The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-29 00:00:00

THE INQUEST.

Yesterday morning, at twelve, a Jury was empan-
nelled before Mr. Baker, the Coroner, at the Two
Brewers, Whitecross-street, to enquire into the cir-
cumstances attending the death of Thomas Leary, the
unfortunate man so barbarously murdered in the
shop of his master, Michael Meaghan, shoemaker, 187,
Whitecross-street, on the night of Sunday, the 25th
inst. So great was the sensation excited among the
inhabitants of that quarter, that a crowd of at least
200 persons was collected about the house in which
the inquest was held.
Jane Darby, sworn—l am wife of John Darby,
baker, 187, Whitecross-street. We call it next door
to Meaghan's, but in fact it is the same shop, the two
being divided by a partition, and haying a coor com-
municating with either, from a passage In the middle
of the house. Leary was in the employment of
Meagan. I was standing at the door of my shop, on
Sunday afternoon, about four o'clock, when I saw the
deceased, and spoke to him. He was quite well, and
was at the time playing with his master's child. Mea-
ghan is a married man, and this child is his only one.
His wife's sister, Catherine 'Singleton, is in custody as
well as themselves. Meaghan's wife is much younger
than her husband. I have heard that deceased
worked for Meaghan before the latter was
married, which is about four years ago
Mrs. Meaghan returned home from the chi istening of
her sister's child, between nine and ten o'clock on Sun-
day evening. She came to my door and asked if she
could go through my house, as her own door was
locked. I allowed her to do so. She was alone, and
went through and shut the passage door quietly after
her. The door is generally kept on the latch, and
only fastened at night. She went then to the front
door of her shop. I distinctly heard her do so, as the
partition is very thin. I heard her open the door and
saw the deceased Thomas Leary go in. I was stand-
ing at the corner of my window, which looks into the
street, and saw him then alone. After he had gone
in I heard her close the door upon them both. Ido
Lot know whether Meaghan was at home, hut think he
was not. I know that Mrs. Cotter was in the house
(she was servant to the prisoner), because Mrs. Mea-
gl.an said to me, " I suppose the old lady has fallen
asleep, as she has not let me in." I have not known
Mrs. Meaghan let Leary in in that way before. I then
went out, and did not return until after the cry of
"Murder" was raised.

By the CORONER—I had been to the bottom of the
street to visit a neighbour, and as I approached my
own door Iheard a bustle, and a man named John Rice
cry " Murder" three times, and then run up the street.
I did not notice any one running either way before I
saw Jack (Rice). lam sure I did not see either Sin-
gleton or Meaghan's wife. I should have known them
if I had. I, came on the opposite side of Whitecross-
street, in the direction of Chiswell-street, when return-
ing from my friend's, and there was sufficient light in
the street to see any one if they had been there.
By a Juror—Meaghan did not come into my shop
while I was there. I was going in to the next door
to see what was the matter, when Mr. Neville, a
neighbour, put me back, saying, " It was no sight
for me." I then went in through the passage door,
and saw the deceased with his head behind the
counter, and his feet towards the door. He bad a
large wound beneath the left breast, from which the
blood was flowing copiously. The doctor was putting
brandy into deceased's mouth, to see if he was alive.
He did not speak, and it was only by his slight
gasping that I knew he was alive. He tried to turn
away his head from the brandy, but had not strength
to do so, and died in a few minutes after.
William Darby, husband of the last witness, said,
I did not deceased on Sunday till I saw him wounded.
I did not see him let in, as I was in the bakehouse
at the time. My wife let Mrs. Meaghan through.
I should say it was about half-past nine then. The
partition is so thin I can hear everything distinctly,
and I heard, at twenty minutes past ten, the voice of
Meaghan in hisown shop, say, " Out with you, get
out with you,' as if speaking to some one inside.' I
also heard the voice of his wife, but what she said I
cannot say. There was a great deal of talking be-
tween ttvo or three, and quarrelling, buttl could not
distinguish the voice of Leary, for the talk was so
low at some times. I had customers in the
shop, and did not pay much attention.
I heard several pushes against the partition.
as if of scuffling, then a heavy fall on the ground, and
then some one ran out of the front door, and some one
said in the street, "A man's throat is cut." I cannot
say exactly what was the matter, but think Meaghan
and his wife were quarrelling. The words, " Out with
you," were before I had heard a fall or groan. The
only voices I heard were those of Meaghan and his
wife. I threatened the woman Cotter, when I went
in, to tell me the truth, but she could not answer me,
and I saw the deceased as described by my wife. A
knife was at his feet ; it was much stained with blood.
The man, Jack, picked it up and laid it on the coun-
ter. lam sure it is not an act of Jack's, but of some
other person's. When I went in with sir. Bland, a
tobacconist opposite, I saw Mrs. Cotter come out from
the back, wringing her hands, and saying, " Oh, God,
who has done this !"
(The knife with which the deed was committed was
shown to the Jury, and it seemed a common shoe-
maker's knife, such as is used for cutting leather; the
blade and handle were covered with blood.)
Mr. BAKER said that, in consequence of other du-
ties, he should be under the necessity of adjourning
the hearing of any further evidence till to-day.

