AN IRISH ROMANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5335, 21 December 1878, Page 7

AN IRISH ROMANCE.

A singular case of conspiring to assault was heard at the petty sessions of the town of Gal way recently. Last year the young daughter of a well-to-do shopkeeper named Donuelan was taken home by • her parents from the convent in vhich she was being educated, and given in marriage to a man named I Mullarkey, a person of delicate constitution and very much her senior in years, but the principal partner in a thriving commercial establishment in the town of Dunmore, near Galway. He died a few months afterwards, and suspicions arose that he had been poisoned with phosphorus. His youthful widow was arrested, and put upon her trial for wilful murder. The trial produced a profouad sensation, and resulted in an acquittal, which was received by the public with a general expression of approval. Recently the young lady married a gentleman named Blake, who resides near the town of Galway, and who was high sheriff of the town last year. The marriage became the subject of much conversation in the locality, but it appears not to have given satisfaction to the family of the gentleman, and some sharp words parsed between his brother Michael and the young lady's father. A few days ago Mr. Michael Blake waß set upon and beaten by some young men, aud he awore information, upon which all of them except I one were arrested for tho assault. The one who escaped arrest met with a violent death in endeavouring to evade the police, haying fallen into a revolving mill-wheel. His comrades pleaded " Guilty," and were dealt with summarily and leuiently, but they stated that they were only some of a party of 20 young men who had been engaged to beat Mr. Michael Blake. A charge of conspiracy was then preferred against the father of Mrs. Blake aud his shop assistant, both of whom were on Monday committed for trial, bail being accepted.