THE CONNAUGHT JOURNAL Galway, September 2, 1824 ADJOURNED ASSIZES OF FERMANAGH "Enniskillen, Aug. 29, 1824. "Our adjourned Assizes finished here yesterday. I am so much fatigued from the labour (the Court sitting from 12 to 15 hours each day) that I am not able to give you a note of the trial - however, I cannot withhold from you the following particulars which occurred in the progress of the trails on Friday last. "The conduct of the learned Judge (Moore) who presided is beyond any eulogium I am capable of passing on him - his patience and forbearance were put to a severe trial - his experience could not furnish him any thing bearing a resemblance to the atrocious acts of some of the members of the (in this County at least) favoured faction. "I informed you before that the Catholic prisoners, tried for the murders at Innishmore, were found guilty of manslaughter. At the present adjournment the Catholic prisoners, tried for riots, were found guilty. The Protestant traversers (not withstanding the wrecking of the houses of the Catholics of Innishmore, and the shooting at and wounding the Catholics) were only two - those two were acquitted. The Jurors were exclusively Orangemen. Never, perhaps, were there any trials of so much, or of equal importance to the Catholics of this County. "It was proved by a respectable witness that one of the traversers (John Pye) had fired the shot that wounded Laurence Hannan in the thigh. It was also proved that a man of the name of Reilly was dangerously wounded by a shot from Kenny's party; he proved it himself, and that three Magistrates of the County had, after repeated applications, refused to take the witness's informations. - That fact so vitally important to the administration of justice, the Learned Judge has taken a note of, and of this still more interesting fact he has judicial knowledge. After Laurence Hannan had been examined as a witness, and was making his way from the Counsel table, he was hustled by a party of the Lisbellaw Peelers (not the least apprehensive of the consequences) and assaulted almost in view of the Court. A few minutes after, on his arrival in the street, in the presence of Counsellor Rolleston, he received a most desperate blow on the back of the neck from an Orangeman of the name of M'Creary. As soon as the fact was made known, Counsellor Kernan communicated it to the Court, and had informations prepared and sworn to in the Court against the offender - (he had no difficulty in escaping.) "The Sub-Sheriff denied the charge, and said he had fifteen witnesses to prove the contrary. "Mr. Justice Moore - 'Talk not to me, Sir, of your fifteen witnesses; in the progress of these Trials I have seen enough of that; I saw the hustling in the Court myself; I saw the rush from the galleries; if, Sir, your Constabulary force be not sufficient to protect the administration of justice, (I know not how long, Sir, the Bench itself will continue safe,) call out the Posse Committatus of the County, and if that be not sufficient, Sir, (said the Judge with great warmth and indignation) I shall call out the Military. The proper conduct of the High Sheriff prevents one from imposing such a fine upon you as this abominable transaction merits.'" Cathy Joynt Labath Ireland Old News http://www.IrelandOldNews.com/