Norwich bulletin., 1914-06-02
FAMOUS TRIALS
TRIAL OF WILLIAM ORR.

The trial of William Orr, one of the most popular and influential of the United Irishmen, during the latter half of the eighteenth century, excited the Irish patriots as no other of the many official injustices of the period. It was declared nothing less than a judicial murder" the execution of Orr, and as such it Is recognized at the present time by the English ency- clopedists, Remember Orr" became a watchword, and was chalked on the walls in many places.
 William Orr was the first of the martyrs to the cause of the United Irishrnen: He was the son of far mer of the County Antrim. When he was 31 years of age he was arraigned, tried and convicted at Carrickfergus on a charge of having administered the United Irishman's oath to sol dier named Whealthy.
 Wheatly was a bad character and 1t was afterward admitted that at the trial he had given false evidence against Orr. It was William Mo- Keever who administered the oath and not Orr.
 Orr was kept in prison for about a year previous to his trial, to the in tense indignation of the inhabitants of the place, who were so friendly to him that the people left the place during the proceedings as a protest. Lord Avonmore was the presiding judge at the trial and Arthur Wolfe, afterward counsel. They concurred in the verdict of guilty as pronounced, after some delay, by the jury.
 When the jury retired to consider the verdict they were supplied with supper by the crown officials, lib- eral supply of liquors being included in the refreshments. In their sober state several of the turymen, including the foreman, had refused to agree to a verdict of guilty. It was otherwise. emptied and when threats of violence were added to the bewildering effects of the potations in which they had in- dulged Even when the jury returned the following morning, after the nights debauch. most of them were so under the Influence of liquor that they could not sit up in their places.
 When Lord Yelverton concluded his death sentence it is said that he burst into tears. A motion was made by Curran in arrest of judgment. chiefly on the grounds of the drunkenness of the jury, but the judges refused to entertain the objection. A short re- spite was granted the prisoner and Orr's brother obtained on the repre- sentatfon that he had confessed his a petition for pardon. Orr apparently signed a confession, but his brother afterward declared that he himself had concocted it without the prisoner Knowledge, and Orr strenuously de- nied responsibility for it.
 Hardly had sentence of death beer passed when computations seemed tc seize upon those who had aided in se- curing the result. Wheat1y. who sub- sequently became insane and is be- lieved to have-died by his own hand made an affidavit before a magistrate acknowledging that he had sworr falsely against Orr. Two of the jury made dispositions that they had beer induced to join in the verdict while under the influence of liquor and tive others swore that they had been teri fled into the same course by threats oi violence,
 These dispositions were laid before the viceroy, but Lord Camden, the then lord-heutenant was deaf to al appeals.
 Orr was hanged on Oct. 14, 17s7. and it is related that on that day. as or the day of his trial. the inhabitants oi the town quilted it to express theil sympathy with the patriot and to re- mark their abhorrence of the conduc' of the government toward him.