ASSASSINATING A BOYCOTTER.

Western Star, Issue 983, 19 September 1885, Page 3

ASSASSINATING A BOYCOTTER.

A murder, which under the circumstances surrounding its perpetration, 1 exceeds in savagery anything that has occurred in the most disturbed times, was perpetrated one Sunday recently, , about one o’clock, in a wood outside the town of Millstreet. The victim was a young man of the laboring class, named Michael Cashman, aged about twenty-three years. For a good while past he was known as a prominent member of a band in the district devoted to the boycotting of those who had made themselves obnoxious to the popular movement. Employes of these people were visited regularly and prevented from engaging in their work, and one of the theories of the murder is that he fell a victim at the hands of men who were deprived of a livelihood I by the machinations of the hand of i which Cashman was a leader. It is also alleged that he was under suspicion of his co conspirators of having given information to the police, in whose company he was seen lately. However, with whatever motive, a terrible brutal murder has been committed. It appears that Cashman attended last mass in Millstreet, after which.he immediately set out by himself for a place three miles distant to see his brother, with the object of asking him to come the next day to cut some turf with him for their father. ! The route to this place was by a path i through the wood of Daishane Castle, which is not more than half a mile from the town of Millstreet. He must have got into this wood shortly after one o’clock, and at three his body was found dreadfully mangled and mutilated. His skull was battered into pulp, the left eye was completely gone, and through the aperture the brain protuded. The condition of the unfortunate man left him almost beyond recognition. Hie head rested against the base of a tree, the bark of which was completely stripped, as if by contact with sharp stones. Near his head was a boulder, twelve pounds in weight all smeared with blood and hair. It is conjectured that at least five persons were engaged in the murder, as in the long rank grass near the spot where the body was found the lair of five forms was found, and within their reach was a heap of stones, evidently collected and brought fforo a distance. The police having got information of the occurrence, proceed to the spot and removed the body to the Court house in Millstreet. Here a post mortem examination was made by the doctor, who traced sixteen wounds on the head. A i bullet wound was also found in the right groin and another under the left ; shoulder blade, indicatingthat fire-arms were also used. An inquest was held, but jt was of a formal character, evidence being only taken as to identification and the cause of death, an ’ open \erdict being returned. The police made two arrests, but the men were discharged for want of evidence. They j are engaged investigating the affair, : but up to the present they appear to be without the slightest clue to the per- j petrators of the outrage. Captain Plunkett, special Resident Magistrate, has been inquiring into the murder, but nothing fresh transpired. At the inquest held on the body of the murdered man it was stated that there were over twenty wounds, including a bullet wound in the hip. Two men who found deceased swore that they saw three men, named Sheehan, Flynn, | and Naughton, near the spot; but into this part of the inquiry the police did not desire to go, fearing that it might defeat the ends of justice, and the jury I returned an open Verdict. The remains < were interred in the presence of a large number of Nationalists. 1 C*