The Sun. — 1850-08-08 (London, England)

TUESDAY, AUG. 6.—ln yesterday's publicetion an announcement was made that. Mr. Robert Pike, al; eat for Mr. Robert Cassidy, of Monastereven, had been murdered on Saturday last, near Parsonstown (or Eirr), the place of residence of Lord Besse. The statement was, unhappily, too .accurate, and since the assassinatiers of the late Lord Norbury, there has not been a murder so deliberate, audacious, and revolting. Mr. Pike had been acting as agent for Mr. Cassidy for more than two years, and the cause ofhis being sent to the King's County particularly was that the tenants of Mr. Cap silly had for several years past entered into a combination against paying him any rent. Mr. Pike, as Mr. Cassidy's agent, was compelled to bring ejectreents against several of the tenants. and evict them from their holdings, m consequence of which he became obnoxious to the people, his only fault being his z.?al and activity in currying out the wishes of his employer. On lest Monday morning seven or eight families were to be evicted off the lands of Killyon; and the assassins by whom the valuable life 4:f Mr. Pike has been taken, of course, conceived that the evictions would be prevented' if he were destroyed. rsir. Pike had been, fir some time past, apprehensive of being assassinated. Some months ego he wes fired at, and hod a very narrow escape, from (Lath; lie was sAtieg in his room tilting tee, when, a shot was fired at him through the window, and several slugs lodged at a short distance from his head. He had been frequently advised by members of his family to give up the agency, as he was marked out for des tructien, but he was a brave and re' solute man in the discharge of his duty, and would not be prevailed upon to abandon his post. From the time he perceived that he had excited the ill-will of the peasantry he generally carried a brace of pistols and a cane sword for his protection, and when travelling along the road was in the habit of getting into conversation and company with any person connected with the tenantry whom he happened to meet, conceiving that he would be to him more or less a security against the cowardly and sudden attack of the hidden assassin. On Saturday morning a man named John Holligan, a farmer, came into the market, which was held in the town of Birr, and when ho arrived at the residence of Mr. Pike, he saw him in the bawn' outside the door. Mr. Pike asked him if he was going to Birr. lie replied in the affirmative. " Well, then," said Mr. Pike, "wait a moment and I will be with you," Holligan waited for and accompanied him along the road to Birr, and when they had reached within two miles or so of the town a man passed them by. Mr. Pike was then on the right hand side of Holligan. Immediately after the man passed Holligan heard a shot, and upon turning round he saw the smoke from the pistol, and when the smoke cleared away he saw the ruffian who had previously passed them letting the pistol fall out of his hand to the ground, and then run in the direction of Killyon. Milligan afterwards saw a pistol in the hand of each of the parties—the murderer and his victim— and observed each present it at the other. He next heard a shot, but he could not tell from whose pistol it came— believed it was from the pistol of Mr. Pike. The man then left the road and went into the bog. Mr. Pike again presented a pistol at him, but it missed fire. Mr. Pilce then returned and passed liolligan along the road; he had not got more than 25 or 30 yards when Holligan, who had in the mean time kept his eye upon the second assailant whe had gone into the bog, heard another shot, turned round and saw Mr. Pike and that man in con duct. Holligan went up and separated them, and took from the villain the cane-sword which he had snatched from Mr. Pike. By this time the other man bad returned from the bog, and he presented a pistol at Holligan, telling him to be off, or he would shoot him. Holligan then ran along the road, and had gone a short distance only when he turned round, and saw the man by whom Mr. Pike had been first attacked beating him on the head while on the ground. Holligan escaped in terror and dismay to Birr, and