The Sun.
London, England, 1829-08-26 00:00:00

TRIAL OF LEDGER.

There never was a race which excited more in.
terest here. During the time that the Jury had
been called over, the Crown challenged six permit's
who resided in the vicinity of that town. It

Judge remarked at the time that, when the panel
was called over, he observed that the names on the
commenument of the panel were those of gentle-
men residing in the neighbourhood of that tow!.
During the trial the witnesses for the prosecution
were asked if the affair with the police two days be-
fire the murder at Ledger's was not calculated to
excite the feelings of the people. The Judge would
frequently observe that it was not only calculated to
excite, but to exasperate the peasantry to a great de-
Tee. As soon as the Jury had been sworn, the
Foreman and a brother Juror had an angry disagree-
inent about a certain seat which the Foreman
claimed as hereditary property. The affair created
an unusual degree of merriment in the Court, which
was greatly increased, when the Judge very good-
humouredly.accommodated the Foreman with a seat
on the Bench. The Solicitor-General thought fit
to allude to this levity in his speech to the Ju;y,
while the testy look of the Foreman excited the
risible faculties of the auditory.
John Ledger, George Lambert, Robert Lambert,
and Samuel Reade, were indicted for the murder of
iVlichaei Hogan, .John Farrell, Daniel Hawkins, and
Denis Mealy, at Borrisokeen, on the 28th of June.
Daniel Dunne examined by Mr. SCOTT, I.C.—
Was at the funeral of Thomas Smith, on the 28th
of June. It passed Ledger's house about two
o'clock. There were upwards of 100 persons at the
funeral; when passing the house he heard a cry of
" Men, take care !" The people then began to run
away. The coffin had just passed the -door, and
witness saw a gun pointed out through an aperture
in the window, which was built up with stone anal
mortar. A porch was adjoining the door, having
two narrow windows. A gun was pointed out
through the porch window towards the bridge, from
which the people were myth-T.—A shot was fired
from the lower window; witness turned round and
saw Hogan fall; another shot was fired from the
upper porch window; Hogan attempted to get up,
when he received another shot in the body, and he
tumbled into the channel. There was riot a single
stone thrown all the time. After four or five shots
were fired, stones were thrown at the house. There
were eight shots entirely fired; a third shot was
fired from the window, which pierced the clothes of
witness; he then turned round to follow the funeral,
when he. saw Ledger at the lower porch window
with a gun in his hand. He turned round to the
upper porch window, and fired at Witness ; the ball
ntered his back, and wounded him severely. He
w Robert Lambert fire a shot, whii h killed
Denis Mealy.
Cross-examined by Mr. MCKSON—He heard no
noise but what was usual at funerals, where the
friends of the deceased generally cry. There might
be a few sticks at the funeral. He heard persons
say that Ledger was more forward than be ought
to be.

Timothy Brennan examined by Mr. &UM—Wit—
ness corroborated the statement about the killing of
Hogan. He saw no stones thrown.
James Murray, and two other witnesses, gave. the
same testimony.
John Farrell—Was carrying the corpse of Smith,
and had just passed Ledger's, when the firing com-
menced. Saw Hawkins fall. There were no stones
thrown until the firing began.
Richard Farrell—After the firing had ceased ran
into a house, and waited for about 15 or 20 minutes,
when Capt. Dobbyn and the military arrived. He
saw the four prisoners, and another man, named Lid-
well, come up, and give themselves up to the Captain.
John Kinshan, shopkeeper—After the first shot
was fired he called on a military officer, who refused
to interfere without a Magistrate. He went for Mr.
Falkner, and on his return he found Capt. Darby,'
and the military opposite Ledger's house. Ledger
was out at the time. Mr. Dobbyn asked him how
many did he kill ; when he replied, as !natty as he
could.

Grace Hocter—Lives about 30 or 4.0 yards from
Ledger's house. She was standing at her own doar
and saw the funeral, which was not near so large as
others. the heard a shot fired. Saw an opening
made and the coffin fall from the bier, which was
broken in the fall. She had an opportunity of seeing
the funeral pass, and she saw no stones thrown.
The Rev. John Spain, P. P. of Borrisokeen,
examined by the SOLICITOR-GENERAL—Witness
recollects the funeral of Smith, and saw it go towards
Ledger's house, when he observed some confusion.
He heard a shot fired. In a few seconds two more.
They were fired from Ledger's house. The people
were greatly excited. Before he left the Chapel-yard,
after the second Mass, the people called on him for
permission to take the body of Smith to the house
of CaPt. Dobbyn, and place it down there, as a mark
of their indignation for his having been accessary to
the homicide. He would not allow them to do so.
Charles Walsh was then examined for the de-.
fence—Lives at Borrisokeen. Was early there on
Sunday. He saw a policeman go by, evidently on
express. A townsman took up two stones, and evi-
dently intended to attack the policeman. He saw a
great crowd. He heard that Ledger was a marked
man in the country. He saw the funeral evidently
pass Ledger's house. He saw a body of men go
in advance of the funeral, halt, and take stones out
of a wall, and evidently, by the exercise of their
arms, began to throw stones at Ledger's house.
James Paull, Setjeant of the 62d Regimeri—H,
saw the funeral, when upwards of 1,000 people at-
tended. After the corpse passed Ledger's house
about 20 yards, the people began to throw stones at
Ledger's.
Anne Lambert heard millions of stones thrown.

The defence having closed, his Lottosmee rose to
address the Jury exactly at twelve o'clock. About
two o'clock his Lordship concluded. The Jury then
retired ; at three o'clock they were sent for by the
Judge, when they said they had no prospect. of
agreeing. lie then directed the Sheriff to provide
for their accommodation, and left the Court. .About
four o'clock the Jury informed the Sheriff that they
had agreed. At nine o'clock the Judge returned
to Court,when a verdict of Not Guilty was recorded,
The Jury were all Protestants, the prisoner* wet
Protestants, and the four men who were shot were
Catholics. The Counsel for the Crown never
argued any law points, and the Court frequently in.
terposed, when the opposite Counsel were quoting
Acts of Parliament. The peasantry are quite in..
dignant at the result; but I must decline at present
alluding to the subject of their feelings; and I dread
some bad consequences will follow this acquittal.
They are heard swearing that they never will look
for law or justice again, as they consider it useless„
During the entire of yesterday, Mr. Otwar Oave,
M.P., was sitting on the Bench, and did not kayo
it until three o'clock, when the Judge retired.
Burke and Smith, the two hired assassins, 'whose
ease I have already sent, have beet executed here
this mottling. They appeared on the scaffold in
dreadful sate of insensibility, A policeman last night
called upon Farrell, one of the witnesses in the case
of Ledger, aud told him the latter had been acquit-
ted, " I know that," said Farrell ; <4 I wanted
them to leave me at home, as we could expect
neither law nor justice from an Ocange Jury."
information:,
his
occurred long before the trial was over. The polece-
man lodged information:, and Farrell was taken into
custody. Mr. Shc.i/ will this day make an applica-
tion for his. release.

DENYS SCULLY, ESQ.—WO extremely re-
t:;ret to state that this gentleman, so celebrated for his state-
ment of the Penal Laws, and for the part he had taken in
Catholic politics before the infirmities of health compelled
him to withdraw himself from public life, died on Thurs-
day last, at his seat, Kilfeaele, in the county of Tipperary.
His Jamlly are. left in possession of great wealth. His
landed estates yield a rental of 12,0001. a year, and besides
this Ile has left assets, to a =on at. Morn-