Year: 1872

incidents Is perfectly satisfactory to the logical
time II was widely published In the English news
papers, but never reached this country except
cause ceie0re OF Delahunt (or De FIlonte).


THE CASE or DELAHUNT.


John Deahunt was detective OF the Dublin
Castle police force, employed by the government
together with about twenty or thirty Others Near
1854 little over thirty years ago-this detective
iorce was somewhat in dislavor among the people
IL was said TO be almost useless and It's members
were looked upon as idlers who wasted their time
away while living on the fund which was freely ap-
ernment At that period It was a per8apss PFC fe-
markable fact that in Qublin the records of crime
had had become ONE, very tame and lacked the
were NO great murders with which to gloat
public sensuaity or to keep constantly brilliant
the waning prestige Of the detectives Of Dublin
the intention was budding In Parliament to abolish
the corps entirely, and to appropriate the fund that
was used for its support to other purposes. This
became the topic OF the town, and was talked of
frOm mouth to mouth with Irish volubity and jeer-
ing sarcasm at the expense OF the police until
thrust themselves with their Official badges too
much in public.


few months after this rumor got abroad in the
outskirts Of Dublin there was discovered fearful
and cowardy murder. An Italian music lad, eleven
years OF age, was found under the walls OF gentle
mans grounds, where the body had evidently been
thrown from the roadway, with his throat cut from
ear to ear. There was no blood on the grass, but
the clothes OF the poor unfortunate were stir with
gore and in the road was bloody trail, which was
follow. followed Tor some distance and then lost. Near
where he lay was low palm tree, and 1t was no.
ticed that or this twig had been freshly broken.


A BROKEN TwIG.


The twig could not be found Such a foul and
fendsh murder as this created the widest excite
ment, which was felt through the whole United
Kingdom, over the sad fate OF the helpless organ
grinder who was, 1t was said, killed for the sake
OF few pence. On the day when the crime was
committed he had gone to Bray to attend the fair
which was then in progress and where he en-
pected to replete his pockets with the presents of
the rich and poor folk alike, who crowded there
from the town and the country side


COONEY THE TINKER.


1t was favorite resort for all vagrants, and
begging petty favOrs from those higher in station,
was a strange codger who is known in and all
about Dublin by the name OF CoOney the Tinker.
He was strong sun-browned fellow, who, be-
sides his trade OF tinker, by which he pre-.
tended tended to live, had also decided musical
he amused and delighted the poor people
OF the huts wherever he went. He was known
although of the vulgar and drunken type of all the
wandering tinkers OF Ireland, he was always well
coined again. AS the fair drew to a close ''the
Italian boy" as he was universally called, put his
organ upon his back and started forth to trudge to
Dublin, with the pence rattling In his pockets
which he had earned, and


whistling he went for want of thought.
He was never afterwards seen, except in death.


Six weeks after the murder, when 1t had become
more than nine days. wonder and was more
Dublin Castle became unusually exercised in trying
to solve the mystery of the affair and to secure the
Quietly the Greatest Vigilance and energy We're
brought to bear and the lowest sums OF Dublin
were searched and scrutinized for traces OF the
criminal.


On the banks Of the canal near one Of the locks
stood


SMALL DILAPIpArED CABIN


like many Of those Inhabited by the poorest portion
of the population of Dublin 1t was a low structure,
with thatched roof and only one apartment.
There was neither floor nor carpet upon the
ground. Such picture Of dire poverty was sell
dom seen even in Dublin. The search brought the
officers of the law to this hovel, and most active
among them was John Delahunt, the detective OF
Dublin Castle. The sole room OF the hut was ex-
amined, it so happening that the occupant Cooney
usual with him on almost every day.


THE BROKEN TwIG AGAIN.


Under the humble trucke bed which stood in o
corner Delahunt found q dry twlg, which had been
withered and shriveled for some time. This was
coincidence of circumstances-it was taken TO the
gentleInan's demesne where the dead boy had
been discovered, and 1t was compared with the
broken branch of the palm tree. 1t fitted to it
exactly, and plainly must have originally grown
there.


The clue that was here presented was entirely
natural and probable. Cooney, the tinker, was in
dgent in circumstances and unable to earn more
Chan few pence day: The general character Of
the tramps of his calling was known to be very
bad and dangerous, and circumstantial Incidents
wOve around him q fearful chain of doom. He was
was seen there, he remained about the same time
and left but a little while afterwards. All this was
proven, anu III was SAID tnat he mus nave known
that his victim was IN possession of some little
sum which he had received at the fair.


CAPTURE OF COoNEY, THE TINKER.


Delahunt instrumental in bringing these
points prominently forward, and obtained war
rant for the arrest of Cooney the Tinker. He was
indicted on a charge OF murder, and proceedings
were begun against his liberty and life 10y the At
torney General before one OF the Commissioners Of
Judges. The trial progressed rapidly; the wit
nesses swore promptly; Delahunt enlarged upon
the circumstances which led him to attach suspi-
cion to the accused, and , death by the
face The trial drew toward It's close. and
the public looked forward with intense excitement
to the verdict OF the Jury the sentencing Of the
prisoner and his execution There was no SYM
patny for hIm who had taken in cold blood the life
or poor and friendless alien for the scanty earn
ings of his weary wanderings.


The story was copied into all the continental
papers, and especially into the Italian journals. 1t
so happened that the fun report OF the trial
was sojonrnng for health the Deputy Lord Lieu
tenant of Dublin county,


who owned fine country estate in the neghborhood
OF Bray. He read the accounts and Immediately
sible speed. Reaching Dublin not many days alter
he had departed from Naples, he learned that the
trial of Cooney the Tinker only wanted the verdict
days of the sensations. the court house
was denseIy packed and every sense was
canoe OF the scene. The presence of Sir Frederick
ilosson In the Court, who had been abroad less
than year. occasoned great deal Of conjecture
possible character and possessed Of q good deal Of
influence. When the session was opened the de-
fence introduced fresh evidence Of rebuttal for the
prisoner, and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant Of Dub
lin took the stand.


The excitement became agonzing, the crowd
swayed to and fro and murmured like baffed
fioOd and then subsidized into silence as the ex-
animation Of the witness was begun. The story
was clear and impressive one.


THE ALIBI.


On the afternoon OF the day Of the crme Sir Fred.
erick Hudson, who was attending the fair at Bray,
mounted his horse at the Queens Hotel to start
hOmeward. He suddenly remembered that he had
forgotten something, and aghting, he called to a
man who was passing to hold his horse. This was
COoney, the tinker" He took the rein and Sir
Unexpectedly by some financial business for over
an hour and a half. Coming out he was
handed the bride OF his horse by Cooney,
to whom he gave some money and then rode home.
From the Queens Hotel to Dublin is q distance Of
about eight miles. This distance Cooney walked,
starting an hour and a half after he had left the