Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-28

@he Story of the Castletown- Roche
BTurders-A Sensational Trial Antiei-


She Story of the Castletown- Roche
hFnrders-A Sensational Trial Antici-
pated.
From the ge,0 York Herald
CORK, July 25.-One of the most sensa-
tional murder trials Of recent times viii
be commenced at the Assizes here next
Tuesday, when William Sheehan and
David Browne, his brother-in-law, will be
tried for the murder of Sheehan's own
mother, brother and sister at CastletoWn-
Roche, not far from here. Seven years
ago the bodies were discovered al the bot
tom of we'll. few months since
Sheehan was followed TO New Zealand
and brought back in irons.
STARTLING CONFESSION.
Within the past few days startling
sensational confession has been made by
an old man named Duane, after having
always denied any knowledge OF the
crime. At the time OF the atrocious muir
ders he was employed as servant on
farm belonging to the murderer mojher.
Greed for the sole possession OF the farm
seems 10 have been the cause of the muir
ders by her son. Duane states that the pris-
puer committed the murders with IN nipple
ment called "grifaun," which is used IN
breaking lumpY mould after blowing, and
closely resem bles a cOOper's adze. On
the evening OF the murders Tom Sheehan
was induced by his brother to enter the
stable. He Was followed by the prison
ers, when William Sheehan struck him
terrific blows on the head, which killed
him.
DIABOLICAL SLAUGHTER.
The murIerers then locked the stable
door and entered the dwelling-house to
complete the work of slaughter. The poor
mother aud the hapless sister, Hannah,
were seated in happy d0mesticity IN the
small parlOr OFF the kitchen. William
struck the mother with the grittaun, then
throwing il away, caught her by the
throat around which bis arms in infancy
had often chung, and choked her. Browne
thea took up the grIiaun and struck his
old playmate, Hannah, on the head,
knocking her down. He also completed
the terrible deed by Selling her by the
throat. Both victims screamed, but no
one came to their aid. They were dead in
less than minute.
DIsPosING OF THE BODIES,
Duane was paralyzed with fear and
dared not then inform on the murderers,
VINO asked him to and them n removing
the bodies TO the stable. About O'Clock
Of the same evening Duane, at Sheehan's
Tequest, haruessed horse TO a cart, in
which the three bodies were placed by the
murder0rs, and he himself then drove to a
distant teld, where the bodies wore
Thrown into an old abandoned we'll Dur
ing the removal Of the bodies the men
were secretly watched by Duanes son,
who also had always denied any kn0wl-
edge of the murders until recently,
when he too made a confession while un-
dergoing penal servitude in Cork prison.
Both father and son say they kept quiet
lest they should be charged with com
elicity
THE DANCE OF DEATH.
The most revolving portion Of this ter
Rible crime is that while the men were
removing the bodies the two sisters of the
prisoner, Browne, one Of whom Sheeban
soon afterward married, were in the adj
Joining Westinghouse, dancing to the
music Of a cOncertina. When the bodies
were disposed OF and the horse returned
10 the stable the inside of the cart was
washed, and then the murderers went into
~ 4 A..