SHOCKING IRISH TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10127, 9 May 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

SHOCKING IRISH TRAGEDY.

EXTRAORDINARY SUPERSTITION, An Abblone correspondent telegraphs:—An nquesb was held at Lecarrow by Mr. Burke, coroner for the county of Roscommon, on James Cunningham, alleged to have been killed by his father and brothers on Saturday morning. Sergeant Doyle, Lecarrow Police Station, deposed to having received word on Saturday morning from a brotiier of the deceased that he was murdered in Lisphelan. He came there with some constables and found the body. Patrick Cunningham said deceased attacked them, and they had to do away with him. The kitchen of the house was Very much disarranged. There was no one in the house, but some people came afterwards. The murdered man was terribly battered, his chin out away, his teeth broken, and other injuries apparent on the body. The father Buid they wore at the Rosary the previous night, when deceased got up and caught him by the throat. The sons went to soparate thorn, and he attacked thorn. They left him dead, and the old man Raid lie hoard a voice from tho loft saying, "Look out for yourself now." When brought to tho barracks the accused assaulted tho police. They were vory violent, and could not bo worse. They had to tio them with ropes. They were talking about devils and fairies. William Cunningham, Lisphelan, said deceased was for some time " innocent" on the night of the murder. After witness, who was a neighbour, had gone to bed, the family of the deccasod came to his house and asked to be let in for Cod's sake He refused, and they burst in the window. They said to him to keep up good courage, that they had him killed. There was no fear of him (witness). There was no danger now. They ultimately gob into the house, and said their own was filled with thousands of dcils, whom they felt cracking the door, and had to hunt them with holy vrater. The Cunninghams were sober, industrious people. Tho jury found that deceased was killed by his father and brothers in self-defence. , Tho Freoman's Journal gives the follow-' ing details of the murder:—lt appoars that Jamos Cunningham, who was a shoemaker and artificial manure dealer, lived with his father, throo brothers, and a sister in a vory comfortable dwelling, and was remarked to be somewhat demented during the past week, as was evidenced by his occasional visits to a neighbouring" fort," called " The fairios' fort." The inhabitants of that part of the country are extremely superstitious, and on Friday night a number of them, including Jamos Cunningham, were under the impression that "evil spirits" were hovering round their dwollings. They, having consulted, all retired to their respective homes, but refused to lie down to sleop. The Cunninghams imagined they heard noises in their house, and also sat up, saying fchoy would not retire bo bed till the "cock would crow." Atabouttwelve o'clock the whole family knelt down to repeat the Rosary, and during this pious work James, it is stated, jumped up, caught his father by the throat, and threw him to the ground. The membors of tho family went to the assistance of the old man, but James, boing a roan of extraordinary physique, weighing 17 stone, played havoc with them. The screams attracted the neighbours, and it is stated that several men rushed it:to house, when a gonoral mdet ensued. lb l* alleged that evory instrument in tho place was requisitioned to subdue tho powerful maniac, who was making such desperate attempts on the lives of tho others, and who eventually ran through every portion of the house until he got into a room off the kitchen, where it is supposed he was done to death. The family then left tho corpse as Bole occupant, and remained with neighbours till morning, when a brother of * the deceased reported the matter to the police, who immediately hurried bo tho house and found the body of James Cunningham lying on the floor, his battored-ln head resting against the leg of a table. The police found several instruments with portions of the hair and skin of deceased attached. The furniture was upset, and tho general aspect of the houso conveyed tho impression that a desperate struggle must have ensued. After making inquiries, tho constabulary arrested the fathor, three brothers, and three neighbours on a charge of baring murdered James Cunningham.

ATTACK ON THK POLICE. The Freeman's Athlone correspondent, telegraphing on Sunday night, says :—Tho prisoners in tho Roscommon murder case - James, Michael, John, Lizzie, and William Cunningham—arrived here this evening, and on their way to the barrack wore followed by a largo crowd, who jeered. Tho men wore handcuffed and tied in the brakes, and presentod a frightful appearance. At) two o'clock this morning they were under the impression that spirits inhabited tho cell in Locarrow Barracks ; and tho four mon, being of powerful strength, forced the lock of tho gate, and charged at the police in tho day-room. There wore only six polico present — Sergeant Doylo, and Constables O'Brien, Callaghan, Kelly, Dalton, and Duggan— and a fierce struggle ensued between thorn ar.■'. the prisoners. Batons were drawn, and, after a considerable quantity of blood had been shod, the police succeeded in throwing the men, handcuffing them, and tying their logs with ropes. A Tullamoro correspondent telegraphs:— After midnight on Tuesday the four Roscommon prisoners confined in Tullamore Gaol for the murder at Lisphelan on Friday night began to yell and cry out in an unearthly manner. They dashed themsolvos about the colls, and prayed to be delivered from the fades and devils surrounding them. A force of warders wore summoned. On entering one coll the prison surgeon was attacked in a violent manner, and was only saved with great difficulty. The mon were then strapped down, but continued to shriek with unabated fury. The paroxysm lasted all day. Outside medical assistance has been called in.