The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-29
IRISH CHARACTERISTICS
SOME OF THE PECULIAR PRACTICES
IN THE EMERALD ISLE.
Correspondence Of the Democrat
WATERFORD, December 3, 1878.

now smouldered away and almost en- |
tirely died out In oil parts of the |
island, with one exception, the district |
between Limerick and Tipperary. On the
borders of these counties such state Of So
ciety seems still to prevail, and regularly |
transmitted feuds, to be avenged by personal
encounter ON every possible opportunity, are
handed down from father to son, and from
family to family, as o portion OF the tradi-
tionary honors Of bloodthirstiness, which 1t
would be stain on the house or heirs to for
get. When we read Of these faction fights we
cannot help comparing them to the mutual
Strengthening In medieval times, OF which
such an interesting account is given by Sir
Walter Scott In the Fair Maid OF Perth"
The systematic way In which these encoun-
tiers are brought about Is something frightful,
and certainly very LAW entable In the midst OF
civilized country.
At the Limerick sessions, before Justice
Barry, ON Thursday. the nineteenth Of July.
John Cronin was indicted for the homicide OF
James Carroll, while returning from Charlie
vile Fair on the eighteenth OF March. He
pleaded not guilty. The evidence disclosed
that the prisoner quarreled with deceased
and knocked him down. beating him on the
ground. In ten minutes the unfortunate man
| was dead.
| The Jury found the prisoner not guiltyl
"Well," said the Judge, "you are the only
| twelve men In the court Of that opinion. Go
away. No wonder there are widows and or
phans In the country, when juries return sxch
verdicts." [Applause.l
THU HUMORs OF NEW PALAs AND OLD PALAs.
Pat Torpey and Tom Muleahy were In
dcted at the same assize for an ARRAY In New
Palss last November.
Pat Walsh was examined to support she
case OF the Crown. The prisoners said they
would not go home from the fair until they
were revenged on the Murphys and they
knocked" lot Of people. The fight lasted
about half an hour. There was no noise. 1t
was all hard work Roars OF laughter.l One
OF the prisoners Torpey) worked like devil,
and helped himself to q bit OF Murphys ears
| Judge-Didn't you bite the ear off man2
| Witness-Ol begorra, / couldn't tell
Laughter
Tom Burke examinsd-I was In the pig
fair and saw the fight. It was real good
one. They had sticks and everything handy
to break skull.
Judge-What side do you lke'
Witness Fax! like the three-year-olds
best. [Great laughterl
Judge-And you turned round and whacked
Witness Begorra, and did that same.
Judge-And what did you get for your
| kindness2
nine months and hard labor.
| John Ryan examined-I saw the row. 1t
| was not a decent one. Plenty OF sticks were
up at 1t, and they laid into the skulls.
James Raleigh examined-I was In the
| fight. saw Murphy eating off Torpey's ear
/ Judge-Why didn't you interfere2
Witness-Ohl yer honor, was minding an
ass. Roars Of laughter
The jury found the prisoners guilty, and
they were sentenced to three months impris-
onment, and to pay fine Of 81 each.
very just decision! Three months i'm
prisonmeut and G1 fine for indulging In a little
recreation, while murderer was, without
hesitation, pronounced not guilty. We really
pity Torpey and Mulcahy. It was not their
fault, certainly, that they didn't succeed more
effectually In dashing the brains out OF some
one 'sThey were furnished with everything
handy for breaking a skull" and "forpey
worked like a devil" Very laudable efforts,
indeed. It was too bad to sentence them so
heavily for not succeeding in their pious in
tentions, considering they strove SO hard to
carry them out. We will conclude this sub
ject with the words Of Judge Barry: mo
wonder that there are widows and orphans In
Ireland, when juries return such yerdicts
| No wonder such diabolical Outrages should
ever disgrace the Irish nationW
WAKING THE DEAD.
There is one other custom which remains
unaltered among the Irish peasantry-
| "waking" the dead; and however profane or
barbarous this institution may appear. by
them it is considered a mark OF the greatest
respect to the deceased. When neighbor
dies grand wake" Is held. and all the boys
and girls assemble to do the necessary honors.
l was much amused the other day to hear the
following dialogue between two countrymen
! who each conversed In the most dolorouS tones
| conceivable:
"WelI, Mickey, who's dead to-day. saw
the shutters UP as was passing through the
"Arrab Patsey, didn't ye hear the ould
Wildly Hoolehan died this mornin' OF short
ness Of breath; an sure it's a fine wake the
dacent woman will have, an no mistake.
She'll make fine corpse"
die these times. Collins is terrible dear, an
how the divil is poor man to get the price OF
"Thrue for ye, Patsey; there's, me uncle,
OF money for an Elegant coffin for his first
wife. an then what did the whisky cost2
Eighteen shillings apiece for four gallons, an
q pound note for wine for the ladies' Mick,
says Mr.. Shay, the shopkeeper, take the da-
cent coffin; ISL hold the longest, an / m sure
the missus wouldn't begrudge payin' double
the money for coffin for ye.. eTroth, then,
says Uncle Mick, it's she that wouldn't or
two Of them Wild that Mr.. Shay powered
out big fourpenny of rale Cork an gave 1t
to me Uncle Mick. Well, in troth, when Mick
got the glass, his heart warmed toward Mr..
Shay, 80 he took the mogany coffin for 81
shillings and pence. Bud the Robin black
guard made him pay for his whisky. for ne
gave the same kind OF coffin to Lag Fleming
for thirty shillings next day."
"Well, Mickey well go to the wake. 'Twould
be shame to let the dacent woman's whisky
!, go to loss, an sure, we mays well be neigh
| borly."
The interior OF the house OF the deceased
presented none OF the dismal mourning one
would naturally expect in such place. In
the kitchen group of boys and girls were
playing at forfeits and telling ghost stories
3 while others were busily engaged in dancing
most complicated jigs. Loud was the ap-
plause at the repartees and bon mots OF the
+ country wits, and now and again the modest
q giggle from the young ladies could be heard
! in answer to the tender insinuations OF theil
y