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

THE LATE MURDER IN WHITE

CROSS-S'T'REET.

The following particulars in connexion with this
horrid crime explain in some degree the mysterious
circumstances under which the death of Leary took
place, and pending the investigation by the Coroner,
will be read with interest. It appears that Meaghan,
the man charged with being concerned in the murder
of the deceased, is one of those tradesmen common in
low and densely populated neighbourhoods, techni-
cally known as " shoe translators," whose business it
is to purchase second-hand boots and shoes, and to
restore them to a saleable condition, for the use of

,e humbler .classes of the community. Meagha

carried on this occupation in an extensive way,-and
employed no less than six journeymen, all of whom
boarded and lodged with their waster, in White-
cross-street.

On Christmas-day (Sunday) all the men were in-
vited to dine at home with the Meaghans, and with
one exception, that of John Rice, they appear to
have done so. After dinner Leary. (tlie deceased),
Meaghan, his wife, and Catherine Singleton
(his sister-in-law), left Whitecross-street to join
a christening party at the house of a man
named Regan, Meaghan's brother-in-law, who re-
shies in Playhouse-yard, only a few paces distant
from the scene of the murder, the other per-
sons (with the exception of the old woman Cotter,
who remained in the care of the house, and Mea-
ghan's infant child) going out at the• same time.
The afternoon seems to have been spent in
the usual manner, and Leary left Regan's
betweeir eight and nine o'clock. Shortly after this
Meaghan sent his wife out for some rum, which
she returned with, and immediately after went
out again. While absent on this occasion she
went to Mrs. Darby's (the baker's wife), and knock-
ing at her door, asked permission to pass through her
apartment instead of opening the shop door, assigning
as a reason that she thought the servant was asleep in
the back parlour, and she did not wish to disturb her.
Mrs. Darby at once consented, and Meaghan's wife
entered her husband's apartments. The parlours are
divided by a thin partition only, and anything which
is said in tea. loud tone on one side can be distinctly
heard on the other. A very few minutes after
Mrs. Meaghan had passed through she was heard
by Mr. and Mrs. Darby to go through the
shop, and, opening the door, let some person
in. Nothing further transpired to attract Mr.
Darby's attention, until about ten o'clock,
when a loud knock was heard at the shop-door,
and immediately after Meaghan's voice, in an angry
tone, in the back parlour. Mr. Darby, supposed that
some quarrel had originated hmongst them, and dis-
tinctly heard Meaghan, addressing some person, say,
"If you don't get out, I'll kick you out: A scuffle
then ensued, which ended in the alarm being given,
as deposed to by the witnesses at the examination be-
fore Mr. Broughton, at Worship-street, on Monday. A
most important fact was communicated to the re-
porter yesterday by the witness that the
deceased and Meaghan had recently been at variance,
and that Leary, after long consideration, had finally
determinedy employ on Mon-
and had packed up
his tools for that
on leaving Meaghan 's l
purpose on the previous Saturday, Pending the
Coroner's inquiry, it would be improper to
give publicity to the rumours circulated in
dreadful occur-
rence,t e re neighbourhood b t
iotuloyo dh
er esltaattievde
tthoa t
thhee
general belief is
from the house
of his brother-in-law, induced him to follow
ctlemutplewife's fidelity,
Adleawg'iltllain'sher suspicionsud den absenceof his
her home, and that some circumstance at pre-
sent hidifen hastened the catAstrophe. Much
dissatisfaction has been expressed at the delay
which has taken place in holding the inquest.
Leary is described as having been a very respecta-
ble and well conducted young mon. His father
is a master shoemaker at Cork, in Ireland. Leary
was only 26 years of age, and had been in Meaghan's
„„ploy six years. The body of Leary has been re-
moved from the shop in the back parlour, and the ,
house remains in the custody of the police.