The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-14 00:00:00

IRELAND.
POLICE SPY SYSTEM-CLOSE OF THE IN-
QUIRY,

DUBLIN, OCT. inquiry ordered by Govern-
ment respecting the conduct of the constabulary at Shin-
rone district, King's County, closed this day at half-past
one o'clock, having occupied eleven days. Sir William
Lynar, the stipendary magistrate at Shinrone, was ex-
amined to-day, and denied the imputations against him.
At the close Mr. Corballis, Q.C., announced to the coun-
sel and agents on both sides that he would, without
delay make his report to the Government.
ANOTHER MAGISTERIAL EXHIBITION.
The Cork Examiner, of yesterday, contains the fol-
lowing account of a scene in the board-room of Kanturk
Workhouse, the chief actor being Mr. Allen, the magis-
trate who so recently distinguished himself in the petty
sessions' court of the same town:—
" On Monday, the 30th of September, the following
magistrates assembled at the board-room of the Kanturk
Workhouse, for the purpose of electing ex-officio guar-
dians for the ensuing year:—Edward Deane Freeman,
D.L., William Barry, William Allen, Daniel Leahy,
M'Carthy O'Leary, Edward Stannard, Jonathan Bruce,
John Warren.
" Mr. William Allen, of Liscongill, as the senior ma-
gistrate present, took the chair, and with peculiar mo-
desty opened the proceedings, by stating that he did not
expect to be elected an ex-officio guardian, and even if
be were he would decline to act.
" The election then went on in the usual way, viz., by
ballot, and lists of the magistrates eligible to act distri-
buted by the clerk. The several magistrates present
having returned the lists to the clerk, he was proceeding
to ascertain the persons elected, when Mr. Allen, the
chairman, rose from his seat and walked out of the room,
declaring as he went along that the whole proceeding
was quite irregular and illegal. The magistrates re- !
quested of him to remain a little longer, until the return
was made out; but he said be could not do so, and re-
tired. In consequence of which, the next magistrate in
seniority was voted to the chair, and had= just taken it
when Mr. Allen again presented himself, and moved up
towards the chair, which the other magistrate instantly
vacated for him.

" The election then proceeded as it commenced, and
the clerk read out the names of the magistrates elected,
and the several votes given for each, when it appeared
that Mr. Allen had but one vote (very probably his
own) upon which he again stated that the whole pro-
ceeding was illegal from beginning to end, and that he
would not, as chairman, sign the necessary certificate.
" The magistrates remonstrated with Mr. Allen re-
peatedly, but to no effect, as, he said, not having exa-
mined the lists himself, he could not conscientiously
sign the certificate, and that he would instantly quit the
chair again, it being an illegal meeting. But on being
asked in what respect it was so, he did Hot deign to en-
lighten his brethren. To remove every pretext on the
part of the chairman, one of the magistrates here pro-
posed that the names selected from the lists by the
clerk be ex-o'loi° guardians for the ensuing year,' which
was unanimously carried. Notwithstanding which, the
chairman still persisted in declaring the whole transac-
tion illegal, and refused to sign.
" Some of the magistrates hereupon gathered round
the chair, and besought the chairman to sign the certi-
ficate, as it had always been done before by all former
chairmen, and not to have it go abroad that such a dis-
creditable proceeding could occur amongst gentlemen,
but the worthy chairman took no notice whatever of the
remontrances, and still refused to sign the certificate.
" About two hours had now been consumed in an un-
availing endeavour to get through an objection which,
under other circumstances, would not have taken ten
minutes. The meeting began to grow stormy, and the
magistrates to lose all patience, when
" Mr. Freeman said that this was frittering away the
public time, matters had goae too far, and that such pro-
ceedings were shameful and disgraceful, and had never
before taken place at any meeting of magistrates, which
every one at the meeting reiterated.

" Still the chairman persevered, but, after a little time,
stood up, and singling out Mr. Freeman (who sat to-
wards the end of the table) said, that if he (the chair-
man) were a young man, Mr. Freeman would not dare
speak to him in that way.
" Mr. Freeman observed that, even if Mr. Allen were
young, he would not condescend to notice anything he
said.

" Mr. Allen, after reclining in his chair for a short
time, again stood up, and in the most deliberate and
emphatic manner said,' I beg to remind you, Mr. Free-
man, that you are A MOST INFAMOUS SCOUNDREL,' upon
which Mr. Freeman at once retired from the meeting.
" All the magistrates now remonstrated with the chair-
man, with respect to the great insult he had offered Mr.
Freeman, and declared they would represent the chair-
man's conduct to the Government that very night. This
was the best argument used yet, and had the effect of
inducing the worthy chairman at length to sign the ne-
cessary certificate ; and the magistrates, delighted at
being released from such a disgraceful and unheard-of
scene, broke np. Mr. Warren retired early.
" The following magistrates were elected- :—Sir W. W.
Beecher, M'Carthy O'Leary, William Barry, Edward D.
Freeman, Daniel Leahy, N. P. Leader, John Warren,
Edward Stannard.

" A memorial to the Castle has been signed by all the
magistrates present, stating what occurred ; and it is said
they will all resigti unless this matter be taken up by the
Government.

" It is said that Mr. Freeman will not allow the matter
to rest here, and that this affair will be transferred to the
Queen's Bench."

