Irish Assizes.
The Times, 1824-04-16T00:00:00

patrick, Mfautrice, and John Crernzin were put to the bar, charged with the mtiurder of the Franks family, on the 4th of September last, at l,isnagourncen, in this county. Thie inteinse interest which this trial excited was wound up to a still greatcr pitch when it be. came kiown that the principal wvitness was the person who, accord. ing to his own confession1 fired the shot at Mr. Franks whiich de- prived him of life. AMr. Scrgeant GOOLD stated the circumstances of the case to the Jurv. as thev were subsequently detailed by Edward Magnzer, the accorriplice, who remembered the murder, and war at it. He had been previously at the house of a person named Power, at S.ianballymore; this was in the month of Mlay, upon which occasion he saw the three prisoners there, whom he now ilentified. They drank to hint, and, asked him to go murder the Franks's, and.he said he wmold. He left them then, and did'nt see them till two nights before the murder, when, being then at home, a man came to him and told him to be ready. He said he would, and went from thence to one Thomas Barry's, at Ballyduff, where he remained reaping till thc night of. the murder, whien, at about four o'clock, he left it, taking with him a woman's cap and gown: he proceedetl from thence to his own house, where he gota pistol, and then went to 'Mr. Franks's litchen-garden, where he saw the three prisoners, who had appointed to meet him there. At thiY time he had on the cap and gown; it was about six o'clock. Pat Cremin had an apron and shawl on, just as a w7oman would wear them ; they had pikes and bayonets on sticks. They went into the kitchen of Mr. Franks's house, through the hall; there was a table with a cloth, jug, and a candle lighted on it. hlr. Franks was sitting at it, and the witness asked for arms; he said he had none, but would send for them; the witness and prisoner then went to a cupboard, and threw out the things; a poker which was on the top of it, fell, and J. Cremin took it up. P. dremin then took up the jitz, threw it in MUr. Franks's faee, and the witness fired the pistol at him, which had a ball ana two slugs in it. At this time he was standing up, having rose when the jug was thrown at him, when Patrick strmck him with the poker, and he fell. Young Afr. Franks, who was present all the time, then took up a chair to defend himself, when he was struck by a man, who is not present, on the arm, which was broken. The lizht had been put out, and they then twisted the table-cloth round Mrs. Franks's head, to pre- vent her from making a neise, Rs she was screeching while they were killing the rest. Theywere all then killed. The party consisted of nine altogether, of whom one assumed the commanid, and when younr Mr. Franks was thromi down, that person said " Do your duy." .This witness was cross-examined by Dlr. O'C NSTELL.-He made one of those exhibitions which characters like Iiim nlways do under similar circuamstances. They killed them all, he said; and if the counsel himself ivas there, or Mfajor Carter or any one e!'e, they would be killed. lie would go up to his l-nees in blood-. wotild kill Major Carter with pleasure, and who knows, if lie was let out, but lie would kill more- 'i'is two years since he took the Whiteboy's oath-he forgets part of it-part of the oath is to do everv thing lie was ordered, and he would kill men, women and children, if he was desired. He had been tried and convicted un- der the insurrection act; he did not like to go away, but he wouldn't swear, except in honesty, to be allowed. to stay at home. Three weeks after lie wvas convicted, he told Afajor Carter about this bu- siness; only for that, may be he would have been transported. He had been at the burning of four or five houses, and would have burned more, if he was ordered. Ilehad nmurdered all the Franks's, and would mur-ler more if ordered. After the murder he slept, got up next day, worked, and was as cheerful as ever. The witness gave all the answers which exhibited him in such an atrocious chla- racter with perfect ease, but in nothing did he vary from his direct evidence. Mary \lvers was next examined.-She stated that she had re- cently lived in Dublin; before that at Milajor Carter's; and previous to that at Scarf. She knew the Cremins, whom shc identified, and had known them for some time. Sihe knew AMr. and iMtrs. Frapks, with whom she lived, but not as a servant, at Lisnagourneen. She recollects the night of their dceath at their own house; they were killed; she was in the room at the time, and Saw a good many of the party. She knew only the Cremins; the- three were there; when the party were coming in, lr. Franks got up, and went otst against them, but they pshedhimin; there was a light in the room, and a candle on the table. Mr. anld Mis. Franks, and young MSr. Franks, had dined at the table, and there was some pork, and plates, and knives, and forks, and tea, and some jugs on it. One of the partv had a pistol, and two more had guns; so.ue of them were dresea in their day-clothes, and one of them in wofnan's clothcs. Whlen they came in first they threw down the table, then shot -Mr. Franks, and beat him with a crow-bar and a pike; they then beat yong .Nr. Franks with the crow-bar; he had done no- thing to them, but cried for mercy; they s-aid, '-"You have ifo mercy to get, you rascals ;" they thea turned to Mrs. Franks, two of them yockets,- and then beat her with the crow-air; they Ireain r a geod while. The witness was alL this time under a a tahle in the same room. M-r1 Justice ToatREts sumnied up, and the jury retired, and re- inained in consultation a fety minutes, when they returrned a verdict of Guilty in all die coants against the three prisoners. Hlis Lordsbip proceeled to pass sentence on them for one of the foulest crimes that had ever been perpetrated, when he was inter- rutprtdbv a cry fromatltheprisoners, that " It was a wrong charge !" When silence was restored, he said that a fewl hours ago he had hcard a like declaration of innocence from one wlho, like them, had been foatnd guilty of an atrocious murder (alluding to Linnchan, who wa. executed this day for the murder of the policeman); but he had-the satisfaction to know that since then he had acknowledg- ed the ctine, and the justice of the sedtenee that had been passed upon hik-b. ;- He then proceeded in the most awful and impressive manner,to past sentence of death upon them. Thevg ate to bc executed on Moenday morning, and their bodiea given.tor dis?sectioii. When their fate was announced to them, i sceaemicfls as'it is.difficul, if nbt impossible to describe, took place Thdy biurst out iOta the most vehement exelamdaioas QC their tuno ceane, and imprecatetd the cunes of Ileavope- on them Y-AD.'44ire1 guilty. They werexemovod from thebar, the Judge-bung utiabW I to obtain their attention. . . . . - EXECUTIOT OF JEREmiAH* La igxt.-At twelvdONCMock on Saturdav this unfortunate man- wasietnoved fromnihe.vbunty. gaol of Cork to the place of executi6n;,*lIere a largeconcoiije of people hadi assenibled. A few raoments befoie hi sscanam e?etht scaifbld, after being some time enBagea itD pryer; hle cllecli for Itr. Henry. Bennett, the Sub-.Sheriff of' the county, to whomn he miade a fall conesion of his. having a.ssistedat the murder,but.declred thatit was fi at tbe instigation-of the appiover Cronin, WhD lia& given the deceased several blows wvithl a stick, .and,uabbed-him with a bayonet, before he, Linnehan, struck him at all - i.-a4ded,.that onlv one other person was preenit, and that Ir.-Nash3'eiidCence was correct as to what pased.I IRISH ASSIZES; TRE AMITRDER OF THE FAMILY OF THE FRANKS. TlTAL OF TIIE MURDERERS. CORK, ApRtL 10.