The Hon. F. Reginald Forbes is accredited Minis-
ter Plenipotentiary to the Court of Saxe Coburg Gotha,
in addition to his functions at Dresden ; and Mr.
Barnard is to reside at Coburg, as Charge d'Affaires.
The Earl of Howth has sold his hounds and horses
to the officers of the garrison of Dublin. It is stated
that his Lordship intends going abroad for some time,
lin consequence of the death of his amiable Countess.

HOUGOUMON T.
(From the Newcastle Journal.)
The following interesting communication has been
handed to us by the writer, whose name is subscribed,
and relating as it does to an event of such importance
as the memorable battle on the plains of Waterloo, it
will be read with much interest :

" Along with the detachment of British and foreign
troops which Wellington posted at Hougoumont for its
defence, was a brigade of English, consisting of the
Light and 7th companies of the Coldstream Guards.
No sooner were the Guardsmen fairly within the
chateau garden than the temptingly ripe cher-
ries drew their attention, and the soldiers
were to be seen plucking them off the wall-
trees by handsful, quite regardless of the shot and
shells which were incessently pouring in amongst them
You scoundrels,' roared out Major James M`Don-
nell, the officer in command of the brigade, if I
survive this day, I will punish you all.' But, alas !
before the close of the murderous struggle, how few
of the cherry stealers were left for punishment in this
world ! Out of 134 as smart young soldiers as ever
drew a trigger (the number of the two companies),
only 13 could muster when the roll was called ; and
these survivors were led out of action by Corporal
Smith, every other officer and non-commissioned
officer being either killed or wounded. The Empe-
ror's commands were Carry the post,' while our
Duke's were Keep it ;' and a most terrible
post it was to keep. Once the French broke
into the court-yard, and such a scene of bayonet
work I (the narrator of this article) never be-
fore or since beheld. It was fairly a trial of
strength—the French grenadiers were not to be
trifled with, and we looked like so many butchers red
with gore, or rather like so many demons rioting
against fire, for the shells had set two haystacks in a
blaze, and many a poor fellow, bleeding and wounded,
being unable to get out of the way, was burnt to
death. Shut the court-yard gates,' roared out our
Serjeant Major Frazer, and keep them out,' and a
rush was instantly made to the gates, the French
without and the Guards within. Life and death
was in the struggle, for Ney was at hand with
a force that threatened destruction to the post ;
but English physical strength overcame the French
ardour, and the gates were closed by the power-
ful shoulders of Major M`Donnell, and the giant of
a sergeant-major, with as many of ours as could get
to them. The French, thus enclosed in the court-
yard, surrendered by throwing down their firelocks,
and were ordered to fall back ; but they forgot the
duties of prisoners. Their countrymen again charged
Hougoumont with horse and foot, and partly over-
powered the Nassau troops, and caused them to reel
a bit ; and then it was that the few Frenchmen we had
taken again seized their arms, and attacked us in the
rear. Fortunately the post was not carried, and now
a vengeance stern and dreadful awaited the prisoners.
They had grossly violated the articles of war by
taking up their arms after surrendering as prisoners,
and the consequence was that every one of them was
put to death, some by the bayonet, and some were
thrown into the blazing haystacks by our in-
furiated men.

" Though now 27 years have rolled away since that
dreadful scene took place, yet it is fresh in my mind'
eye, and my ears yet tingle with the yells of these
misguided Frenchmen as they were tumbled into the
fiery furnace. Charge after charge, and cannonade
after cannonade, were repeated on this devoted post,
yet still it was not carried. During one of the charges
made by the French cavalry, I could not but admire
the coolness of a Highlander belonging to the 92d Re-
giment. Donald by some means got separated from his
regiment, and could not get to it before the Cuirassiers
came up : he therefore came quietly up to our post,
coolly saying, Lads, I'll just fa' in wi' ye a bit—our
Regiment is receiving cavalry, I see.' As one of the
13 Guardsmen who was able to muster, being unhurt,
I distinctly say that I have been in many a hard-
fought action, and seen many an arduous struggle,
but the struggle to keep the post at Hougoumont was
by far the mot dreadful I ever witnessed. We might
have given it up, for there was scarcely a man, either
foreign or English, that was not hurt ; but then our
iron Duke's orders were ' keep the post,' and keep it
we did, proving, to the strictest letter, that we knew
and could do our duty.
" RICHARD MACLAURENCE, Pensioner.
" Formerly Light Company Coldstream Guards.
" Backworth Colliery, near North Shields,"