The Miner. — 1863-04-18 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF SOLICITATION TO MURDER.  On Saturday morning, at Dublin, the trial commenced of Joseph Harcourt, aged about thirty years, a tutor, who was indicted for that he, on the 15th of February last, did solicit Wm. Smith and Wm. Graham to destroy the life of Mr. Issac Wightrnan Dickinson, of Ashgrove, Newry. Mr. Serjeant Sullivan said: The prisoner was charged with having solicited two persons named in the indictment to murder Mr. Isaac Dickinson, of Ashgrove, Newry. It appeared that the prisoner, some time ago, had been tutor in the family of Mr. Dickinson, who lived at Ashgrove, Newry. It would unfortunately appear in evidence that Mr. Dickinson did not live in happy relationship with his wife. On the 14th of Feb. last the prisoner Harcourt was in Dublin, and about twelve o'clock that night he; in company with a person named English, called at the house of William Smith, in Fownes's-street. He was introduced to Smith as a Trinity College man. Smith recognised him immediately. The prisoner, in company with Smith, left the house in Fownes's street, went to several beer-houses, and spent the greater part of the night together. Nothing very remarkable occurred during their conversation, except that the prisoner referred to some "shooting business," which had brought him to town. The prisoner was staying at Mr. Walshe's hotel, Fleet-street, and he invited Smith to breakfast with him on the morning of the 15th. Smith accordingly went to the hotel to breakfast, but the prisoner was absent. Smith then went to Foster-place, where a person named William Graham resided. He found the prisoner there. The prisoner and Smith then went to the hotel to breakfast; after breakfast a conversation of an extraordinary nature took place. The prisoner told Smith that "there was a man near Newry of the name of Dickinson, who did not live on good terms with his wife." He entered into particulars which would be detailed in evidence, but the short and the long of it was that he appeared to be thoroughly acquainted with the relationship subsisting between Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson, and actually told him that in case Mrs. Dickinson survived her husband she would be entitled in her own right to a considerable sum of money. He also expressed his surprise that Mr. Dickinson had not been "popped' long ago. If Smith were telling the truth, the prisoner actually proposed to him to go down to Newry and shoot Mr. Dickinson. There was not an absence of motive on the part or the prisoner. Smith said he went back from the hotel to Foster-place, and on the way the prisoner proposed to Smith that he should practice shooting at Rigby's gallery, so that he might become an adept in shooting. They left Fosterplace in company with Graham, and went back to Walshe's hotel. A remarkable conversation then occurred in the prisoner's bedroom; and, if Graham was  to be believed, his statement would fully corroborate the statement of Smith. The prisoner then went to Newry, and returned to Dublin on the 21st. He met Graham that day, and had a conversation of a still more remarkable character with him. He asked Graham  if Smith could be depended upon to shoot Mr. Dickinson. Re entered into a long statement about Mr. Dickinson. He stated that he was in the habit of being about Mr. Dickinson's demesne, armed with a revolver, that he had got prussic acid, which could not, be administered, because of the unfriendly relationship which subsisted between Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson. If Graham was speaking the truth, the prisoner most unquestionably renewed the solicitation on that occasion, and explained how Mr. Dickinson could be fired at. The prisoner was to have him engaged at a game of chess near the window when the deed was to be done. A knowledge of these facts having been conveyed to the authorities, Graham was arrested on the 2nd of March. When arrested, the prussic acid was found in his house at Newry, and also a revolver capped and loaded. Upon the 27th February and the evening of the 28th, the prisoner was seen in Mr. Dickinson's shrubberies at a very unseasonable hour, and in a manner that attracted marked attention on the part of the constabulary. It would appear that upon Mrs. Dickinson's marriage settlement, a considerable sum of money, a charge on Mr. Dickinson's own property, and the lady's own fortune were to revert to her absolutely, in case she survived her husband.  Evidence was called in support of this statement. The prisoner was found guilty, and sentenced to tea years' penal servitude.