REGISTRATION OF POOR-LAW GUARDIANS.
The Guardians of Limerick Union met on Tuesday,
Win. Monsell, Esq., in the chair. There were twenty-
four members in attendance, including the Right Hon.
the Earl of Clare and Augustus S. O'Brien, Esq., M.P.
A letter having been read by the Commissioners, de-
clining to rescind the 41st article of their regulations, a
resolution was proposed calling on the elected guardians
to retire, and the el-ojicies to withdraw from the board,
which was unanimously adopted.
THE MAGISTRACY OP MAYO.

The Earl of Altamont, Vice-Lieutenant of the county
Mayo, is determined to use his best endeavours to pro-
cure a regular attendance of magistrates at petty ses-
sions. We subjoin a circular letter he has addressed to
the magistracy :

" Westport, September 30, 1844.
" Sir,—On my arrival in Mayo, I heard that the petit
sessions at Castlebar had been frequently adjourned
without adjudicating on a single case ; and on calling for
returns from the clerks of the different petit sessions in
this county, I find that such has been the case in almost
every Court-house in Mayo during the six months pre-
ceding Sept. Ist.
" I have also received from his Excellency the Lord
Lieutenant a notice that complaints have recently been
forwarded to him on the subject, and in which he calls
my attention to it.
" The number of magistrates for the county of Mayo
is very great, and with, I believe, every facility- for at-
tending the petit sessions, and yet these adjournments
have taken place more frequently, I imagine, than usual
in other counties. It is nnnecessary to call your atten-
tion to the serious injury inflicted on the poorer classes
by such a proceeding, after the various parties have
come to answer summonses or give evidence, from a
distance frequently, I believe, exceeding seven or eight
miles.
" Finding these adjournments very frequent, and only
to be avoided by some exertions on the part of the
magistrates of the county, I cannot refrain from entreat-
ing you to attend with regularity such petit sessions as
may be within reach of your residence, and so, as far as
in your power, prevent a recurrence of such adjourn-
ments.

" I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient humble
servant, " ALTAMONT, Vice-Lieutenant, Mayo.
DESTRUCTIVE STORM AND LOSS OF LIFE.
The weather, which had been lowering and broken
from the commencement of the present week, became
very severe yesterday evening, and the wind continuing
to rise from about four o'clock ; and about eight a
violent storm raged, and continued without abatement
fer nearly two hours. The wind was from the S.E.,
and throughout the whole storm it brought down tor-
rents of rain.

The hour of high water on the bar was 9h. 5m., but
the wind acting on the water caused it to rise in the
river Liffey several feet beyond the ordinary level of
spring tides before that hour, and, as it flowed over the
quays, great consternation was felt by the inhabitants on
the Coal-quay, and other populous quays along the river.
The water, however, did not appear to rise much after
half-past eight, which was so far fortunate, as a very few
inches more would have submerged hundreds of dwell-
ings, and done extensive damage.
The shipping in the river suffered considerable damage,
principally in the rigging, from the way they were
knocked together.
In Halpin's Pool, at the North Wall, where steamers
and vessels of large tonnage find water at all tides, a
serious ainount[pf loss has been sustained. A schooner,
laden with oats, is a total wreck. She is named the
Thistle, of Wick, sixty-four tons burden, and dropped
down to the Pool in the early part of the day. She was
riding at anchor when the storm rose, but, owing to its
violence, she dragged the anchor, was driven against
the wall, and soon tilled with water. Tier larboard side
is entirely stove in. The crew are engaged taking out
her stores and rigging, and it is supposed that the cargo
will not be altogether lost. Tliy Thistle is insured.
Another remarkable proof of the violence of the storm
i-, seen in the same Pool. The tine steamer the Shan-
non, which plies between Dublin and London, was
anchored a good distance froui the wall ; but in a very
short time she dragged her moorings, and was thrown
nearly dry upon one of the slips. One of the wheels and
a paddle-box are destroyed. The Shannon, it is as-
serted, ran foul of the Good Hope, laden outwards with
bones for New Quay, which wilt have to discharge for
repairs.
Loss oz LIFE.-.The most calamitous result of the
storm on this coast, as fax as we have learned, was at
the island of Clontarf, where a man named Christopher
Cromwell, and his son, a lad of twelve or thirteen years
of age, lost their lives. Cromwell was a very industrious
man, and well known to bathers. He rented the island,
and kept boats which plied from the opposite wharf, and
during the bathing season he received a good deal of
money. He had a small, but strongly-built wooden
house on the island, in which he, with his son William,
usually slept, until winter set in. At ten o'clock last
evening the policeman on duty missed the house, and as
soon as he could reported the fact at the station-house.
An extra body of men were forthwith dispatch( d to the
scene of the catastrophe,, but neither Cromwell nor his
son could be seen. The house, with its inmates and fur-
niture, were evidently carried away by the sea, which
had swept over nearly the wholesurface of the island.
At two o'clock to-day the vicinity of this calamity was
thronged with persons. The wife of Cromwell, with two
young children, were present, and the poor creature
could not be persuaded her husband and son were lost.
It was expected that, in about an hour afterwards, when
the tide fell, the bodies would be found.
Several small pleasure-boats have been wrecked in the
o fClont4r£