The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1882-08-26 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

SENTENCED TO DEATH.  At the Dublin Commission, Patrick Walsh, on whose case a jury could not agree last week, was again put upon his trial for the murder of Martin Lyden, near Letterfrack. The trial terminated on Tuesday, when the Jury found a verdict of guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to be hanged on the 22nd of September.  It will be remembered that Martin Lyden's father ws.'4 dragged out of bed and shot deai on the night of the 24th of April, 1881. Martin Lyden was shot at the same time, but lingered for some weeks, and immediately after the outrage and when he knew he was dying he made depositions identifying the prisoner as one of the men who dragged him out of bed by the legs, and kicked him in a savage manner, flinging him on the ground, where he was shot.  The case for the defence was that in the state in which Martin Lyden was when he made the depositions, he was not able to identify the prisoner. In one of the depositions, he said—" I cannot id,ntify any of the parties who fired the shots" and this, it was contended, was inconsistent with his identification of the prisoner; but as counsel for the Crown replied, he did not identify the prisoner as one of those who had fired, but as one of the party who had dragged him out.  Mr. Brown, J.P., was examined by Mr. Bodkin in support of the deposition referred to by counsel for the defence. On cross-examination by the Solicitor-General, he said that that answer was made in response to his question "Do you know who murdered" or "shot," he could not say which word he used, "your father." The boy's mother being present made some exclamation—" God forbid or God forgive them," which seemed to have the effect of making Martin Lyden reticent, and it was then that he answered.  The evidence was fully gone into as upon the former trial, and after witnesses had been examined in support of an alibi, Mr. Bodkin addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner; and Mr. Murphy, Q,C., having replied for the Crown, Mr. Justice Lawson then charged the jury, [and said that their verdict should be founded, not on the speeches of counsel, but on evidence, and upon the fair and legitimate result of that evidence taken as a whole. The jury retired to consider their verdict) at 25 minutes past six o'clock, and returned into court at seven minutes to seven o'clock with a verdict of Guilty. The prisoner, who had stood during the greater part of the trial with his arms folded, was asked if he had anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed upon him. He at once proceeded in a loud, excited tone, and with vehement gesticulation, to make a rambling statement, when Mr. Justice Lawson said he could not allow him to proceed any further in that straio. The prisoner, continuing, spoke of the awful position in which he was placed, and expressed the greatest horror of the crime of which he had been found guilty. He was repeating his protestations of innocence, when Mr. Justice Lawson said he could nut hear l.Lx. He had been found guilty by a jury of his fellow countrymen of the most barbarous and cruel murder. The case had been proved as clearly as if twenty witnesses had sworn they were present and saw the deed committed. Under those circumstances he was bound to tell him that his days in the world were numbered, and he could, not hold out any hope to him. % He believed the prisoner to be a person on whom any observations that he might make could produce no aalutary effect, and therefore he would refrain from making them. His Lordship then assumed the black cap, and passed sentence of death upon the prisoner, directing that he should be removed to the prison at Galway, and executed on the 22nd of September. -  The prisoner again endeavoured to make a statement, but was removed by direction of the Judge. While the sentence was being pronounced a wail was heard, aild it was afterwards found that the mother of the prisoner and some of the witnesses who were examined for the defence were lamenting his fate.