A Moonlight Outrage in Ireland.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 7, 9 January 1886, Page 5

A Moonlight Outrage in Ireland.

What with boycotting and moonlight raids, Ireland appears to be in anything but a settled state. One of the most daring moonlight outrages that have been committed for some years isreported from the Castleisland district. The scene of the outrage was at Molahiffe, about seven miles from Tralee, the place of attack being the residence of Mr John O'Connell Curtin. He occupied a very good social position in the district, and was a gentleman of means far above the average farmers of the place. The family consisted of the father, John O'Connell Curtin, his wife, two sons (Daniel and George), and two daughters. There were five domestic servants in the house. Shortly before 10 o'clock on the night of November 13, as the family were about retiring, a party of armod and disguised men came to the door. The two sons were smoking in the kitchen. Mr Curtin and his wife were upstairs, and the daughters were in one of the parlours. 1 he raiders gained admittance through the kitchen door. The man who apparently filled the place of leader asked George, tho younger son, for arms. The young man said he did not know whore they were kept. The second brother then came forward and said he would give the arms if he could find hia father. The ruffian during this time had a rifle presented full in the young man's face, while two others of the gang who had come into the bouse also presented arms. Daniel offered to go for his father, and walked from the kitchen across the hall into the parlour, while all the time the captain followed with his rifle presented a few inches from the young man's head. When in tho parlour the young man said he did not know where his father was. Just at this moment Mr Curtin, hearing the tumult, had come downstairs with a revolver. A lot of the raidere filled the doorway, where, as already stated, two of them had followed the leader into the parlour after the elder son, Daniel. That young man, describing the scene that followed, says: — "I heard my father at the foot of the «tairs cry out, ' Come, now, boys,' and immediately a shot was fired, I believe, by him. I turned abruptly round, and the rifle was within an inch or very close to my forehead. The captain jumped, startled by the shot in the hall, and I made a grab at his gun, which I caught and laid across his breast, catching with my right hand both the barrel of the gun and his coat collar. He shouted to one of the men to shoot me. The man at first did not pretend to hear the order, and it was repeated. He then pulled out a revolver, which he handed to the cap tain, 30 I caught his wrißt with the other hand. The captain tried to Bboot me with it. I heard him click tho hammer four times, but it did not go off. At that moment my brother George rush' d into the room to my rescue. He rushed at one of the men, while I pressed tho captain against the door. The third man burst open the window and threw himself into the yard. I pushed my man out into the hall, and my sister Nora ran up to me and said, 'So you know him, then.' She tore the mask off his face, and he begged for mercy. He said, 'Mr Dan, leave me go.' I asked him who he was, and he answered,' Thady Casey, sir.' I had before this tripped him and thrown him on his back in the hall. When he told me who he was, I said, ' Well, be off, then,' and I let him go. During the struggle in the room he gave me a blow with a revolver on the temple. The party on running away were followed by George, who had seized the captain's gun. This he discharged after them, but does not think it had effect."

Mr Curtin was found in a dying state at the door. He had a ball in his abdomen. The dead body of one of the moonlighters lay across the door. This man was found to be Thade Sullivan, a young fellow whose mother, a widow, holds a few acres near Curtin's. He had a wound across his throat where a shot had passed, severing ono of tbe large arteries. The dead body of another man, named Sullivan, who is supposed to have been the actual inurdwor of Mr Curtin, has been fouud in the river Main, three miles distant from Mr Curtin's house. His knees were broken, and it is supposed that, having expired during the flight of the gang, his dead body was thrown into the river by his companions to avoid detection. Mr Curtin was carried to his bed, and medical attendance was at once summoned, but he never rallied. The police wore soon on the spot, and in the oarly morning a dozon arrest 3 were made, including the man Casey, who was identified in the house. He has since been committed for trial for the wilful murder of Mr Curtin, and two others have been remanded for further examination. The other nine arrested have been discharged.