Star. — 1824-08-31 (London, England)

THE SPENCERS' CASE.—In Hone of the reports of this case which have appeared in the newspapers has any intimation been given of the probable motives which actuated the murderer in the perpetuation of this horrid crime. The following may supply the deficiency :81 A murder of a very heinous nature was committed some time since in the neighbourhood of Longhgali. A person named Spencer, who was an attorney, but who has lately been in state of lunacy, had married against the inclinations of kis relations. Although insane, not resident with his wife, and only six years married, yet it appears she has had in the course of that time three children by him. Means were always found by which they came together. The eldest.child, it appears, would• have been, at his father's death, entitled to a handsome, property ; we have heard it stated at 4001. a-year. In May last; the house of Mrs. Spencer was forcibly entered by a man also named Spencer, but what connexion to the family we know not. He deliberately proceeded to murder the child, and also a servant woman is, the house; and would mostlikely have treated Mrs. Spencer, in a similar manner, had she not effected her escape. He was attended outside by two females! Spencer, and the two Misses Spencer, were tried for this most savage crime at the late Assizes. He' was found guilty ; and has been executed. •The females were acquitted.  conic. •  Hoolahan was tried for the murder of Dennis Illihony, oft the night of the 9th cf December last, by giving him a blow of a griffane on the head. The principal evidence against the prisoner was a boy about 13 years of age. The facts were substantially as I follow :—The prisoner had given the deceased, who Was' a near relation of his own, permission to thresh some barley in his house, and while the latter was doing so, cin the night mentioned, the former came home, and, Without any provocatiun, struck the deceased three blows Of a griffane, of which he died in a few moments, the son cf the deceased being at the time present, and no other person being in the house, except the brother of the prisoner, who had come in a short time before, and being unwell, had gone to bed. The boy, during a long direct examination by Mr. Quin, and cross-examination, did not in any degree vary from his story, which was in some degree corroborated by the evidence of Jeremiah Donovan, who had heard the prisoner say he would have the life of the deceased for endeavouring to " cant" him out of his land.  On the part of the prisoner, his brother was produced, who appeared to be in a very bad state of health, and who swore that on the night mentioned, being very ill, he had gone to bed by his brother's desire, and while lying awake he had heard some words between his brother and the deceased, who struck his brother with the flail; witness attempted to get out of the bed to interfere, but in doing so fell and fainted, and on his recovery found the deceased was dead ; he positively swore that it was the deceased who gave the first blow with the flail.  The Jury in a few moments returned their verdict Guilty, and after a most feeling and impressive address the prisoner was sentenced for execution on Thursday next, and his body to be given for dissection. Timothy Hannan, James Walsh, and John Hannan, were then indicted for the murder of David Killigrew, at Ballyduff. The evidence being conclusive, the Jury returned a verdict against all the prisoners ; but in consequence of some circumstances as to Walsh, he was respited: the others .ogre dissa Friday last.  The journeymen fire-iron makers, file-makers, brasscutters, and wood-screw makers, have given notices to their respective employers in Staffordshire, that they require advanced wages. Thursday night a rick of hay, of about 40 tons, was destroyed by file, on Bullock's Farm, near Odiham, occupied by Mr. Knight. The accident was occasioned by the natural heating of the lay.