THE CASTLETOWNROCHE TRAGEDY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1286, 6 January 1885, Page 3

THE CASTLETOWNROCHE TRAGEDY.

In connection with the arrest at Auckland of William Sheehan, ch .rued with the Castletownroche murder, (he following details which appeared in a Dublin paper of Sept. 6 will be interesting ; HUMAN REMAINS F ’UND IX A WEI L. A horrib'e discovery was made a few days ago at a place called L : snagoorm.eti, some six miles front Fermoy. The discovery was made, as already reported, in a well, the property of a farmer named Broderick. Thu well itsulf affotded unusual facilities for the concealment of a deadly crime. It was for years unused and dry, and few expected that it would ever have been again utilised for its original purpose. It was intended for the use of the tenon's of the property. When made it was 120 feet deep, and was built in a regular circular form, increasing from the bottom in diameter from three to six feet. In the lapse of years rubbish of every kind was pitched into the old well, which came to be regarded as a sort of lumber receptacle, Mr Broderick, however, determined last week to clear out the place, and try and make use of it to supply his domestic wants. The clearing of stones and rubbish went on rapidly until the well was deepened to 85 feet, the men being let down in a bucket. On Saturday evening a man named Fitzgerald was engaged in clearing up old limestone, etc., when be suddenly discovered three skulls, and hurried to (he surface with them, refusing to go near the place again. Joe Foley, a farmer’s son, living near the place, however, essayed on Sunday, and brought up there gaunt fleshless trunks, which were laid upon the grass, presenting a horrible spectae'e. The police kept guard over them until they were buried on Tuesday at Rockmills, which is about two miles from Lisnagoorneen. THE REMAINS IDENTIFIED. The three skeletons have been identified as belonging to a family named Sheehan, supposed to have emigrated to America some years ago. The three missing persons are Mrs Sheehan and her son and daughter. A girl who was in service with Mrs Sheehan at the time of her disappearance has been found, and she states that one night in October, 1877, site was sent out by Mrs Sheehan’s son to turn in the cows from the farm to the yard. She was absent for some time, and on her return she missed Mrs Sheehan and her daughter. There was a second son, but he had been missing since the previous night. On her return to the house she inquired of young Sheehan as to the absence of his mother and sister. He- informed her that his mother was so displeased with the conduct of her married sou, who lived on an adjoining farm, that she had decided to leave for America. The bits' of clothing found with the remains were stated by the girl to be similar in texture to the cloak worn by Mrs Sheehan. The finding of the legs of trousers and of two boots, a man’s and woman’s, are corroborating circumstances as to the sexes of the discovered remains. A curious fact has also transpired, which assists the constabulary in tracing the date of the mysterious crime. The skeleton of a dog was found in the well underneath the human remains. It appears shortly before October, 1877, a greyhound of a gentleman was destroyed, and its body put into this hole. After Mrs Sheehan’s disappearance, the son referred to took over possession of the farm, and remained in occupation until a few years ago he was evicted, and emigrated to Australia. The people of the locality who remembered Mrs Sheehan and her children state there were frequent family differences in reference to the settlement of the land. THE SHEEHAN FAMILY. The unfortunate woman Mrs Sheehan had been for some years a widow. She bad four son?, three of whom were connected with the business arrangements which immediately led up to what has pow come to be regarded as ber murder. SheJflved on a farm at Carrigdowning, whichN»as comprised of two holdings incorporated, and, in addition, was the proprietress of a public-house at Rockmills, a short distance away, In October, 1877, she seems to have entertained some desire to have her son married. The latter, who was then about 30 years of age, and a prepossessing fellow, seems to have had no dislike to the arrangement, and it seems the fixed his attention on Miss Brown, who lived with her father not a great distance from himself. The connection, unfortunately for herself, it is feared, did not please his mother, as a sufficient amount of ‘'fortune” does not seem to have been forthcoming, and so the match was broken off. The young man, however, it se?ms, had formed a sentimental attachment, which was not understood by hia mother, who valued uptriu>v,i,y frnin a commercial standpoint. He continued hip attentions to Miss Brown, with the result that a much-covoted fortune was relinquished for a smaller one, and the couple were married. Bit when the marriage vows had been told a circumstance was brought to light, from which now arises the terrible suspicion of matricide. Mys Sheehan was found not lo be in her usual place of abode. Neither were her two children, son and daughter, who, had always remained with her. The three seem to have taken the same side of the dispute about the marriage, and it was rumored they intended to leave and work for themselves. Nevertheless their sudden departure did not go unnoticed. The people of the locality enquired of John, and John enquired of William, and upon the latter seems to devolve the entire explanation. Of the latter we can ascertain very few correct accounts, but it is an undoubted fact that William then p-’ofeased to know all about his mother’s doings, He first seems to have said that jf she were pot home in a few days site might he absent for a month ; and subsequently he said she had gone to do for herself, and that he had given her , £3OOO. This statement was made on the

