The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-03-26 00:00:00

TRI.II ASSIZES.

On Monday, Itth instant, Atrgerrt "Walt and
Francis Gilligan, otherwise APlllahon, were tried for
the murder of Patrick Plunkett, husband of the first
named prisoner. There was a second count in the in-
dictment, charging them, together with Judith Smith
and Judith M'Malton, with conspiring to commit said
murder.
Keating, Esq. Sovereign of Kells, deposed that
the body of the deceased having been found by the
servant in a field, he (the witness) had it removed to
the Castle of Kells.
Mr. Thoroughgood, the Coroner, held an inquest on
the body.
Dr. Nl.Dermott, who attended the inquest, proved
that the deceased came by his death in consequenct
of wounds be received in his head from a pistol.
Mary Gurry (sister to the prisoner, Margaret Plun-
kett) stated, that in the month of July last the pri-
soner told her that she was improperly connected with
4;i i : that slie hail got a plant called the daogltnr,
or deadly night-shade; that she dried it on the hearth,
,:owd,red it into soulf, put it into stirabont, and gave
it to her husband to eat ; that after be bail eaten it,
he vomitted, and a dog attempted to eat it, but
ran took it up and ran away with it ; prisoner then
put turf mould on what remained of it, and the de-
ceased accused her of haring poisoned him ; that, on
Sunday, the 24th of September, she (the w•itne>s) uas
....lied early in the morning by her bister, who said
that her bnsband was ont all night, and she supposed
be was killed ; that she (the prisoner) was shivering ;
on witness going to the house, she saw the prisoner,
Francis Gilligan, his mother, called the Collier, and
Judith Smith, sitting by a large fire.
Patrick torhally, a labourer, said he had given
a pistol to Gilligan who had loaded it with a
cooper's riveting tool, and two slugs. A pistol, which
had been fonud near the body of the dem:sill, was
r roduced, and identified by witness as the t.aine he had
given to Gilligan.
Judith Plunkett, daughter to the ileceasel, is eleven
years old ; did not onderstami the nature of an oath.
hut repeated the Lord's Prayer ; she stated, that on
the night her father was murdered, her mother sea.
her to her grandfather, who lives at Cookstown : she
returned home the next morning, and found her mo-
ther crying; she hail bean! her father say some time
before, that her moth •r lead poisoned hint ; used to
sec Gilligan, the prisoner is lied with her mother, who
charged her not to say a word about it. On the
ruing after her fat!ier was missed, her mother said
that he had gone for a lomilie of hay, and that he
was either killed or shot.

Mary Flood, sister to the deceased, stated that she
had seen 14. Gregg and Dr. attend her
brother, in ennserrienee of his having got Ir.:son.
he pemeentinn here closed, and the Jury returned
a verdict of guilty against Margaret Plunkett and
Francis Gilligan—the other prisoners *ere aciptitted.
Lord Norbury then peononneed the awful setvenee
of tile law 111 the wretched :.risi.ners, in pnrstianee
co' n hie:a titity were both taken for executi 111 l at eight
,'clock on Wednesday reptested
that lie iri:zht hr allowe Ito die hy himself. lie eon-
fessed Lis having committed the murder, and t:ttelared
that Margaret Phitikett had conspired with him for
the etoutnission of it, but that wtoeta he did perpetrate
it, there was not any person with him. !le also con-I
his having been concerned in the robberies tit.
Baiilehorough Mail Coach some time hack —The
other wretched rolprit aclimp.-.-ledoall her connection
with Ililligall, and that she conspired with and urged
him to the wnrder of her huslciad. She requested
the executioner not to keep her Ion.; in pain, and sl.e
died without a struggle. Both uf the unhat py beings
appeared very penitent. Gil:igan was about eighteen
Years of age, and his partner in guilt about tweeitv-
flier : they were attended by the :tee. Mr. Lynch and
the Rev. Mr. Flood. After the bodies had been
sly:prited the usnal time, they were cut down,
and sent to Navan for dissection, agreeabte to the
sentence.

KENT SPRING ASS:ZES -MAIDSTONE.

4' 011 N SIDE.

The grand Jury have thrown out the Rill azainst
Sarah Baker and .11nry Mk, wim were committed
for the alleged murder of IVil:iato lireontree and Wil-
liam lieern. prisoners in Maidstone Jail, by sending to
them a poisoned Pudding.
Ausi,N.—Jaines Pt den, a pamper, of Lowishant.
was convicted of toalieion-ly !irk!! two haystacks, the
property of Mr. Foster, one of the Overseers of the
Poor in that Parish. Tile prisoner endeavoured to
prove an alihi, by %lieu :lig ti:at he was in bed in a
lions(' in Chick-lane, London, at an earlier hour titan
that on which the crime was allezed to have been
committed, but be failld in ti.e attempt. He rortived
sentence of 11.. M.

William Clayton was indicted f •If a highway rob-
bery, c,.ottaiittNl on a t •aveiling fishmonger. The Jury
hrooght in a verdict id goiltv.—Aatli.
..Ctifill MIS bruit:Ott on Ow vivil Tide, hy
t'•.wan, against Mr. Baker, a respectable builder, ut
Chatham, for pallin?; (I.,wa the prosecutor** house, to
stop the rapidity of a fire whisk threatened thr ile•
stitt..ti,.n of the wli,;e town. 'the houses were of lath
and plaister, and adjoineii to a distillery, and the 11a-
sriittat. s all concurred in the necessity of palling'
down these Trendies. They were insured in the Eagle
Fire Other, hut they had stated, that the heti did nut
come within the terms of their poliey. The .fury gave
a verdict for the plaintitr-I:amag. s, TlO/. ; costs, 40s.
The Assizes dill not finish till Saturday evening.
Sentence of death V;;IS passed on nu leas thau 41
capital convicts, the majority of wh.nti had been guilty
of hottio-breaking.