Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-08-25
ALEXAND RIA GAZETTE
AN IRISH TRIAL.

trial? If not. you have lost scene where the
anomalous character Of an Irish peasant is fully
and forcibiy portrayed in all its broad develope-
ment of light and shadow. where the proud chi.
Various spirit of our countrymen bursts at times
in brief but dazzling spendor through the dense
clouds IF craft and crime'in which centuries Of
degradation have envelOped it.
! 1t was my fortune to be present at a spectacle
Of this description during the Summer Assizes
of 1926. i'll, one Of the disturbed districts
of the South. On my reaching the Court House,
found the hall filled with groups oil anxious look
ing exPectants. In one corner stood q knot of
freize coated men, seemingly engaged in some in
teresting topic, for they spoke in low whispers
in their own cultural language-perhaps discuss
ing the impending fate of friend or relative,
who had come under the iron hand of the law;
or connecting schemes Of deadly vengeance up
on some bloud sucking opprsesor. Amidst these
juntos, the female sex, as in all societies, seemed
to hold paramount place, and fancied could
observe in the eager voices and energetic gestures
of these excited women the incentive to some
act Of desperate violence, from which even their
rugged auditors seemed to recoi
! O5eyng nod from the sheriff, hustled my way
through posse of Coustables. PeeterS, process
servers,-et hoe genuS Ofnne. and obtained seat
on the Bench, from whence could distinctly OBJ
serve the whole proceedings. The trial was for
a crime whose frequent recurrence casts sig-
ma on our national character, and strongly evil
dences the nbeciIirs and misrule which has ev.
err characterised the Anglo Irish legislation. a
party Of nocturnal depre'latOrs had attacked and
cruelty murdered an unfortunate driver who had
rendered himself peculiarly obnoxious To the peo-
| pie The prisoner al the bar had been identified
as having been concerned in the outrage: and his
4 4 IL IN, a.,
fact of his having been formerly respectable
farmer of unbemished regulations; but who, b. &
series of expressions and misfortunes, had been
reduced TO poverty, aud driven. bya tyrapnicai
agent, from the hearth Of his fathers TO wiring
from cold aud selfish world miserable susie
nance tor delicate wife and five helpless chill
dren
observed him narrowly, as he stood erect in
the dock, with folded arms; his dress bespoke
him of the better order of peasan'ry; his age might
be about thirty five, tall muscular, and athletic,
his open brow and ingenious physIo2nomy bore
no traits Of cruelty OF ferucity; but there III
his dark sunken eye wild rccklessness, and on
his lip a curl Of defiance and contempt, as the
Clerk of the Crown, in his loud and nasal twanS,
charged the prisoner, mot having the fear Of God
before his eyes, with wilfu!ly killing aud STAY
ing &c.
The first witness called was thin, ferret like
figure, with small restless grey eve. indicative
OF every evil passion, who had turned approver In
order to save his own life; his direct evidence
was clear and conclusive, but as he tnrned to
identify the prisoner in the dock, saw the wretch
quail under the smile of whitening scorn with
which his victim recognized him. On his cross
examination, he reluctantly admitted that he had
been the organiser of many illegal meetings and
acts of vi0ence-that ne had been convicted
horse Z aler, perjurer, conner, and in short, that
! lie had been either principal or accessory IN the
most atrocous crimes. Every instant. as the pr-
soner'S counsel, by some ingenious home thrust,
shook the validity OF his testimony; or, by an un-
expected floorer,' destroyed his credibIlity with
the jury. buzz of applause ran through the court
which the temperate dignity OF the Chief Justice
! (Bushej could SC arce!y repress, Atlensth, wea-
nv of dragging to light this disgusting spectacle of
mortal ,urpitude, the wretched man was permit
ted to leave The table. amid curses and execra-
| ,ions-snut loud but deep
| The next witness who appeared, had been
farm servant of the deceased, his louEsing gait
and vacant stare, gave him most unpromlSing
air of stupidity. The Book was handed to him
80 Neil Sossennaugh''-(no En- gtish) said he
with an appealing look to the Judge. He speaks
English, my Lord!' said the opposing counsel
|
if he never had spoken English. Never yer
Onner,' was the ungarded reply Then, nv
fine fellow. it isl high time you should begin, take
the Book, STRIP Seeing he had fairly committed
himself, he proceeded with that repugnance COM
mon to all the lower classes of the Irish, to give
his evidence, in what he considered a foreign
tongue. Little was elected from this testimony,
though he had seen the whole transaction from
| his flock bed which was placed in the corner of
kitchen; and he became so bewildered on his
cross examination. with the multitude of ques-
tons respecting the relative situation of the room,
and the persons in it, that he houndered from one
dilemma to another, until his entire evidence be-
came tissue Of absurdities.
The case of the prosecution having closed
host Of witnesses appeared, ready to prove an
abb for the prisoner; but his council, Prudenfy
contenting himself with one or two Of the most
respectable Of these endeavored to establish the
point with the jury. but evidently with little ct.
feet; and the fact Of the prisoners gdit seemed
so apparent to every person present, that there
Iscarcely remained a shadow of doubt as TO his