The Poole Telegram. — 1883-05-18 (Poole, Dorset, England)

TRIAL OF JOE MULLETT. VERDICT AND SENTENCE.  DUBLIN, Thursday. There was an air of languor about the proceedingiii Green-street t a-day which not even the strange revelations which the Attorney• General, in his opening atatemsnt of the case against Joseph Moil att, unfolded could dissipate. The truth is that judge, counsel, and jurars are not unnaturally weary of the whole business. Joe Mullett, who was arraigned ta-day on the charge of attempting to murder Mr. Field, is a man of small stature and misshapen form, not so much hunchbacked as whet may he described as chicken-breasted. The extracts that wete read to-day from his diary proved his mind to be as strangely assorted al his body. The diary was full of pious expressions and pious resolutions, alternating with references of apolitical character and comments on lazzeing events—especially on the murd-rs that took place in Dublin during the year 1882—the murder in Tighe-street, the murder of Daily, the informer, in Skipper's-alley, and the murders in the PUcenix-park—the peculiarity about the entry in the latter case being that it bore internal evidence that it had not been written until a considerable time after the date under which it was entered —the 6th of May. The prisoner, on being called upon to plead, refused to do so, and wanted to give the grounds of hie refusal. He was proceeding to do so when Judge 0 Brien stopped him, and the Attorney-General proceeded with his opening. /Lobed Farrell was tae first witness called. His evidence pointed to the prisoner as the man who on the evening of the 27th of November gave the order for the attack on Me. Field, which was carried out, and the attack on M. Barrett, which failed in consequence of that gentleman's absence from town. Toe prisoner, who conducted his own Cave, cross-examined Farrell and the other witnesses who are approvers, not on any point touching on the cane, but merely as to the oaths they had taken to the Fenian organization and to the Inyincibles' organization, insinuating that as they had  uot kept those, their oath on the table should have no weight. The charge against the pi honer of having been the prime instigator of the outrage on Mr. Field having been clearly proved, the case for the Crown coed, end Mul'ett was asked if he had anything to say to the jury or any evidence to offer. Ho said he would flow, if he were allowed. say what he intended to have said at the commeecoment of the trial, and accordingly he proceeded to say that "our case " hod b en prejudged by English public opinion, by the Press, and in the Senate. and was about to quo'e something said by Sir William Harcourt on the subject, when Mr. Justice O'Brieu prremptorily stopped him, and said he would allow no reff-ctiona on any one out-Lie the case. Mullett, after ene or two attempts to continue, subsided, and his I. rd• hip summed up the evidence briefly. There was • general impression that the jury would not leave their b IX, ut they did retire, taking with them the documents gia en in evidence. They returned in a quarter of an hour, wth a verdict of Guilty, and as the juige began to pass sentence. the prisoner, wno probably thought that like men convicted of a capital crime he would be asked if he had anything to say why sent ince should not be passed upon him, interrupied his lordship with a request to be allowed to make a few remarks. " Not at present," said Mr. Justice O'Brien, and ins few forcible words proceeded to pass sentence of penal servitude for life. At the prisoner was being remaved he made a last effort to give utterance to his pent-up eloquence, but was quickly cut short by the attentions of the warders.