A TERRIBLE CRIME.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1082, 19 January 1883, Page 4

A TERRIBLE CRIME.

The story of the murder of the • Joyce family at Maamtrasna, os disclosed at the trials which have just taken place, bears (the St. James Budget remarks), a st’ iking leBemteaece to a tragedy of a similar character which took place at a farmhouse among the wild mountains of Tipperary in 1821, when a whole family, the >heas, and their servant, Kata Muhalv—l7 persons in all—w, re murdered under circumstanc s of the moat horrible barbarity. The Suets hj id occurred the animosity of a man named Gormnn, whom they had ejected from a farm which he rent d frpm them, and they from somebody else. German, bent on revenge, joined a gang Of ruffians headed by one Mayer, who was the terror of the district. On the night of the 20ih of November, 1821. 'layer, Go man, and the. rest of the gang started ftom Mayen’s cottage for the farmstead of the t-lmas.- < 'n the road they were watched and foi'owedbya Mrs Kelly, the wifi; of a keeper of a public house frequented by Ihe gang. She was related to Shea’s servant, Kate Muhaly, ;nud suspected that some evil - was •brewing. She o served that the men were a]l armed, and that one of them ■•parried two lighted pieces oi turf, which- he kept alive by blowing on them from time to time. < >vcr fields and f nces Mrs Kelly foil wed the gmg at a distance until she reached a bid near the Shea’s house. She witnessed a horri do scene. The murderers, having secured all the doors of the bnildivgi lighted the thatched roof , and posted thernse.lvos round the dMusc.todri'Ve ba/,k any who tried to

escape. The unhappy Sheas ard their servant were thus literally roasted to death j the ruffians outside mocking the id /Ticks of their victims and firing their guns into the flames. For a year and a-half, notwithstanding a Government reward, the murderers were undiscovered. Mrs Kellv, howev< r, 'haunted liy her secret, confeasetl it to ller priest, and at his instigation i reve-led the tale of to a magi--tratftjthe result being ilyat Gorman, May er, and all the gang were sent to the gaLows