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Coleraine Quarter Sessions June 28 1847
The Crown business commenced this morning before W. ARMSTRONG, Esq., QC., Chairman; J. BOYD, MP., H. RICHARDSON, H.S. BRUCE, Andrew ORR, and S. LAWRENCE, Esqrs.
Although the cases were numerous, they were all of a trifling nature.
The following Grand Jury was empanelled:- John B. McGROTTY, Esq., Foreman; Messrs. P. McHENRY, John McCURDY, Daniel TAYLOR, Charles DALY, Thomas DAVOCK, Edward GRIBBEN, Joseph McCURDY, Thomas DAVOCK, Edward GRIBBEN, Joseph McCURDY, Andrew HUNTER, Isaac HUNTER, Robert McKAV, Samuel WALLACE, John CHURCH, John CRAWFORD, Moses McCAUGHEY, J. BUTLER, and R. COX.
After a brief address from his Worship, the following Petty Jury was empanelled:-
Messrs. Alex. HURLEY, Foreman; Jas. ATCHISON, John DUNLOP, John DUNLOP, John FERGUSON, H. HAMILL, S. KEITH, Archd. McCURDY, A. McCURDY, Wm. SEMPLE, H. SEMPLE, and D. STUART.
James DOHERTY was given in charge for stealing £3 5s. 6d. from George FEENY, in Garvagh, on 7th May last. The prosecutor in this case had gone into a shop in Garvagh for change of one shilling, and had left his purse on a plank in the shop. On looking for it afterwards it was gone, and was afterwards found in possession of prisoner. Verdict - Guilty. To be imprisoned six calendar months, with hard labour.
Robert KENNEDY, for stealing three shilling and four sixpenny pieces, the property of Wm. HANSON. In this case the prisoner, a mere child, had broken into the shop of the prosecutor, In Aghadoey, and taken the money, which had been previously marked, out of the drawer. There was no defence, and the Jury returned a verdict of guilty. To be imprisoned 9 calendar months, with hard labour.
John LARMONT for stealing spades and shovels from James HEBREW, at Coleraine. The articles alluded to have been placed in a cow-house, and were missed on the morning of 18th May. The prisoner that night left some of them in the house of a pe4rson named SCULLION, where they were found by the police, and the remainder were discovered at his bed-foot. Guilty - to be imprisoned 3 calendar months, and kept to hard labour.
Samuel McDERMOTT for stealing hay, the property of Henry KYLE, Esq, Laurel-hill, on the 22d April. This was the third time which the prisoner was charged for a similar offence, in the same quarter. The evidence was quite conclusive, and the Jury found the prisoner guilty. Imprisonment for 6 months, and hard labour.
Catherine DOHERTY for stealing one horse-cover, the property of Richard DOHERTY, of Coleraine. Guilty - To be imprisoned 2 calendar months.
John GILMORE pleaded guilty to stealing 4 hanks yarn, at Coleraine. To be imprisoned 6 weeks, with hard labour.
Robert WALLACE stood indicted for stealing nine spangles of yard from Edward WALSH, of Kilrea. The evidence against the prisoner rested mainly on the testimony of a woman named KANE, who bought the yarn for sixpence (same being worth 9s.) and concealed it. The Jury acquitted the prisoner.
The prisoner was again indicted for stealing a pair of trousers, the property of Bernard O'NEILL. The crime was brought home to him, and he was sentenced to four months' imprisonment, with hard labour.
Matty McQUILLEN for stealing a waistcoat from Joseph NEELY, of Swatragh. Guilty - 3 months' imprisonment.
Alexander JOHNSTON submitted to a charge of larceny, and was sentenced to 2 months' imprisonment, with hard labour.
Hugh WATT and Martha WATT were indicted on three distinct charges of stealing fowl in the neighbourhood of Aghadoey. The principal evidence against the prisoners was that of an approver, which was considered totally unworthy of credit, and after an acquittal on the first charge, the remainder were withdrawn.
John McALISTER was next placed at the bar, charged with stealing the muzzle and foothook of a plough, and 2 pots. There was no defence made, and the guilt of the prisoner being clearly established, he was found guilty. To be imprisoned 6 months.
