Star.
London, England, 1824-08-04 00:00:00

ANOTHER IRISH EXORCIST.

A Correspondent in a Dublin Paper gives the fol-
lowing account of another Catholic attempt at exorcism,
which, as in the case of the child, proved fatal :

A poor, humble man, named Halloran, residing near
Loughrea, in the neighbourhood of Kilcrist, being in a
state of lunacy, his relatives were persuaded by their
Confessor, that he was possessed of a devil. In such an
exigency, no time was to be lost; and as the Holy Father
who had made the discovery was a celebrated exorcist,
he was immediately employed to dispossess the demoniac
of his troublesome spiritual tenant. Having, therefore,
procured a se ficient quantity of strong spirits for the oc-
casion, his Reverence commenced his exorcisms by taking
a potion, to prepare him the better for the spiritual war-
fare in which he was about to engage. The demoniac was
then stretched on a bed, in the presence of his mother
and several spectators, who assisted in the operation.
—After opening his mouth by means of a gag, the
exorcist forced a large spoon down the unfortunate
man's throat, for the purpose of bringing up, as he said,
the demon ; but, instead of bringing out a spirit, he,
pulled the tongue out of the lunatic's mouth, iu conse-
quence
of which he expired shortly after !!
Why was this horrible transaction passed over with-
out investigation? Why was there not an Inquest held
on the body? Perhaps it may be said the officiating
Priest was insane. To this I answer in the negative;
for after undergoing the trifling punishment of three,
months' suspension from his duty, to which he was sen-
tenced by his superiors, he was restored to his clerical
situation, and is mow invested with full authority to per-
form all his spiritual functions.
IRISH ASSIZES.—CLARE.
Honora Concanon was indicted for the murder of W
Higgins on Easter Sunday, at Currafin.
The first witness knew Higgins; on Easter Saturday
saw him in the prisoner's cabin; on Sunday she saw him
begging; he returned to the prisoner's house in thb
evening, and she never saw him after; Monday morn-
ing prisoner, who lived in an adjoining cabin, came to
witness's dwelling—she asked witness whether she heard
Higgins make-a noise on going from her house early
that morning—witness replied that she heard no noise.
In the evening of Monday the prisoner came again, and
requested of witness to sleep with her ; witness at first
declined, but the prisoner pressed her, and (in order to
induce her) she took up witness's bed and carried it into
her own house.

Connor Higgins, son to the deceased, said that on
Tuesday he saw the trunk of his father's body, the head
and legs were cut Op ! I—the body was found in a pool;
witness, on the search being made in the prisoner's cabin,
found an old stocking and a great coat, which belonged
to his father; witness afterwards saw the head and legs
of his father's body.
Thankins Brew, Esq. a Magistrate—Having heard
that the trunk of a man's body was found in the river,
he attended at the Inquest. Observed marks of blood
from the cabin of the prisoner to a meadow in the direc-
tion of the river. At that meadow he ceased to trace
the blood. Observed on the prisoner's clothes several
marks of blood. There was blood on some stones, and
blood under straw in the prisoner's cabin. Was not
satisfied with having merely discovered the blood. He
was determined to search more minutely. lie asked
for the key of her chest. He got the key, and opened
the chest. There was a policeman present, who took
the things out of the chest, whilst witness held the lid.
The policeman took out a quilt, and observed that it
was heavier than it ought to have been. On taking out
the quilt, an old friese grey coat was tacked to it. Saw
the prisoner afterwards in jail, and had conversations
with her. The prisoner mentioned that a certain indi-
vidual, whom she named, was the person who had corn.
mitten the murder. She said that Patrick C— gave
the deceased a blow with a heavy stick on the side of
the head, as Ire slept, and that she held the legs of de- I
ceased whilst Patrick was committing the murder,
and when the legs were cut off; in order to account for
having the blood on her clothes, she described herself as 1
standing in a particular position during its commission.'
The Krt. John Murphy, a Catholic Clergyman—ln
April last he told Mr. Watkins that if he sent directions
to search a drain from a spring-well there, they would
find sunk in the mire a bag containing the heed and
legs of the deceased. Witness made the communica-
tion, in consequence of a conversation which he • had
with the prisoner. The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty.
The JUDGE then sentenced the prisoner to be hanged
on Saturday, the 31st of July, and her body to be deli-
, vered up to the surgeons for dissection.