The Atherstone Times. — 1879-02-01 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

DEATH OF A CLERGYMAM FROM THE MYSTERIOUS MURDER OF • WOMAN STARVATION. IN IRELAND.  The Toronto Mail of the Bth inst. refers to a case which has stirr,d Church of England circles in that city. The case is that of Rev. W. F. Checkley, assistant minister of St. Paul's Church, Bloor-street, who died the previous week, it was said, to typhoid fever, but in reality from sheer want. A few years ago ho was engaged by the Bloor-street congregation at a salary of 800 dollars, but the congregation found they could only pay half that amount, and on 400 dollars per annum Mr. Checkley had to keep alive himself and his own family of five or six children, including an adult son who some time ago had both his hands amputated, two children of a dead brother, and an invalid sister. Nothing was known of the extreme poverty of the family until Mr. Checkley's death, when it was ascertained that the household had actually been existing for two years past on almost bread alone; butter during that time they had not had in the house, and the taste of meat was almost forgotten. Mr. Checkley was of a plucky, noble disposition, and always had a good word for everybody. One day recently he was met by a brother clergyman, who remarked that he looked terribly cold, and asked where his overcoat was. Mr. Checkley, in a joking manner, replied that he had not got one, and in this way he warded off any suspicion as to the state of his family affairs. As soon as the real state of things became known the neighbours and the congregation of St. Paul's offered assistance in abundance, and probably a fund will now be raised for a settlement on the bereaved widow and her family. The Mail says it has heard of clergymen throwing up their charges in Toronto because they could not get their stipends paid, and trusting themselves in preference to the charities of the back woods. At this present moment, it says, it knows of pastors of fashionable congregations in that city whose salaries are heavily in arrear. Nearly all the churches are scrambling along, living from hand to mouth, steeped in debt, and very proud if they can pay their own way. Mr. Checkley, who was fifty-four when he died, spent nearly his whole life in the ministerial ranks in Ontario.  The coroner's inquiry into the Bray murder was resumed on the 24th inst. The constabulary hive discovered no new facts with regard to the murder nor have they succeeded in pumping out the well, lit which the water is still of considerable depth. Nev. appliances have been obtained, and are being put inthr order. With these it is expected the well can be dried out before nigHt, when a search will be made to ascertain if the instrument with which it is supposed the murder was committed was thrown into the water, as up to the present no traces of such a weapon, beyond the handle of a pitchfork, have been discovered. The murdered woman was allowed a few shillings a week for the care of a cat, and since the crime was committed the little animal makes the place doubly dismal by its sorrowful cries. The only facts tending to connect Tiernan, the man in custody, with the murder are the discovery of £3 in his quarters and of some stains, supposed to be blood, on his clothes; while it is known that Mrs. Sweeney received £4 on the day before her death, which she took into Bray, and there laid out nearly El. Not a shilling was found in her rooms. Joi a Cahill, a plasterer, employed at Ravenswell House, deposed that at about five minutes past six o'clock on Monday evening, the 19th inst., he "fetched" Tiernan into a public-house, and gave him a pint of porter there. They remained I about ten minutes, and l'iernan left him to go home. Tiernan attended him during the day, and did not appear to have been drunk, although he had signs of having taken liquor. He saw only a shilling with Tiernan. John Templeton, a labourer, working at Ravenswell House, stated that on the morning of the 20th inst., when he came up to the house, at about a quarter-past seven o'clock, Tiernan heard his foot, and called to him. Witness answered, and he went up to the left where Tiernan slept. Tiernan said, "There was a great murder last night in the house." Witness said, in a joke, "Mike, the good people are coming for you." Tiernan then said, "There was a terrible murder, and the cats howled." The jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against Tiernan.