THE STRABANE MORNING POST
Tuesday, February 23, 1836
We regret to state, on the authority of a respectable Correspondent, that a regular system of outrage has been carried on, in the townland of Tullywhisker, in the parish of Urney, for some time past. Night after night, outrages of a serious nature have been committed, and a great deal of alarm has been excited among the inhabitants of the neighbourhood. So far back as July last, a party of marauders commenced their nefarious proceedings with MR. KENNEDY, of Tullywhisker; they entered his house by raising the thatch of a room where no person slept, and took away a cask of butter, some bed clothes, and linen.
On Thursday night week, they came to the house of MR. SAMUEL LEECH of Scalpy [Skelpy]; but the dog challenged them before they got in. Mr. Leech got up and loosed the dog; but they beat him in, with stones. He then took his gun, and fired in the direction he heard them, on which they ran off. Next night, they entered the house of MR. JOSIAS MONTEITH, and opened his desk, but fortunately mistook some old letters for the cash they were in search of, and went off.
On Tuesday last, three men, with their faces blackened, entered the house of JOHN BONNER, on the line of road from Strabane to Derg, pinioned him, and proceeded to rummage for cash, but finding none, they demanded his wife’s pockets, which, on being produced, contained but a few coppers, which they did not take with them. On the following night (Wednesday) the house of MR. SAMUEL ALLEN of Crew, was entered, by removing some sheaves of straw from the roof. - They took with them about 3¼ cwt. of flax and a sheet full of soiled linen.
DANIEL BOYLE, of Gortlougher, was awakened by the violent barking of his dog on Friday night last. He sallied out with his gun, and pursued the gang. His gun missed fire ...... several times; and such was his rage and disappointment, that he broke it on the gable of his house coming in.
Such a state of affairs in a neighbourhood hitherto so peaceable and well disposed, is much to be deplored; and we are convinced, from the usual activity and zeal displayed on all occasions by our Chief Constable of Police and his party, that the miscreants, who have perpetrated these lawless outrages, will be speedily brought to justice.