IRELAND.
The catalogue of fresh murders is happily meagre this week : the news- papers, however, supply evidence of a most lamentable extent of crime.
The Fermanagh Reporter reports the attempted assassination of a Monaghan Magistrate, Mr. Johnston, of Ivy Hill. While returning from Emyvale Petty Ses- sions, he was fired at from behind a ditch close to his own residence; but only wounded in the arm—thanks to the thick folds of a woollen cloak. The reason assigned in the Erne Packet for the attempt, is the part taken by Mr. Johnston in endeavouring to settle in an amicable way certain disputes between the col- lectors for levying the rate in repayment of loans under the Relief Act, and the ratepayers, who were using every possible mode of shirking their duty.
Lord Crofton, owner of estates in Roscommon, has fled from Ireland, to escape assassination.
A secret council is reported to sit in Elphin, and to have met in fall conclave a few days before the murder of Mr. Lloyd.
A dignitary of the Protestant Establishment, Dean Hoare of Achonry, has re- ceived notice of assassination. Dr. Hoare is a Liberal in politics, and has been indefatigable in relieving the distress of the poor. He relates his own case. " I have received a threatening notice of a most alarming character, posted at Elphin, dated Strokestown, threatening me with the fate of Major Mahon. It is signed ' Molly Maguire,' and calls ins to account for all the money which I had received for the relief of the poor I—accuses me of selling turnips at too high a price (though I sold lower than the market)—and alludes to a disappointment, by a man in this neighbourhood, of a situation under the Poor-law Guardians, which he and his friends attribute to my. interference. We are here within thirty miles of Strokestown, and I fear the spirit of Roscommon and Leitrim is spreading to- wards us. Same day that the letter reached me by post, a friendly notice was left in my yard, warning me not to return by the same road I had gone to Tubber- curry, and not to be on the roads without a Policeman. It may providentially have saved my life, as I took a different road back from the Petty Sessions, my steward having sent the notice to me while I was still sitting on the bench; and I took two armed Policemen with me on my car. Since then, I have two Police- men in my offices every night; and even going to and from church, (at foot of the lawn, and within 400 yards,) I am obliged to have their protection; and, when
i
going lately to Sligo in my carriage, I was obliged to take an armed Policeman on the box, changing escort at each Police station on my way there and back !"
Every gentleman I have seen carries arms; some are constantly accompa- nied by Police. At poor Mr. Lloyd's funeral, which was attended by all the gentry of the neighbourhood, all the gentlemen present were armed, and some carried their arms from their carriages into the churchyard. There has been a large attendance of Magistrates to investigate this horrible case, every day since it occurred; but it would be unwise to publish at present what have been the re- sults of their labonrs."—Correspondent of the Dublin Evening Mail.
The Repeal Association met on Monday, to read a letter from Mr. John O'Connell, calling for an expression of public opinion on the course taken by him regarding the Coercion Bill. Rent 40/.
Previous page
