The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-23 00:00:00

TRIAL OF CAPTAIN MACKAY.

CORK, Saturday.
The trial of Mackay in Cork terminated in a
verdict of " Guilty." With this case the interest
of the Fenian prosecutions may be said to be ex-
hausted. There was a reckless dash in the young
" Captain" which made him a favourite with the
people, and he evinced some manly and generous
qualities, which, if they did not wia sympathy from
others, mitigated their hostility. The court, there-
fore, was densely crowded during his trial. After
the examination of Corydon a number of witnesses
testified to the facts detailed in the statement for the
Crown. Mr. Wyse, of Brick-hill, near Blarney,
proved that the house was attacked on the 6th of
March, 1867, early in the morning, by a party of
40 or 50 persons, under the command of a young
man, who wore a military cap, top coat, and green
sash. He did not identify the prisoner. Consta-
bles deposed to the attack on the police barrack at
Ballyknockane, which was set fire to, and the in-
mates obliged to deliver up their arms, but were
not subjected to any violence. The soldiers in
charge of the Martello tower, at Fota, clearly iden-
tified Mackay as the leader of the party who
attacked and rifled the tower on the 27th of
December last. Evidence was given of insur-
rectionary proceedings at Castlemartyr, Knock-
adoon, Kilmallock, and Kilcooney-wood, also of
the arrest of the prisoner, under the Lord-Lieute-
nant's warrant, and his discharge in April, 1866,
on condition of his leaving the country. An un-
dertaking to this effect was produced in his own
handwriting. At the close of the case for the pro-
secution witnesses were called for the defence.
John Mullady, alias Shaw, swore that he saw the
prisoner for the first time on the previous day, and
that Corydon, who was confronted with him, was
never present at any conversation between him and
the prisoner in Liverpool. In cross-examination
he would not say that he had not seen the prisoner
before, and he declined to answer whether he ever
saw Captain Deasy or Ryan in Gibbons's house in
Liverpool. Mr. Heron, Q.C., addressed the jury
on the part of the prisoner. His speech consisted
chiefly of a denunciation of Corydon, the chief wit-
ness, whom he called upon them to disbelieve, and
censured the Government for employing. Mr.
Exham, Q.C., replied, and Mr. Justice O'Hagan
charged the jury, who, after an absence of two
hours and a half, returned into court with a verdict
of " Guilty," accompanied by a recommendation to
mercy. The prisoner had the frankness to acknow-
ledge that he had received a fair trial, and that the
verdict was a just one. He was sentenced to 12
years' penal servitude.

In the gardens of the Inner Temple, Mr. Broome,
remarks the Gardeners' Chronicle, has succeeded in making
a display of hyacinths and other spring flowers, such as
one could hardly have expected under the difficulties
which surround their production in the heart of Loudon.
Large vasefnls of hyacinths ornament the side of the
principal promenade, and beds on the grass are not only
well furnished with that favourite flower, but contain,
moreover, tulips, Virginian stocks, and other plants, cal-
culated to keep up a certain amount of gaiety after the
beauty of the hyacinths is over. The latter, to the amount
of 500, were rooted in cocoa nut fibre refuse under a wall
in a somewhat dry situation, from which they were care-
fully removed and placed in the vases and beds which
they now occupy. The fibre in question is still used for
their growth, both in the beds and in the vases, and Mr.
Broome is of opinion that it suits them better than any
material which he has hitherto employed in their cultiva-
tion.