The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1822-10-04
UNNATURAL CRIME.

traordinary case has occurred which oc-
cupies the conversation of all persons for
a week past. The right rev. Percy
Jocefyn. bishop of ~Ciogher, whose in
come from the bishopric exceeds II S 900
sterling, has been brought up before the
magistracy, charged with an Infamous
crime, and not fit for any son Of woman
to name. His ceadjutor in this affair is
private soldier. The affair was car
ried about from mouth to mouth, for s
or days, and the utmost pains taken tor
prevent the publication in any paper
Several Of the prints got sums of money
to exclude any account OF it; but one
weekly paper, the Observer, came ont
with the whole case, names of parties and
all. The right rev. bishop, 1t appears,
was held to bail, and has since taken Ter
odh and passed to Hamburg. The SOL
der, however, was committed, bail being
refused for him.
II appears that this rampant church.
man has such powerful family connexions
| in England, that the business would have
been hushed up the press could be 81
| fenced; but it seems the present is not
the first occasion in which the prelate has
dissraced hrs species, his functions, and
human and divine laws. About seventeen
years ago, when the present lord chief
Justice of the kings bench in Ireland,
| then T.. K. Bushe, esq. was solicitor ge-
neral, he was counsel for this bishop, who
was at that time bishop OF Ferns in yre>
land, and the bishop was the persecu.or
of respectable man, by the name OF
Richard Byne. This man, Byine, had
been in affluent circumstances, and redu-
ced below mediocrity, but with the farest
unblemished eputaion-unti the bishop
of Ferns brought an accusation against
him OF an attempt TO commit an infamous
crime, or TO sednce this ctasfe bishop 10
Its commission. In short, Byrne was
| prosecuted, and upon the Sole testimony
of the right rev. Percy Jocelyn, bishop
OF Ferns, he was found guilty, and so
vehement was general indignation agains,
ByrDe, that not content with the ordinary
| execntioner, the sheriff was induced ia
| procure The stoutest drummer that coulc
be found in the garrison Of Dublin TO in
aict the punishment of whipping, and
4 the unfortunate Byrne was actually at the
tail Of cart, whipped on the bare back
from Newsate to the Royal Exchange.
and his body presented gore OF lacera
ted flesh, and his lower garments were
covered with his blood. He suffered The
brutal punishment without groan; and
when he was returned to the prison, he
addressed himselfto the officers-and
calmly, but soiemnly, declared himself
innocent OF the charge for which he had
thus been punished-burst into tears, the
first he had shed, and retired to his dun
geon. 1t is not known to me, whether ne
was transported or not; at least 1t is. not
known where he now is the detection oil
this noble shepherd Of souls now, has
revealed the trifoId atrocity. Byrne con-
stantly alleged that the bishop threatened
to accuse il Byrne should refuse to com.
ply with his Infamous desires he spurn
ed the threat; the bishop kept his word,
and perjnred his soul; but the yileness
Of his foul character has at length bro't
him to the eyes of justice, and poor
Byrne, perhaps dead of a broken heart,
has not remained to see himself justified.
The bishop of Clogher has left his
bail-and the boosted justice of this
country has been prostituted to his escape
while the miserable associate Of his
crime, because he was not bishop, nor
a noble English family, nor possessed OF
$4,000 year, is in dungeon, and his
escape is not probable, as he has no FAM
ly in,eress--the state Of society appears
20 sink in proportion as professional re-
ligion rises"
BYRNE.
There was arepnrt that the man prose-