HORRIBLE SCENE AT AN IRISH TRIAL.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 61, 2 August 1884, Page 6

HORRIBLE SCENE AT AN IRISH TRIAL.

There were some horrible scone* to-day at the sentencing of the conspirators accused of banding together at Barbaville, Ireland, last winter to murder William E. Smythe and other objectionable Irish landlords, and who did kill Mrs Smytlio whilo she va- 1 liding homo from church last April. Only six of tho thirteen prisoners tried were convicted. These were Patrick and John Eagan, relatives of the Phcunix Park conspirator of the samo name ; three farmers named Boylan, (Jaffhoy and Magrath, and a poor-law guardian named McCormick. All were sentenced to penal servitude for seven except Magrath, in whose case were mitigating circumstances, and who was let oft" with one year's imprisonment. When sentence was pronounced the prisonei'3 wore astounded. McOormick feebly faltored forth a protest of his innocence, but the Eagans woro fu1 ions and defiant. They struggled desperately to escape from the clutches of the wardens, and as they were dragged from the dock they yelled : " We are convicted by a packed jury, but we will be avenged. You will have more to try yet." Thero was intense excitement in the court-room, and several persons in tho audience, including men as well as women, fainted. This was the fifth trial of the conspirators, and if it had misscarried by a disagreement of the jury, the prosecuting oilicers for the Crown had determined not to apply for another trial. The jurors wero out for two hours, and when they returned were highly praised by Judge Laws on, who presided at the trial, for their justice and courage.