THE MAAMTRASNA MURDERS.

Evening Star, Issue 6711, 1 October 1884, Page 3

THE MAAMTRASNA MURDERS.

Thomas Cieey, who was originally Indicted for the massacre of five persons, and who etc ped by informing agalos' his associates, has oonw forward and confessed that he deliberately perjured himself, and sent three human beings to the gallows and some others to penal seivitude in order to save his own 1 fe. We (Eaglish papar) take it for granted that some sjrt of investigation will be made Into this statement of the "penitent approver," and also into that of Philbin, another inforxer, who corroborates Oasey'a story! Not only did Thomas C*s?y, according to his own account, know that the two Joyces and John C<S3y were innocent, bat told Mr Bdton, the Irish Crown solloitor, that they "were not in it," yet he and Philbin allowed these presumably innocent persons to go to the gallows without a blush or a shudder. They now ask the public to believe their word, utterly uncorroborated as it is, and when everybody knows that no jury in the world would take the statement that they obocse to make as oorreot without ample and cenviaoiag proof. Mr Bolton has indignantly deoied the whole story. He affirms that when the proper time comes he can utterly disprove the statements of the informers, and adds that it was Thomas Cisey who firet volucteered to turn approver, and that he himaelf wa3 not present when Casey gavo his information. Those denial* of the Crown Solcitor are point blank, and his assertion that Thomas Casey never informed in hi) prts nie, is, we should imigiao, capable or disproof by it testimony. AS all eveats, there is no evidence whatever at the present moment to make ui believe that the two approvers, who n w ciltnly oor.f«:«3 that thsy wore tha means of having three iuuoooiit raen hasged, are speaking the truth, while there aro btrong rmtws to induce them to concoct; the etnry we have already pointed out. Under the circumstances it is sufficiently astonishing that a Catholic prelate can ba found re.'.dy to aocept the informers' tala as gospel. Yot the Archbishop of Tuam told his congregation on 10.h August, at Clonburg, thai he "reprobated the system wbioh permitted poor ignorant peasants to be guilty of mi jury, pwtioularly where several lives were concerned, as on alternative to their own exeoution." He fnrther expressed the hope that the men who had been sent to penal servitude for taking part in the Maamtrasua inaoFaore would now be liberated, and the families of the exeonted be awarded compensation. ______^___^