The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-08-28 00:00:00

MURDER.

John Fagan, alias Patrick Fagan, aged 43, was charged
with the wilful murder of James Sheridan.
Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Perry conducted the prosecution;
Mr. Murphy the defence.
Mary Sheridan, sworn.—l am the widow of Mr. Sheridan.
I live in the Park. On a Thursday in July, 1838, he came
home about four o'clock. The prisoner at the bar and his
brother came with him. My husband was a lumper. When
they came in, they appeared to have been quarrelling. There
was a cut over my husband's eye when he came in. He said
he had received very bad usage, and he was almost exhausted
by them. The prisoner and his brother said they would have
their money from him, and they would have it or else his
life. I did not then know they had been working for him :
they were then strangers to me. He told them to stop till
the work was done, and they should have their money like
other people. The prisoner said to his brother Charles,
" Lay on him." Charles struck him with his fist. My hus-
band resisted, and they both fell to the ground. The pri-
soner went up to him, and kicked him nearly at the bottom
of his belly, and loosed Charles. Charles was uppermost.
The prisoner slapped me with his open hand. and knocked
me down, and then he put his foot upon me to keep me down.
Charles was meanwhile busy enough. My husband had got
up, and after a struggle with Charles, the prisoner joined
him, and they threw my husband down, and both of them
kicked him. Charles kicked him four or five times, after
which the prisoner returned to him, and gave him more than
Charles had given him a good deal. He kicked him very se-
verely about the bottom of the belly. I dare say he kicked
him seven or eight times. He was on the ground then, un-
able to get up. I kept crying murder all the time, and at
length John Burrows came to my assistance. One of the
Fagans went out when Burrows came in, and the other was
still upon my husband. When the two men had gone my
husband was in a very bad state. Burrows helped me to get
him on to the bed, and he remained very bad indeed all the
night. Next morning I sent for Dr. Harbord, who attended
him till be died. He never again ate a bit of victuals, or rose
from his bed, to the time of his death, which happened three
weeks after to the day. I know Patrick Campbell, who I
sent to look for the Fagans next day. Charles was tried for
the offence.

Cross-examined by Mr. MURPHY.-1 am sure it was John
Fagan that knocked me down, and put his foot upon me. I
have always said so.
Re-examined by Mr. ARMSTRONG.—After I had met
getting
an I went down to the ship, with the intention of
an officer to take the prisoner. I saw the prisoner the
but I did not speak to him. I knew him to be the same man.'
No one spoke to him in m 7 presence, but they had been
speaking to him. I heard this from Campbell.
By Mr. Murphy.—l did not see Charles Fagan that morn-
ing. He was transported afterwards.
John Burrows.—l am a labourer in this town. In July
1838, I lived next door to Sheridan. I remember being at
home one afternoon, and hearing cries of murder. I went in
and I found Sheridan in the bed. There was another tnan
and a woman. The woman was Sheridan's wife. The man
and Sheridan were in the bed fighting. Sheridan was in the
bed and the man was leaning over. I ran over and pulled
the man off him and put him out of the cellar. There was
another man standing outside the cellar. Sheridan appeared

as if he had had some drink. There was a little blood on one

cheek. I remained in the cellar about ten minutes, and She-
ridan continued in the bed. I did not observe that he made
any complaint. •

Patrick Campbell, labourer.—l lived in the house over the
cellar occupied by Sheridan. _ I was at home in bed when