ANGLO-CELT APRIL 20, 1854 ARVAGH PETTY SESSIONS Wednesday, April 19 MYSTERIOUS CASE A report was prevalent in Cavan in the beginning of the week that a young man of the name of DRUM, who lived with his relations at a place called Drumhoura, near Arvagh, and who died suddenly some days ago, had come to his death of unfair means. The particulars of the case, as we have been told them are shortly these. It appears that the father of the young man referred to was married twice; the children by the first marriage he provided for or sent to America previous to his death, which occured some time ago--how long we have not heard. By the second marriage he had eight children, all of whom are living, together with their mother, except the youth whose death is the subject of inquiry. The old man when dying, bequeathed, it is said, the farm and stock to this youth. The widow and all the children lived together, however on the farm from the old man's decease, up to about to about ten days ago, when one morning the young man, the legatee, having breakfasted off stirabout about 9 o'clock, as usual, put his horse under a harrow and proceeded to his work. He had only got a short distance from the house when his mother was observed to follow him; and shortly after, he was seen to fall from his horse in a state of insensibility. He was immediately carried back to the house, when he expired in about an hour, in a violent fit of retching and vomiting. The corpse was kept in until next day, when Sub Inspector M'CLINTOCK of Arvagh, with his usual promptitude having heard what occurred dispatched a message to the Coroner for the district, James BERRY, Esq., and some his men to the scene of the wake. At three o'clock in the day the friends of the deceased were about to bring away the body to inter it, when on \e of the constables informed them that the Coroner had been sent for. The parties there deferred the funeral until six o'clock when, the Coroner not appearing, they took away the corpse and interred it in the neighbouring graveyard. Next day the Coroner and Sub Inspector M'CLINTOCK with ten or twelve of the constabulary went to the graveyard where the body had been buried for the purpose of exhuming it and holding an inquest. The graveyard was occupied by a large crowd of people, amongst whom the relatives of the deceased were conspicuous, armed with pitchforks, shovels, and other weapons. On the Coroner and his party reaching the gate, they were told not to dare to enter, or if they would they'd be slaughtered, "blood for blood" taken, &c. The Coroner, seeing the vast number of persons opposed to him and their furious demeanour, prudently withdrew his force in order to prevent bloodshed, and wrote to the government to know what he was to do in the circumstances. He received a supply from the Chief Secretary, telling him to take a sufficient force of police and proceed and exhume the corpse. Accordingly, on Saturday last, he repaired with a strong force to the burying-ground; no opposition was offered, but on opening the grave he found that the coffin had been removed and its place filled up with stones. The police have since been active in their search for the corpse, but up the present without success. The Coroner procured summonses for Thomas and Patrick DRUM (brothers to the deceased), and Michael CAMPBELL, for the opposition they offered him at the graveyard. The cases came from Thomas DENNEHY, Esq., R.M., at the Arvagh Petty Sessions on Wednesday (yesterday). Mr. HAMILTON, solicitor, Cavan, appeared for the defence. On the defendants being called to appear Mr. HAMILTON desired the service of the summonses to be proved. Sub-constable John CURCHIN deposed to having served the summons for Michael CAMPBELL at his father's house. To Mr. HAMILTON--Believes it was CAMPBELL's father's house, and that he (Michael CAMPBELL) resides there; was told so but does not know of his own knowledge. Sub-constable Richard STEWARD sworn--CAMPBELL's brother and sister, who were in the house when the summons was served, said he lived there. Mr. HAMILTON submitted that no service was proved. The Court ruled to the contrary. Sub-constable STEWART proved also the service of the summonses for the two DRUM's at their abode; gave them to an old woman whom he believes to be their mother; witness could not swear she was their mother. Mr. HAMILTON contended that this was not proper service. His Worship thought otherwise. The police were not but to personally know the parties to whom they gave summonses. The law held the service to be good if the persons were above sixteen years of age. Mr. HAMILTON called on the clerk to take a note of his objections. The Coroner, James BERRY, Esq., was then sworn and examined-- He deposed to receiving the requisition from Mr. M'CLINTOCK, and on going to Drumhoura, found that the body had been interred. He stated the violence of the mob in the graveyard, which he estimated at 1,000 persons, including men, women and children, and one fellow who had a pike, exclaiming 'blood for blood, &c.' He withdrew the police force, and on Saturday last proceeded, by order of the government, to the grave, which, on opening, he found to contain a heap of stones, the corpse having been removed. He produced a document which, he said, he got from Mr. Michael MASTERSON, in which an undertaking was given that the dead body would be produced when demanded. Mr. HAMILTON said the hand writing in that document should be proved. Witness to Mr. HAMILTON--I don't know the names of the persons who obstructed me at the graveyard, but the police do. I will identify them if produced. I think there were about ten policemen with me on first occasion. I withdrew them from the graveyard, because I did not like to endanger their lives or have any blood shed. Mr. DENNEHY, R.M., ordered the defendants to be called. They were accordingly called, but did not appear. Mr. DENNEHY--As the parties were served with summonses and do not appear, I will issue warrants for their apprehension. Mr. HAMILTON submitted that the case was one for summary jurisdiction. Mr. DENNEHY was of a contrary opinion. The offence with which the parties were charged was, "a misdemeanour," therefore indictable, and he, for his part, would not summarily adjudicate upon it. Mr. HAMILTON was proceeding to offer some remarks when Mr. DENAHEY (sic) informed him he had decided upon the course he would pursue. Informations having been sworn against the parties by the Coroner, the court issued warrants for their arrest. The Court proceeded with the other cases on the book, but none of them is worth notice. ______________________________________________________________ County Cavan Newspaper Transcription Project