The Sun. — 1848-01-25 (London, England)

PRICE 3D.  IRISH SPECIAL COMMISSION.  LIMERICK, J. 22.—This morning Jameg Quaine, a heavy, loutish fellow, about forty years of age, was placed in the dock, charged, first, with the wilful murder of Mr. Ralph Hill in November last, and, secondly, with aiding and abetting in its perpetration.  The particulars of this outrageous murder were detailed by us in our report of the trial of Jam es Skeehan, who was on the 20th instant found guilty of being a party to it, and the case presented to the Court to-day was but a repetition of that which was investigated on the occasion of Skeehan's trial; the only additional particle of evidence being the fact that the prisoner had borrowed on the night before the murder a single barrelled gun from a person named M'Namara, and that on the day after the murder was committed he told him that unfortunately Mr. Hill was shot—that what was done could not be undone—and that he had concealed the gun in a pigstye near the haggard, whence the shots were fired. It was also proved that the gun was found by the police in the very spot where the prisoner said he had concealed it. The jury, without retiring, found the prisoner Guilty. The wretched man, who had betrayed throughout his trial symptoms of the greatest fear, and had been most restlessly attentive to the whole of the proceedings, was then remanded to the gaol for the purpose a being brought up again after a short interval to have sentence passed upon him. The trial was not over until five o'clock.  The two men, John and Thomas Frewin, who yesterday pleaded " guilty " to the charge of harbouring, with their brother William Frewin, the notorious Ryan (Puck), were then placed in the dock. The ATTOANB7•GEEEBAL said he had read the affidavits made by the prisoners in extenuation of their guilt., in which they stated they were ignorant of the law relating to the crime of which they had been convicted. The Lord-Lieutenant had done all in his power to make known the law upon the subject, but under the circumstances to which he had referred on the preceding evening, he would ask their Lordships to inflict such a measure of punishment, short of transportation, as their Lordships should think fit. The LOAD CHIRP JUSTICE then sentenced Thomas Frewin to imprisonment for six months from the date of his committal ; John to imprisonment for twelve mouths ; the former being a shorter period from the circumstance of his returning home only a few hours before Ryan was captured in the house. James Skeehan, James Qusine, and Michael Howard, were then placed in the dock, and the Learned Judges having put on their black caps, The LORD Ciller BARON then proceeded t• pass upon them the last sentence of the law, and fixed the 22d of February for their execution. We understand that it is the intention of the Attorney- General to apply to their Lordships for an adjournment of the Commission for this county until Thursday, the 10th of February next; but it is not anticipated that it will be found necessary to resume the proceedings, as the assizes will be held within a few weeks from the present time. On ➢Monday morning their Lordships will proceed to Clonmel, and will open the Commission for the south Riding of Tipperary soon after their arrival.