occasion of a payment made to John Shaw on raccount of sonic money transaction. What is most curious is, thai the exp'anations appear to have been received by the latter wir.h implicit credulity, and without a single further inquiry as to where his mother had gone. Of course, when her own relatives wore under no uneasiness in this way, the people of the locality lost all interest or recollection of Mrs Sheehan. WILLIAM SHEEHAN, William Sheehan .and his wife hold the principal psrtion of the land after she and her son Thomas and daughter were out of the way. The other portion of land and the public-house were made over to John Sheehan. The latter rapidly got into good circumstances, but misfortune overtot.k his brother, who was evicted for non-payment of rent a year ago and emigrated to Australia. Down to the point of his umigiation, or, in fact, not until a f.j t v days ago, had any suspicions intervened concerning poor Mrs Sheehan and her children. It fact it was stated by several persons that her son was with her in Anstra'ia. The terrib'e revelations of Saturday ami the succt-eding days, howover, at once sot the busy tongues of speculation agoing, and the old facts remembered by everyone produced an abundant mass of evidence at once, of which' the formal semi-idenficatioi was only the natural sequence. ELUCIDATING THE MYSTERY. The following appeared in the Herald on November 17 It is authoritatively stated that the Irish police authorities are now in possession of the entire facts relating to the mysterious murder of three persons at Gastletownioch'', Gounty Cork, some years ago. The old mao, Duoane, who has been in custody since the inquest on the remains of the murdered persons found in a well, has now given information which has enabled the po’ice to elucidate the mystery. The murdered family consisted of Messrs Sheehan (the mother), Thomas Sheehan, and Mary, son and daughter. There was, besides these, William Sheehan, an elder son, who is in New Zealand, and who is believed to be the principal actor in the crime. In the month of October, 1877, William was about to be married, and the mother, who held the land in her own name, objected to the match, believing the matrimonial consideration not sufficient for her son. The circumstance gave rise to a good deal of bickering, and it is believed to have led to the murder of the mother with her two children. They disappeared suddenly and in a most mysterious manner on the night ot October 27,1877, and nothing whatever was beam of them until their bodies were found at the bottom of a well. The disappearance was the subject of conversation, and it was hinted Ih it foul play had been resorted 10, but William Sheehan hud many friends in the locality, and they accepted his explanation that the mother and her children had gone to America with money he had given them out of his marriage portion ; and they managed to hush up all the sinister rumors that were afloat. The evidence now in the possession of the authorities points to another person as being concerned in the crime, which must have been premeditated and deliberately carried out. important statements. Through Duane’s information, another witness has been found who will throw important light on the case. Duane states that he was at work in (ho yard when William Sheehan sent the girl Reilly for (he horse, and that shortly after that lie saw a in m, whose name he lias given to the police, rush into the house from the rear. He saw the girl return with the horse, and Win. Sheehan came out without his hat and sent her hack for the cattle. Previous to this he had seen Mrs Sheehan and her daughter, but he did not know what became of them afterwards. He got from Win. Sheehan his brother Thomas’s boots, and his wife got Mrs Sheehan’s clothes. Win. Sheehan told him not to »ay where he got them from, His statement at the inquest that he saw Mrs Sheehan drive off in a car with her children, he now avers was false, and state that he was told to say that by Win. Sheehan, if he should be asked where they were, DECOYED AND MURDERED. Many minor matters which go to complete the chain of circa ustantial evidence have been ascertained, and the theory of the police as to the murder is, that Wm. Sheehan decoyed his brother Thomas into an out-office and strangled him there with the assistance of the second man, and that both returning quickly to the dwelling, surprised the mother and daughter and strangled them, or despatched them by some other expeditions means. Neither Duane nor the servant girl heard any noise, The third witness who has come forward will give evidence as to the removal of the bodies at night, and he, it is believed, will be able to identify the parties engaged in the ghastly work.