The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-12-13
Story on "a Terrible IRA
EHddV.

Under date OF Nov. l1th, Liv-
crpool Correspondent writes the fol.
lowing story of horrible murder.
In the little village of CIaremorr:s,
county of Mayo, Ireland, lived a
young man Of thrifty habits, named
Maurice Pcndergast, about % years
of age. His father and uncle, who
were both dead. had occupied the
position Of collector of tolls ant Gus.
toms in the village, the duties of
which office had devolved upon him.
His uncle had also son, some
years the elder of Maurice, small, like
him, in stature, but OF wild disposition
and unsteady habits. When ii youth,
James Eneas Pendergast in u drunk
cn freak M united an nnbrokcn horse.
which threw him with grca, violence,
causing an injury to his right leg,
which left it bending under him, as #
in knccling position, rendering It
necessary that he should have Il wood
ell leg. The cousins occupied sepa,
rate cabins, but they remained on APP
parcItly good trrms with each other.
There continued, however, to be u
| marked difference in their modes Of
life, Maurice being sober and saving.
while his cousin was reckless, violent,
and dissoutc. For some time past it
was known that Maurice was saving
money with the intention OF clnigra.
ting to America. for the purpose of
joining II reIa i've who had gone out,
and was doing we'll in the country Of
his adoption. When, therefore, about
a-month ago tho Pendefgasts sudden
Iy disappeared from the village no
surprise was created, the belief being
that they had gone out together. This
! belief had assumed all the force OF
conviction until u fortnight ago, when
q sack, containing the trunk Of hu.
man body-the head and legs having
been severed from it, WAS found float
ing in II pond or pic short dis.
tancc from tho prisoners .:ouse. The
sack contained several heavy stones,
which had no doubt kept the horrible
Witness under water. The discovery
naturally created great excitement in
the village, increased to Il greater
! pitch. When the pond was dragged
and another bag containing the gIlaslIy
head Of the deceased, with the skull
crushed MS if by the blow of u hatch
ct, Was brought to the surface. y fur
thcr search resulted in The discovery
OF the legs, which had been thrown in
without being wrapped up. The pris
oner's house. the door OF which had
been lett locked, was broken upcl,
and undoub,cd evidences of the fearful
tragedy were discovered The wall
against the fireplace was freely sprinls-
led with blood, leading the police to
the supposton that the fatal blow had
been dealt from behind, as the de-
ceased wa, sitting by the tire, in
all probability smoking his pipe. The
floor was stained with blood, and
marks Of blood were traced from the
cottage to tho p nd. Two other
strong circutnslanlial evldcnces-a
mounting almost to conclusive proof
Of guilt against the dcce;lsud's cousin
We're also discovered. In the cot.
taSc WAS found IL joint of The ycrtebr;r
Of human NECK, which, Oh beng
compared with the mutilalcd remains
OF the deceased, was found to CORES.
pond; while in ancighborlny cottage
WAS found IL hatchet marked mit!l
clotted hair and blood, which had
been left there by the prisoner, who
, had been known to purchase it !.
! few days before the deceased dsap.
pearcd. n warrant wa, Immediately
obtained against the deccased's cou
sin, and the inquiries Of the poucc
clicitcd the fact that lie had left the
: neighborhood about II fortnight pre-
, viously, accompanied by single wo
+, man, named Mary G nner, whose par
cnts live at Westport, and that then
: probable destination was Liverpool
+ whence they intended to cmigr..tc t,
: America. Policc.constable Atkinson
, who had becn for some years station
G cd ut Clarcmorris, and was therefor,
well acquainted with the person q
r Prendcrgast, came to Liyerpo J, and
Y after close inquiry, in which he wa
e assisted by Ilcad.constablc M'liuIe
G connected with the Irish constabuar,
, force, he discovered that persons an
{ swcring the description OF the mur
+ derer and his paramount, had bccl
c staying at the lodging-house Of Mrs
8 Morne, Sawncy Pope street, and al
;. forwards at another lodging house il
!. the same street, passing as man an,
4 wife. Further inquiries furnishe
!. them with the Information that the
n had taken berths on board tin
c William Tapscott, which will take he
o departure hence tomorrow (Sun
It day. for New York; that Prendergas
!, being cripple, was afraid that Ii
: would not be allowed to land in II,
:, United States; and that he had ,her,