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

THE LATE MURDER IN WHITE-
CROSS-STREET.

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

On Christmas-day (Sunday) all the men were in-
vited to dine at home with the Aleaghans, and with
one exception, that of John Rice, they appear to
have done so. After dinner Leary (the 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-
sides 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-
Fhan'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
between 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 Aleaghan's wife
entered her husband's apartments. The parlours are
divided by a thin partition only, and anything which
is said in a 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,
arid immediately after Meaghan's voice, in an angry
tone, in the back parlour. Mr. Darby, supposed that
some quarrel had originated amongst 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 Rice—viz., that the
deceased and Aleaghan had recently been at variance,
and that Leary, after long consideration, had finally
determined on leaving Meaghan's employ on Mon-
day last, and had packed up his tools for that
purpose on the previous Saturday. Pending the
Coroner's inquiry, it would be improper to
give publicity to the rumours circulated in
the neighbourhood relative to the dreadful occur-
rence, but it may be stated that the general belief is
that Meaghan's suspicion of his wife's fidelity,
coupled with her sudden absence from the house
of his brother-in-law, induced him to follow
her home, and that some circumstance at pre-
sent hidden 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
employ 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.