Terrible Murders in Ireland.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 304, 3 October 1888, Page 6

Terrible Murders in Ireland.

A Tralek correspondent telegraphs that John Forhan was~ shot dead.ab five on Sunday evening, | August sth, at Mount Cole, near Listowel. '-*.. v The deceased, a farmer, residing at Galebridge, on Sunday 'evening left that place for Tralee to obtain the services of some labourers to save his hay. He had been unablo to obtain" help at home, in consequence ot his having' been boycotted for taking a farm some years ago, from which a former tenant, named "Walsh, had been evicted for the non-payment of what was considered to be an exorbitant rent. The murderers were evidently aware of Forhan's departure, and about the time that he should be returning- they laid in wait for him at a lonely part ot the road near Mount Cole. Forhan had obtained three labourers at Tralee, and was driving them home in a cart. As they neared the spot indicated, they were confronted by two men, who discharged the contents of a couple of revolvers into Forhan's body, one of the bullets passing through his heart. The men who were with deceased ran away, and his son, a young boy, galloped the horse into Lislowel, and raised an alarm. Captain Mas* sey and District-Inspector Hickic, with a force of police, immediately visited the plaoe, and searched the country round, but arrested no one. Forhan's life was attempted in the same place about twelve months ago. The inquest on the murdered man took place at Listowel on .Monday. Only the evidence of Police-constable Kegan, who swore he saw deceased coming from Tralee with five men, was taken. The inquest was adjourned. Six bullet wounds were found in his body.

baring Murder Near Kanturk. On Sunday morning: August 2nd between the hours of seven and eight, a most daring and cold-blooded murder was committed at Glownamuckle, about ten miles from Newmarket, the unfortunate victim being a labourer named James Ronane. The scene of the murder is in the heart of a most disturbed district bordering Kerry. It appears that the deceased, James Ronane, Droceeded to a field in Glownamuckle for the purpose of mowing some hay, the property of a farmer named David M'Auliffe, by whom he had been hired. Mr M'Auliffe was in the field before him. 'Ronane immediately proceeded to work. M'Auliffe, who was standing near him, sa»v a disguised man armed with a double barrelled gun jump over the fence and come over to where they were standing. He had a white mask over his face, and gruffly asked them for their names. M'AuliSe complied, but Ronane told him his name was John Fleming. The strange individual told Ronane to beg his pardon, which he immediately proceeded to do. At that moment the : disguised assassin presented the gun, and fired two charges in rapid succession into the unfortunate man's body, Ronane then fell on his back, crying out he was &hot. The murderer -then pulled out a revolver, saying : 'If that don't do, you will get.this. He then d.ecamped. "During all the time that this shocking tragedy , was being enacted, M'Auliffe, who stood by himself, says his senses were paralysed for the time being, and were only recalled by the moans of the dying man. He cannot identify the murderer. Ronane barely lived to have the last Sacrament administered to him by the Roman Catholic priest of Boherbee. The police at Kiskeane were immediately communicated with. As far as can be learned, the only motive for the cruel deed is that the unfortunate man worked for a farmer named Patrick Twomey, who is somewhat unpopular in the neighbourhood, and has had two policemen protecting him for- some time past. The origin of Twomey 's unpopularity is somewhat difficult to ascertain but it appears that in 1878 he .lent a brother-in-law of his named Timothy Shine a sum of money to be paid back in three years. In April, 1886, Twomey evicted Shine in consequence of not' having been paid the full amount of the debt, but subsequentlj' reinstated him in a portion of the farm. Since then Twomey has been somewhat unpopular. Another significant fact is that about a month ago a notice was found' posted 1 on Ronane's ''door threatening him with the death of Quinn if he worked for Twomey. r -Quinn was a bog ranger who was recently r "murdered near the same district. Notwithstanding the notice. Ronane worked for Twomey, thinking that) nothing would come of it, as he had often , received similar notices warning him not to work for other people. The murder is one of the most brutal and daring ever perpetrated in this unhappy country, and has evoked the most severe condemnation from the clergy and people of the surrounding district. Ronane, who was a man of about thirty-five years of age, was married and had one child. His character was that of an industrious and unobtrusive man living by his daily labour. A young man named Cornelius O'Keefe has been arrested in connection with the sad affair. There is no branch of the National League in the district.

Attempted Murder Near Tralee. On Saturday night shots were fired at Thomas Murphy, at'TTarmers s ,Bridge, near Tralee by a man wearing a red hankerchief over his face. Neither shot took effect. The cause of this outrage seems to be that Murphy's employer took a road contract contrary to the wishes of his neighbours.