hoped the bench would
deal leniently with the few persons who were brought up.
The number of persons brought up in all was only five or
six, and with two exceptions the bench discharged them with
a caution. The persons convicted were Jeremiah Mannix,
for throwing a policeman's cap into the river ; he was fined
55., or seven days in gaol; and another was sentenced to a
month's imprisonment for throwing stones.
" The inquest and inquiry into the appalling death of
John Grace, who was shot dead in the Irishtown on Wed-
nesday evening, and William Clohessy, who died last night
in hospital from a shot on the same occasion, was opened at
11 o'clock a.m. this day before Dr. Murphy, coroner, in
Barrington's Hospital ; after which, on the application of
Mr. Joseph Murphy, solicitor, the proceedings were ad-
journed until 2 o'clock, to await the arrival of Mr. Charles
Barry from Dublin, who is retained as counsel for the friends
of the deceased.
"At 2 o'clock the great Board-room of Barrington's Hos-
pital was thronged with a most crowded and high-respected
assemblage of clergymen and citizens, among whom were
Major Gavpa, M P., Sir Matthew Barrington, Bart., &c.
" Mr. Barry, who had just arrived from Dublin, appeared
for the next of kin of the sufferers, with Mr. Joseph
Murphy and Mr. D. Doyle, solicitors. Mr. P. Murphy
appeared on behalf of Mr. Bell, with Mr. J. Boyse, for the
police.
" When the jury were about being called it was stated
that they were summoned by Head Constable Frawley,
who made himself conspicuous in the late election by swear-
ing novel informations against musical bands.
"Mr. Barry strongly objected, and was supported in his
objections by several others, including the Rev. William
Bourke, P.P., Rev. Mr. Kenyon, P.P., &c.
" Mr. P. Murphy contended that the jury were sum-
moned in the ordinary way.
" Rev. Mr. Kenyon—By police to try police charged with
shooting down citizens at their doors's.
The Mayor complained that the courtesy of acquainting
him with the summoning of the jury had not been ob-
served, though he had given strong directions to the sub-
inspector (Mr. M‘Leod) as to the position of the citizens
who should be selected for this highly important duty.
" The Coroner said he had nothing to say on that sub-
ject, and did not deserve an attack.
"The Mayor said that he did not allude to the coroner,
but to the police authorities, who had not acquainted him
as they ought to have done on the subject.
" Major Gavin, M.P., spoke of the partisanship exhi-
bited by the police.
"The inquest, after the jury viewed the bodies of John
Grace and William Clohessy, adjourned to the City Court-
house.
" Mr. Boyse, on behalf of the police, applied to have the
case adjourned until after the elections.
"Mr. Barry resisted so unusual an application, which
the Coroner refused.
"Mr. Robt. Gelston, M.D., was sworn, and gave evidence
as to the cause of the death of Grace, which he said pro-
ceeded from a gunshot wound which entered the right side
from the back, and remained in the external cavity of the
chest. His death was instantaneous some of the large
arteries having been cut. He saw William Clohessy mor-
tally wounded—he was perfectly conscious. The ball
entered behind the right side of his chest and passed close
to the spine ; he died last night from the effects of the gun-
shot wound.
" Mr. Boyse cross-examined, and in answer Dr. Gelston
stated as his opinion that the persons shot were standing up.
" In reply to Mr. Barry he stated that the backs of all
the persons shot must have been turned towards the police,
except young Meskell (who was standing at bis father's
door when he was shot).
" The Court adjourned to 10 o'clock to-morrow, when the
question of adjourning the inquest until after the elections
will be resumed."