The Express. — 1847-04-10 (London, England)

STATR OF TILE COUNTRY.  The Limerick Chronicle states that on Monday m .rning last, about eight o'clock, immediately after three poleernen had left the house of P. Hourigan, for their station at ('room, three armed men entered his habitation in search of Hourigan, who was out, having gone a little before that to the house of a brother. The intruders turned upon his wife, as she sat by the fire to prepare breakfast, and deliberately fired at her, inflicting a mortal wound in her breset. Not content with this barbarous deed, they struck the dying woman on the head with their guns, until she lay apparently dead upon the floor. They next turned into a room where the son of the unhappy couple lay one sick bed, and dragged the lad, about 18 years of age, about the house, ar d then commanding bins to stand against the bed past, another shot was levelled at him, which entered his head, and he fell at once a victim before his murderers. Having glutted their vengeance, by the immolation of mother and eon. these ferocious miscreants departed, regretting they had not got the husband and father, to complete the tragic spectacle. Hourigan's little daughter would os,uredly have teen the third victim, as they were determined to spare no human being in the house to tell the catastrophe, only that she, pro. videntially, was in the out-offices milking the cow for her poor mother. This little girl came in as the murderers departed, and saw them going oil, but unperceived by them, and suspecting no harm, the first objects she beheld inside the door were her mother iu the agonies of death, and her brother a naked corpse. The affrighted child gave the alarm, but before any friend or neighbour came in, Hourigan's wife breathed her last. The afflicted man, Philip If ourigan, at last assizes, brought to conviction four persons for having, in November, 1846, attacked his dwelling by night, and assaulted him barbarously in the presence of his w ife end children. They broke his skull. These fellows were en tenced to seven transportation, the judge having first designed to double that penalty, so gross did the outrage appear to him. Hourigan's life was threatened since this prosecution ; and the magistrate found it requisite to have police in the house at night for his protection. But the unfortunate man was doomed by those who regard not law or mercy, and, watching the departure of the police on the above morning, the murderers accomplished their infernal purpose • and as they could not sacrifice Hourigan, they butchered in cold blood those roost dear to him, the unoffending mother and son. On Wednesday, in the vicinity of Limerick, not four miles from that city on the Clue side ofthe Shannon, an attempt was mule to acuminate Mr. Joseph Wallplate, a magistrate nel resident country gentleman. The Marchionem of Waterford is supplying the smaller tenantry of her husband with seeds for corn and other crops oat of her own private purse. May her example be imitated by hundreds ! Amongst those landlords whose benevolence is recorded in the provincial journals to-day, I find Mr. J. E. Redmond, of Wexford; Mr. G. O'Reilly, of Kildare ; Mr. Usher and Mr. Down, of Waterford : the Marquis of Lana, downe ; Mrs. Mahony, Castlequin, and Mr. L. B. llsrtop, of Leicester, proprietors in iefry. It is said the latter gentleman has not had a single sixpence of rent from his Kerry property this year. Colonel Palliser, Tipperary, has despatched his son to New Orleans to purchase Indian csrn for his tenantry. Mr. 0. Moore, of Mayo, not only supplies his tenantry with seeds but has bestowed a mileh cow to such of them as are without one. Mr. Rutledge, Togher, in the same county, is also supplying seeds to his tenantry. The Earl of Lucia has sent lit to the poor of Kilmeena, Mayo, in which parish he is a principal prupnetor. A few days since I noticed, on the authority of the Roman Catholic clergyman, that his lordship had not replied to an application for a donation. Since then this SLIM has been forwarded, and contains 101., his lordship's subscription, and 61. from Earl Spencer.