Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-08-19
Death ST an xnnucent MAN In The Pea
ifeutiarxr


The following affecting narrative wa Ana g.,
the Ohio State Journal -
In the year 1853, three brothers bv n.
name OF ohea-Patrick, John sad Denis-Iiv-
ing IN the county OF Donegal, Ireland, having
heard OF the land of liberty, where the down
trodd9n and oppressed Of all nations are reee;v-
ed and welcomed, tore themselves away from
their parents, tbG scenes of their childhood. and
the land Of Their birth, with the intention of
MAJ ilg enough money to bring their parenta
10 the country Of their intended adoptioa-s
lwo OF them were men, but Dennis. the hone
and pride of his aged parents, was bEt a bov
! OF Ii years, full Of youthful ardor. After re-
celving the blessing of their parents, they eros
sed the ocean and landed in New York. They
shortly started to find emp'oymeg The ED.
est stopped Ill New Jersey the next found
place III Pennsylvania, and Dennis came 10
Ohio with an acquaintance, ar6 found h's sSav
TO one of our public works. near Athena
where there were a number Of his eouutrvmen
employed -
Not long after he arrived, on one of their
holy days. two or three citizens were passing
along the road and found Dennis Shea, with a
dying man, st q Spring. Dennis had carried
him there, and was engaged in washing the face
and cooling The temples Of his diving country
man. Those who found him in this position
charged him with murder, arrested hin, ana
conveyed him to Athens, and lodged him In
jail. The man died without being able to
communicate any of the facts Of the case, and
the story Of poor D mis- was not believed--z
He was tried at the March tern, of the court
IN that county, 1854 found guilty of murder
III The second degree and sentenced to the Ohio
t'ententlary for life. He arrived there on the
lZth OF April following, at that time but lss
years OF age. Immediately after his eonine-
ment he began to dwindle away, and he told
the narrator of these facts that be couId NOT.
survive year, and wished his brothers to be
kept Ignorant ef his misfortune and Disgrace.
In the month Of September following he took
to his bed and sent messenger to our infor-
mani. He wished for priest, said he could
not die without making his peace with Cod
Father Meaher was sent for, and in the pres
ence OF the wardan Mr.. Wilson, and our ipfor-
nant he told his simple story. The diving boy
was shrlved by the priest of his religion-said
hat ne won.d now die in peace, and in few
al was over. He stated on his death
bed, land it is substantiated by Lot L. Smith,
Esq, lawyer of Athens and formerly private
ecretary TO Gov. AediiI;) that there existed an
I'D feGd between what they call the Far-down-
rs and Cercon;ans-tlIat a few of them had
net neor the Spring on that day in the absence
II Dennis, and had fight, when they left this
nan for dead and made good their escape.
Dennis came along a short time afterwards
nd found him, dragged him to the spring, and
Ike the Good Samaritan" was trying to re-
tore consciousness to the dying man, when he
'as caught in the charitable act, his story dis
through the form of a trial,
'ithout money and without friends, and SEN
encod, at the youthful age of eighteen, to drag
ut miserable existence within the gloomy
'alls of the Ohio Penitentiary-and innocent
30. Who wonders that he sickened-that he
id?