MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8986, 25 February 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

An appalling tragedy took place at Dublin on January '2. Between two and three o'clock Mr. John Clancy, merchant tailor, who carried on business at 27, Eustace-street, was shot dead in his shop by an employe, who afterwards shot and seriously injured himself. Mr. Clancy resided at '28, Spencerstreet, North Strand, where he owned considerable house property. He was over 50 years of age, and of short stature and stout physique. The man who murdered him is named John Far Pell, living at 70, Russia-street, and close on 40 years of age. He was brother-in-law of the deceased, and was employed as his messenger and bookkeeper. Farrell was looked on as a sober, quiet, and unobtrusive man. About three on Tuesday afternoon, a gentleman who has offices in Eustace-street heard two reports in Mr. Clancy's establishment opposite as from a revolver, and on entering the door of No. 27, they found Mr. Clancy lying dead, on the floor. On proceeding into the room from the outer shop, they found Farrell sitting on a chair, apparently in a stupor, and on the table close by him was a six-chambered revolver, with three chambers discharged. Clancy was shot on the right side of the back, the bullet passing through the scapula and remaining in the body. Farrell was conveyed to Mercer's Hospital, where Surgeon Nixon found that he was shot over the heart, the bullet fracturing the sixth rib. When Farrell was searched a letter was found in his pocket, the envelope of winch was' addressed to the Lord Mayor of Dublin. The letter bore date, Tuesday, December 27, 18S7, and commenced thus : —" Farewell, my very loving and affectionate wife Mary, and my two darling children, Lizzie and Joe. God bless you.—Yours, Johnny. Clancy is a bad man. The world should be rid of him. He turned my head through going back to him. He did nothing'. I nad to mind every detail, and he would persuade you that black was white." The letter then dealt with political matters in an incoherent way : " The removal of Lord Salisbury form the Premiership of England. He is no statesman. The English people will have to fight the battle, as the Irish nation is doing in the most generous way. Considering a nation—what is a nation or anything else that is not governed as it should be? Do justice to the country of Ireland. You have not done so, nor to any of your possessions on the globe." It has been" discovered that Farrell purchased the revolver and 50 rounds of ammunition that morning.