The National Register. — 1820-07-31 (London, England)

IRELAND.  WATERFORD ASSIZES. MURDER. John M'Carthy was indicted for the wilful murder of Robert Sheehy, Esq. on the (sth of January last, at liawisfewit. Edmund Sheehy, Esq. sworn.—The deceased, Mr. Sheehy, was witness's father; witness saw the deceased brought into his house; he appeared to have been murdered ; his skull was CloVell asunder; on witness putting his hand under the deceased's head, it sunk into his skull; witness fainted away. The murder happened on the 15th of January last, at night-fall. About a week before, witness and deceased distrained the prisoner's father, and drove two horses fiom Isis land; witness, who was a few yards from them, thought the prisoner was going to strike the deceased. and went to his assistance, hut the prisoner's father cried out, " Let him go to the devil and take them;' deceased put the horses in pound, but they were afterwards hailed ; prisoner's father held a lease of souse land from the deceased, and on the life of the deceased; prisoner lived within a mile of the deceased; had lived there many years ; the deceased was a kind and benevolent landlord. Mary Droughan sworn.—Recollects the night Mr. Sheehy was murdered; saw him that evening near the door of the house in which witness lodged ; it belongs to the uncle of the prisoner. Knows the stream; witness went after Mr. S. and asked bins for !OM money; he bid her send her husband to him, and he would give him some; witness was returning when she saw the prisoner behind the deceased, with a bill-hook or plough iron in his hand, with which he struck the deceased behind the head ; the deceased stumbled a few yards, and cried out, " Oh, murder! Carthy I" the prisoner followed, and gave him a second blow, by which he was killed, and he fell within two or three yards of the small road ditch; witness did not wait any longer, but ran home through the dikes as fast as she could. Cross-examined.—Lives at Cloninel with her husband in the house of Pat. Lonnergan ; knew the prisoner and the deceased very well; did not tell the Sheehys of what she knew until with is a few days of Easter Sunday. The Learned Judge asked the witness what induced her to swear against the prisoner. She said that three or four days before she gave the information she met the Rev. Mr. Casey, between Cloninal and Cloglieen, told him the circumstance, and asked his advice. lie told her that she was wrong in keeping such a secret in her breast; and that, if she persisted in concealment, she would not receive the rites of the Church ; this operated r very strongly upon her mind, that she scent and gave information. Nicholas Droughan, husband of the last witness, cor• roborated the tes 1111 l ony of his wife, as far as he was concerned, and farther remarked, that lie was often awakened out of his sleep at night, by his wife starting up and crying out" Oh I murder, Carthy 1" His Lordship, Baron NPCleeland, summed up the evidence to the Jury in an able and eloquent manner, and passed a very handsom.. compliment on the praiseworthy conduct of the Rev. Mr. Casey, in bringing the nefarious deed to light. The Jury, after retiring about ten minutes, returned a verdict of Goilty. The prisoner was ex Tined on Thurday at one o'clock.  '~~' =fig . ~,.w