Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1881-03-12 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

THE STATE OF IRF.LA.ND.  DARING AND COLD-BLOODED MURDER.  A correspondent of the Times, dating from Mullin.. far, March 6th, eaves A murder of a very daring and cold-blooded character was committed on the 4th inst. within a short distance of MuLyfarnhans, county Westmeath. A respectable farmer named Patrick Farrelly, who lived with his mother, a brother, sod a sister, on a farm at Mearescourt, some eight miles from Mullingar, was returning home from a fair, when he was deliberately fired at and shot sits times in the body. The circumstances surrounding the occurrence point it out as one undoubtedly agrarian in its origin. Parrally farmed some sixty acres of land at Mearescourt, where his industry enabled him to lay by some money. About five years ago he utilised his savings by purchasing an additional farm of sixteen acres at Balive, a short distance outside of Multyfarnham. From this farm the previous tenant had been evicted for non-payment of rent, and prior to passing into the hands of Farrelly, it had remained without an occupant for two years. Farrelly was warned not to take it, and when he entered into possession of it he was threatened time aft, time with the consequence which would follow if he did not give it op. Being apparently of a resolute and determined nature he refused to be moved by either sersuasion or fear. For a length of time, however, he obtained police protection, but in 1870, at his own request, this was withdrawn. He had compensated the former occupier of the holding to the complete out sfaction of the latter, the landlord of the esta'e being Mr. Joseph Tuite. It may be added that his predecessor on the farm is now working, t is said, at the docks in Liverpool. On Thursday night, the 3rd inst., Farrelly came into Multyfarnham, and the next morning he sold two fat cattle in the fair which was being held. He left at about twelve o'clock, taking the road leading down to Mullingar. He followed the main highway for some distance and then branched off into a side road. It appears that he then took a short cut across the fields, for it was in the middle of the field there that he was fired at. He was walking along at about half-pest two o'clock, according to his own statement, when he met two young men dressed in grey frieze, to whom he bade good day. They returned the salutation; but he had scarcely passed them when he received the contents of a revolver, charged with heavy fowling - shot just below the left ear. He attempted to run away. but fell into a bramble bush, when five other shots were aimed at him. These were bullet charges, and ; one of them struck his side and penetrated the : kidneys; another entered at the left shoulder and ; pierced the lung, while yet another struck him on the • wrist, and splintered the bone. The parties were, no doubt, under the belief that they Lad finally deist patched him, as they thereupon went away. But, notwithstanding the terrible wounds he bad received, Farrelly was able to get up and stagger to the house of a farmer named Knife, one-sixth of a mile off, where he related wont had happened. A priest and a medical .man were at once sent for, and came, accompanied by the police. The unfortunate man continued quite tensible, and was able to narrate minutely the exset events as they happened. He said, however, he was unable to recognise either of the strangers who addressed him. The police had him at once removed to the infirmary at Mullingar, where bodied early on Saturday morning. The place where the outrage was committed is distinctly visible from the roadway. There are many sloping eminences in the vicinity from any or all of which the parties and the tragedy might have been overlooked; but the murderers, being evidently strangers, coolly awaited their opportunity and deliberately executed their purpose. No arrests have been made.