The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-08-24
N ornIng Star and Catholic Messenger.
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NEW oHLkAks. SUNDAY. AUGUST a. tszs
From Our Own Correspondent.
OUR IRISH LETTER.
DUBLIN, July 81, 1873.


The circumstance is the principal one Of the
week; everybody is talking about it aud the
nectlOn with it. /, therefore, feel justified ia
dealing with it at length. even though to do sc
may involve the omission to notice other mat
ters.
The facts of the murder and the chief points
of the case against Montgomery, I have al
ready detailed for my readers; aud up to the
time posted my last letter, the evidence given
for the prosecution was just the same as had
been given before on two different occasions
The day after l wrote. a new piece of evidence
was rendered. 1t seems that one of the mat
ters that prevented the first and second juries
from finding verdicto of guilty, was a doubt
whether Montgomery could have effectually
walked down the streets of Northumberland
after committing the murder. Accordingly, a
policeman was produced, wearing the clothes
pom and notes could be concealed. He created
asensation in court, and quite succeeded in
his object Very soon AFTERWARDS the case for
counsel, Mr.. Mcdonough, @. c., rose to address
the jury. For . day and q half this gentle
man continued bis speech. although the pegs
Two slender ONES, that the prisoner bad no
blood upon his clothes and that circ1mstantial
evidence was not sufficient to convict n man
upon. Then came Sergeant Arm strong's turn
to sum up on the other side, and the Sergeant
never made more powerful effort. There
could not p"asibly have been a doubt upon the
minds of the jury after his address. 1t may
be first noted that once while he was speaking
he took the bfli-hook in his hand and in
Welding it to show how MONTGOMERY in all
victim, nearly struck with it the Attorney
General who was sitting beside him. at last
t tie }pog s,s,,; Balry-eharged the jury.
morning at ten o'clock and concluded at five
P. NJ. He spoke with clearness, impartiality,
and force; but though he did not marshal tue
facts with the the slightest unfairness to tho
prisoner, his charge was on the whole what is
called hanging charge" He spoke with
much emotion towards the close, and he fin
ished BY praying in solemn tones that the
great GOD would direct the deliberations of tho
jury. The latter were only in mutual consult |
alton for about @ quarter Of an hour or twenty
made up on the question they had to decide I
immediately after tie close of the evidence for |
the prosecution. Great anxiety was manifest
ed on the face of every one in court-tbe pris-
oner alone excepted-during those twenty min
utes, and when the jury came out from their
room, mat anxiety was, of course, very much
the jurors returned to court in so short a time.
they came to pronounce a verdict of guilty
And verdict of guilty they did pronounce
Crown now asked, 10 accordance with the usual
practice, whether Montgomery had anything
to say why sentence of death should not be
this time had sat in the dock with his usual
,lmpassiveness. He had not betray ed the least
sign that fear and anxiety were racking his
soul. Even the pronouncement of the Jury
had not unnamed him for an instant Pluck
ing up strength for final effort now, in an
swer TO the Invitation of the officer of the
ana catcning hold of the iron bars, he began
short address, all of which was spoken clearly
and distinctly with the exception of the first
sentence. At its Close there were two or three
large drops of Precipitation on his forehead.
Inc Judge then weeping copiously passed SEN
tence OF death.
The substance of Montgomery's address to 5
the court was this: That he had Committed
the murder with which he was CHARGED that
indeed, q New Zealand savage could not have
performed more barbarous or horrible deed
and mad been so for twelve months before |
His story is that twelve months before he maid I
. VISIT to his wife's uncle-the Rev. Mr.. Brad a
shaw that there he was dru gged and poisoned !
and compelled to marry the unfortunate yonnp .
lady who is at present joined to him in We'd I
lock that he then becaue silly, weak minded, =
sion for numbering bankers that his frenzy d
was intensified by drunkenness; and that he O
N u -that state committed the murder. He d
thought, In fine, that his acts should not he a
punished as those of man IN possession Of Lis | y
senses. This address has effectualiy aiienated "
any sympathy that might have been felt for
rom being created. His allegations about C
madness are disbelieved, because nobody has a
manifested or thought that he manifested the c.
highest insanity. His whole conduct since | N
lis arrest and the skllful manner in which he | ri
the murder seem concusiyely to | G
1egatiSe any such allegation. The hea, tless =,
az AIS VIE, IL universally repro l.
dated, and his attack on the Rev. Mr. Brad II
haw, is believed TO be utterly unfonnded con q
him in his pecunisry embnrrass b.
aents, and that on the very day of his arrest NJ
or money and thanking him for his prg2ious o
;Lndness; M"ntgome1y's address in fact, de- =,
SSroyed his last chance of being saved from =. y
he gallows. II, of course affords the hi O hest p
onsolation to the jury, the judge, and Mont-
omery's advocate. st
Merit dav oil
everal reporters belonging to the Du6iln, Bel fr
asS and Derry papers, In che condemned cell ri
erviowed before in these kingd oms, and il IL T
roDaole that no convict will be again til
or several papers, even that published a full
ePort of the interview, have cried out against -
.naG they call tue Americaniziug of the press 81
ao nave called upon the executive to censure ne
ae o1hciaIs who admitted the reporters to the N
rlson. however. when they entered the CON ar
emned cell, they found Montgomery lying on II
Is paliet' stripped to his shirt and trowsere sn
onversing with warder-two warders keep "a
atch ana ward over bIr1 night and day-aud
less Inpl