"The Anglo Celt" Cavan; Thursday, October 28, 1852 COOTEHILL QUARTER SESSIONS. After the spirit licenses had been disposed of the following were sworn on the petty jury, viz.:- Michael BRADY, (foreman), John M'GAHAN, John ROUNDTREE, Hugh M'FADDEN, John M'CABE, James PRIOR, and Isaac ROUNDTREE, and the following trials proceeded with, which were principally larcenies possessing little or no interest. Peter SMITH, a wretched looking old man, was arraigned upon an indictment, which charged him with having on the 19th July last at the fair or market of Bailieborough, stolen a pair of brogues, the property of Patrick SORAHAN, a broguemaker residing in or near that tow. It appeared upon the evidence of the prosecutor (Pat SORAHAN), sub-constable John TRACY, and Catherine SMITH, a stupid looking young woman, aged between 17 and 18 years, the daughter of the prisoner, whom the barrister ordered to be brought up from the bridewell and placed in the witness-box, on the table, and examined as a witness, that the prisoner asked to see a pair of brogues ostensibly for the purpose of purchasing them at the standing or stall of the prosecutor, and whilst engaged in attending to other customers, the prisoner handed the brogues to his daughter, who went off with them. The prosecutor pursued, arrested, and took the brogues from her, and gave her and her father into the custody of! the constabulary. Guilty. - Sentenced to be imprisoned for three months from the date of his committal (21st July last), and at the suggestion of the barrister, the daughter, against whom there was a true bill found by the grand jury, for having received the brogues, well knowing that they had been stolen, was discharged out of custody without further prosecution. Ellen BEARD pleaded guilty to an indictment, for stealing another pair of brogues at Baillieborough, on the 5th Oct. Inst., (the fair day), the property of Terence HOULTON< and having been convicted at last Baillieborough Quarter Sessions for another larceny, was, after a very eloquent and caustic caution from the assistant-barrister, sentenced to the mitigated punishment of three months' imprisonment and hard labour. Passing Counterfeit sovereigns. Owen BRADY was arraigned upon an indictment which charged him with having at the fair of Cootehill, on Friday, the 10th September last, uttered and passed four base sovereigns, well knowing the same to be counterfeit and spurious, to John KETTYLE, in payment of a heifer which he purchased from him. Hew was also indicted for having at same time and place tendered same to said John KETTYLE, with intent to defraud him out of the price of said heifer. The prisoner was a soft and rather respectable looking young man of about 20 years of age, apparently of the middle class farmer society, and tolerably well dressed. His father, a rather decent looking man, during the progress of the trial, presented an affidavit to the court with the view of procuring a postponement of the trial, in which he stated amongst other things, that he, James BRADY, of Drumminarah, in this county, farmer, was father of the prisoner, and that the venerable and Rev. Archdeacon Marcus GERVAISE BERES! FORD, of Parsonage, George Marshal KNIPE, Esq., of Erne Hill, Belturbet, and the Rev. John BRADY, P.P. of Larah, were material and necessary witnesses for his son, they being able, and he believed, inclined and prepared to give a good character of his son, the prisoner; but in consequence of their absence from the country at present, he was unable to procure their attendance for the purpose at the present sessions, but hoped and believed that he would be able to do so at the ensuing quarter sessions of Baillieborough, but notwithstanding which his worship decided that the trial should be proceeded with, whereupon, the said James BRADY stated to the bench viva voce that he had not the means to employ a professional gentleman. The following are briefly the facts of the case as they appeared in the evidence: - A man of the name of John KETTYLE, a small farmer, residing in the parish and townland of Drumgoon, within three miles of Cootehill, brought in a heifer to sell in the ! fair of Cootehill, and which the prisoner purchased for £4, and handed in payment four sovereigns, but the prisoner being an indifferent judge of such coin expressed a wish to have them submitted to the better judgment of Mr. Thomas FAY, a respectable shopkeeper residing in the town, to which the prisoner in the utmost candour at once assented, and accompanied him from the fair green to Mr. