The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-04-15
TACT OF o'CoNNELL,

| One oflhe most remarkable porsonages
in c, rk, for a series Of years, was a
sharpwIied little fellow named John
Boyle, who Published periodical called
"The FTeeholder."' As Boyle did no,
sec that any particular dignity hedged
the corporation ofCork, his '.Freeholder"
was remarkable for severe and sairical re.
marks upon its members collectively and
personally. Owing 10 the very great
precanlion as 10 The mode Of publication,
it was next to impossible for the corpora.
lion to proceed against him for libel--if
they could have done so, his punishment
was certain; for, in those days, there was
none hut corporaton jurics-and the fac
that Boyle was hostile to the municipal
clique, was quite enough for those worthy
administrators of justice. 1t Ithappcned on
one occasion Of n crowded bent fiji, thai
Boyle and one Of the Sherlfi were com
ing out "f the pit at the same lime. A
sudden crash drove the scribe against the
Sheriff, and The conclusion wis such that
the latter had two of his ribs hroken-
There could be no doubt that the whole
was accidental; but il was too lucky
not 10 be taken advantage of. Mr.. Boyle
was prosecuted for assault--O'Connell.
who was personally inimical TO the
coporat'nn--scarce}y cross examined
snge witness, and called none in de-
fence. lie Proceeded 10 reply. After
some hypercriiical compliments on the
well known imparIiaity, independence,
and justice of a Cork jury, he proceeded
TO address them thus: ......
"! had no notion that the case is what
it is; therefore can Cal! no Witnesses.
AS have received brief and It's accom-
panimens--a fee, ! must address, you ]
am not in the vein for making a long
spec Ch--so gentlemen, instead Of it,
shall tell yon story. Some years Ego
went specially TO Conmel assizes, and ac-
cidenrally Witnessed n trial which nev~
er shall forget. A wreched man, ma
live Of that country, was charged with the
murder of his neighbor. Il seemed that
an ancient feud existed between item
They had met at fair, and exchanged |
blows: again, that evening they met at
low pot hause, and the bodily iu,erfer
cnce OF their friends alone prevented
iigh, between them. The prisoner was
heard TO vow vengeance against his rival.
The wseiched victim now lefttbe house,
followed soon after by the prisoner, and
was found next day on, the roadside, mur,
dered, and his face SO barbarously beaten
in by stone that he could only be iden.
lied by his dress. The facts we're strong
against hc prisoner-in facts il was the !
strongest case o! !circums,anlial evidence
| evel met with. AS a form--of b s gull
there was no doubt-,he prisoner was
called on for lis defence. He called, to
the surprise of every one, the murdered
man. And the murdered man came lnr-
ward. Ii seemed lha, another man had
been murdered that !he Identification by
dress was vague, for all The peasants of
Tipperary wear the same description of
clothes; that the presumed victim bad got
a hint that lie would be arrested under
the W hiteboy acI, had Il q, and only re,
turned, with noble and Irish feeling OF
Justice, when he found that his aucieni
foe was in jeopardy on his account. The
ca e was Clear the prisoner was innocent.
The jury requested permission TO retire;
ihe Y returned in about two hours, wien
the foreman, with long face, handed in
the verdet'guilIy." Every one was as
lcnished. "Good God" said the Judge,
"of what is he guilty? Not of muder,
suIelym mo my lord" said The lore
man, .'but If he cid not murder that man,
sure he stole my gray mare'three years
ag"!" r
Tie Cork jurors laughed heartily at
this apecdole; eTe the mrtb had time, to
co. !, O'Connell continued with marked
emphasis. $50 gentlemen Of The jury,
if MIR. Boyle did not willingly assault
the Sheriff, he has ibelled the CORPORA
lion; find him guilty by all So
The application was so. severe that the
Jury, shamcd INTO justice, acquitted Mr..
Boyle.