The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1842-11-29 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THE INQUEST AT SKIBBEREEN.  The Coroner commented briefly on the evidence, and laid down the law distinctly and fully, as it applied to the finding of murder, justifiable homicide, or manslaughter. The jury then retired, at twenty minutes to five, and were closeted about three quarters of an hour, when the foreman entered the box, and desired to ask the coroner, did the unjustifiable firing. of the rear guard on the party in the rear constitute muruer or manslaughter? Coroner.—lf they bad fired without any cause, or without thinking that they had any cause whatever, then you should return a verdict of murder; but, on the other hand, if they had formed a presumption, although a wrong one, that there was a necessity of their firing, then you will bring in a verdict of justifiable homicide, or manslaughter, just as you conceive you have a right to do from the whole of the evidence. Foreman.—Mr. Coroner, there are many young men here on the jury, and they are anxious to know what will constitute a verdict—whether there must be a majority. Coroner.—There must be a finding of twelve, but it would be better to have it unanimous.  The jury then retired, but again entered the box, and requested that the coroner would once more lay down the law, and in as brief terms as possible. The coroner again laid it down in almost the same terms as before, upon which the jury retired as if then satisfied upon the exact point. In the course of another half hour they returned and declared that they had come to their verdict. The following is the verdict in both cases :—" In the case of Michael M'Donnell, we find that he came by bis death in consequence of a gunshot wound, fired by some of a party of police, on the lands of Rha, on the 17th of November, 1842, under the command of John Gore Jones, Esq., S. M., and we find a verdict of justifiable homicide, being of opinion that Mr. Jones was justified in giving that order." The jury were unanimous in giving the above verdict. The next was as follows.—" In the case of John Brien, we find that he came by his death in consequence of a gun-shot wound fired by one of the party composing the rear-guard under the command of constable Alexander Heuston, at Rha, on the 17th day of November, 1842; and we find that the said rearguard consisted of eight men, viz., Alexander Heuston, John Kenedy, Richard Magrath, Jeremiah Guerin, Patrick Dooughue, Stephen Grady, Patrick Quinn, and Thomas Scott, and that they are guilty of manslaughter, conceiving that, under the circumstances, they were not justified in firing on an unoffending party in the rear."  To this verdict the following sixteen names of jurors were attached—Daniel M'Carthy, Thomas Henry Marmion, Richard Coppinger, Daniel Welphy, John Collins, Patrick Mahony, Patrick Leonard, William Young, James Collins, Daniel M`Cartie, Richard O'Leary, Edward Fuller, John Levis, Thomas St. John Clarke, Thomas M'Carthy, and Ralph Fuller. There were four jurors who agreed to a verdict of justifiable homicide, and two for murder. Mr. Downing.—Gentlemen, it is my duty to tell you that I entirely coincide with your verdict, and I say that it is both a discriminating and a proper one. Foreman.—We have but endeavoured to discharge our duty honestly and fairly. But we wish to have one observation made from this box, and it is this—that we have ever looked upon this district as one of the most peaceable and quiet of all Ireland, and did so up to this late melancholy transaction. We are sorry that bad advice should have been given to the poor misguided people by persons in a superior rank of life, and if that mischievous advice had not been re• ceived by the poor people, we would not now be placed in our present painful position. This we deem it right to go before the country. .  CHARGE or