The Sun. — 1844-01-03 (London, England)

MURDER OF JOHN- ARDELL. INQUEST ON THE 'BODY. On Mondik we gave an account of the-rnurder of this unfortunate 'Servant of Mr. Walker, of Redeen. The place of the murder is about a quarter of a mile from the scene of the. Finnoe massacre. There was only one witness. examined at the inquest, the widow of the de. ceased. The resident magistrate, T. Brereton, Esq., did not consider it necessary to examine any more ; and the foreman of the jury, Rowen P. Cashel, Esq., said that it would not be safe to submit any witness to the ordeal of a public examination. He would feel it his duty to examine witnesses, were; ho on an inquest in any other county but Tipperary. Before the arrival of the Coroner, there was not even 'one man or boy to be seen about the house of the deceased ; there were a few• women sitting with the corpse. The Coroner had to bring his jury principally from Borrisokane, a distance of nearly two miles. There were in attendance—Edward Waller and John F. Waller, Esqrs., the sons of the late lamented Thomas Waller, Esq.; Thomas George Stoney, Esq., brother-in-law to these gentlemen ; Thomas Brereton, Esq., R.M. ; P. Carroll, Esq., County Inspector; and, amongst others, Mr. Marshall, the emint•nt Limerick auctioneer, who had been in the locality, entering into arrangements for the purpose of selling off the furniture and moveables at Finnoe House.  The jury being sworn by James Carroll, Esq., Coroner, the widow of the murdered man deposed that her husband, the deceased John Ardell, was in the employ of Richard Joseph Faikiner, Esq., as ploughman and care-taker of the horses 1 that on the 26th day of December he was ploughing in the morning and taking care of the horses in the evening. He came home to his dinner at the usual hour, and left the house about one o'clock. He did not afterwards return until seven o'clock, when he,was brought into her house murdered. He was brought in on a door between two men. He was at the time wounded, and unable to speak. He survived about two hours and died. I heard his cry a short time before he was brought to the house. It was about four or five minutes. I saw where he was murdered. I went out when I heard him cry, and found him lying forty or fifty yards from his own house. It is about half a mile from this where the late Mr. Waller was murdered. My husband did not speak to me at all. I found him lying upon his back and unable to speak. He was immediately after removed into the house. There is no doubt in my mind but he was waylaid by some persons. Mr. Brereton here said, that if the widow's evidence was sufficient to answer the purposes of the inquest, he would not offer any other witnesses for examination. Mr. R. Cashel (foreman of the jury)—l did not like to ask the question, if he had a dispute with any person. If I was upon an inquest in any other county, I would do it, but it would not be safe for any person here to put the question. I would rather leave it for private examination.  Mr. Brereton, R. 111.—1 would rather not send any more evidence.  J. J. Stoney, Esq., M.D., proved that he examined the body of the deceased John Ardell, and that he found a number of fractures on the left side of the head, and a depression of the fractured particles of the bone, causing a lacerated wound of the brain, and which had been inflicted by some heavy taunt instrument, and which was the cause of his death.  Mr. Cashel—Our verdict is, " That this is a barbarous and brutal murder by some persons unknown." A Juror—l think the wounds were inflicted by a pistol or gun._ .  Mr. Cashel—l never witnessed anything more savage. I did not think they would beat a dog in such a way. Mr. J. F. Waller—lt is but in heathen countries that they beat dogs in that manner, and only in Christian countries that they beat men so brutally.  We regret to hear that the venerable Earl of Lonsdale is suffering from severe indisposition.