Thomas McLAUGHLIN was found guilty of stealing two sacks, belonging to Samuel BOLTON, Lismoyle, and sentenced to six months; imprisonment, with hard labour.
Giles HENRY submitted to a charge of stealing a sheet at Desertoghill, and was sentenced to 24 hours' imprisonment.
James GAMBLE and Alexander GAMBLE were indicted for attempting to steal and carry away ducks at Ballylees, near Coleraine. The jury found both prisoners guilty, but recommended them to mercy on account of their youth. To be imprisoned 1 month.
Nancy ELLIOT and Margaret STEEL pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a heifer, the property of Daniel O'KANE. To be imprisoned 6 months.
Smith GRAHAM, apparently a respectable and intelligent lad, was charged with stealing herrings, the property of Margaret LEES. This case rested solely on the evidence of LEES herself, and the jury returned a verdict of guilty, with a recommendation to mercy. To be imprisoned until 12 o'clock next day, and to be then handed over to his father.
Mary PURCELL, for obtaining, under false pretences, a pair of blankets from Robert ROWAN. There was no doubt of the prisoner's guilt, and she was sentenced to 3 months' imprisonment.
Catherine O'NEILL for stealing seven sovereigns from James McNAUL. In this case, the party who should have prosecuted had gone to America, and, though there was satisfactory evidence of the prisoner's guilt, there was no evidence before the Court as to whether James McNAUL was the party from whom the money was stolen. Acquitted.
John ROBERTSON, Letitia ROBERTSON, and Archibald ROBERTSON, were given in charge to the jury for an assault on George HANSON, of Aghadoey, on the 16th April. There was also a cross case of assault against George HANSON. This was the only case of interest at the sessions. The particulars given in evidence were - that the husband of Letitia ROBERTSON had been due HANSON £7, for which he had a decree. Hearing that he was about to sell his farm, HANSON went to the place of sale. The husband of the female prisoner was absent, and £20 having been paid by the incoming tenant to his wife, HANSON at once caught hold of the notes, and in the scuffle the woman either fell or was knocked down. John ROBERTSON, the prisoner, then assaulted HANSON, as did also Archibald, son of the female prisoner. On the part of the ROBERTSONs it was contended that HANSON had previously consented to an agreement, in which £11 remainder of purchase money was reserved by the incoming tenant (opposite his decree) over and above the £20 paid to ROBERTSON on the day of the sale; that HANSON had admitted to two persons that he had no decree with him, it being on that day in the lawyer's office in Coleraine, and that had he shown the decree, and legally executed it, no assault would have been committed by the ROBERTSONs. It appeared also that the female prisoner, then in a state of pregnancy was considerably injured by HANSON. John and Letitia ROBERTSON having been found guilty, HANSON at once submitted. His Worship, in very strong terms, addressed both parties, and sentenced them each to 1 month's imprisonment. An arrangement was subsequently entered into between both parties, and the court was prayed to alter its decision, which was finally commuted to a find of 6d on each, it being understood that the one-half of the amount of the decree should be paid to HANSON who had failed in obtaining the amount on the day of sale.
Patrick and Peter McLOUGHLIN were charged with assaulting James HUTCHISON, and found guilty - Peter was sentenced to one week, and Patrick to one fortnight's imprisonment.
John Elliott McLOUGHLIN, Catherine McLOUGHLIN, and Betty DAVISON, were convicted of rescuing goods seized under a decree of the Court, and were sentenced each to one month's imprisonment.
W. KANNAWAY and Sarah AGNEW pleaded guilty to charges of larceny. Two months' imprisonment.
Ellen PARKHILL also submitted to a similar charge, and received a sentence of six weeks' imprisonment.
Thomas BARR and James BRADLEY, mere children, also submitted to a charge of larceny, and were sentenced to be imprisoned one calendar month each.
Joseph REES pleaded guilty to stealing clothes from Coleraine Workhouse. This was the third charge of a similar nature against the prisoner, who was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and hard labour.
Alexander DICKSON also submitted to a charge of larceny, and was imprisoned one month.
The only remaining cases were -
Andrew STEWART, larceny, pleaded guilty - three months' imprisonment;
and
R. GRAHAM, larceny, guilty - one months' imprisonment.
This ended the crown business.
