The Tamworth Examiner and Working Men's Journal. — 1875-07-17 (Tamworth, Staffordshire, England)

IRISII MURDER CASES.  At the assizes of county Mayo, on Saturday, Lily Robinson and her mother Anne were tried for the murder of the husband of the former prisoner.—The deceased had left them, but had been induced to return, and the theory of the Crown was that he had been decoyed back in order to be murdered ; but this Mr. Justice Fitzgerald told the jury was a theory too horrible to entertain. On the 15th of September last the two women reported that men with masked faces had entered their house the previous night, and murdered the deceased. The body was found on the floor, which was covered with blood. Lily Robinson's clothes were slightly besmeared with blood. Blood was also found on her neck and hair, and a heavy stick covered with blood was found in the house.—The jury found them guilty of manslaughter, and they were sentenced to penal servitude for life. Mary Macmahon, who was recently convicted by a jury at Cork of the murder of Ellen Sexton, at Limerick, but who was not hanged in consequence of a division of opinion in the Queen's Bench as to the legality of the removal of the trial from Limerick after it had been opened, was put forward for trial at the Limerick assizes on Saturday for the larceny of the money for which the burglary and robbery were committed. , She had been a servant in the house of a Mr. Corbet, was discharged, and was succeeded by Ellen Sexton. On a Sunday evening when nobody was at home but Sexton the house was entered, Sexton was murdered, and drawers were forced open, and% a pound note, a half sovereign, 13. 10s. in silver, a gold chain, and a quantity of postage stamps were taken. On Monday the prisoner was arrested, the gold chain was found in -her chignon, a pound note and a half sovereign were found under her linen garments, and in a lodging-house where she had been that morning she had left behind her a bundle, consisting of a wet chemise, in which were wrapped up a quantity of silver and postage stamps. In reference to the bundle the prisoner made contradictory statements when arrested. She offered no other explanation, nor were any witnesses produced in her defence. The jury declared tint hey could not agree, and they were locked up a second time. At ten o'clock they brought in a verdict of guilty on the count charging the prisoner , with having the property in her possession knowing it to be stolen. Mr. Justice O'Brien sentenced her to five years' penal servitude, but reserved a point for the Criminal Appeal Court. The second trial of Martin Burke, aged 74, and his son, Michael Burke, for the wilful murder of Stephen Scanlan, at Killenaule, county Tipperary, was concluded at Nenagh mi Saturday. Martin Burke, holder of a farm on Lord Rosse's estate, had got into debt and was liable to eviction. He and his son were at enmity, and his son left hint. The feeling of the son was shown in letters, in which he expressed a wish for his father's death. The old man, to mend his affairs, arranged it marriage of his daughter with a prosperous farmer, Stephen Scanlan. A marriage settlement was executed, under which Scanlan drained old Burke's farm, put it in good condition, and paid his debts. Old Burke then got a fresh lease, but under the marriage settlement Scanlan was to have the farm and support old Burke and his aged wife during the rest of their lives. Old Martin Burke, having got the lease, was reluctant to fulfil his agreement, quarrelled with Scanlan, threatened to rip him with a knife, and struck hint a blow which knocked out his teeth. Young Burke also manifested a deadly hostility towards Scanlan, threatened him, and wrote scurrilous letters about him. On the 12th September father and sun, who had not been on speaking terms for two , years, met in a public-house at Killenaule and had a lung conversation ext day Stephen Scanlan was shot, mid Michael Burke was seen at, the place. He : was accused of the murder by his sister. Scaulan's ; wife was the principal witness against her father and 0 lr•other.—The jury said they could not agree, tind : wer, leekecl up a second time. At half-past eleven i 1 Theytin, ''.''Ar7Yl.`reS":•,e'o;al)lllU.',lir'., rill s:idiWtShlZl'Llde+ nooutta:greaieli aud reia...ttAl t.i.:ir ar:el,eitt. T!,Q. ~,re 'JIM ..kl• charged. sa the prisoners was remanded.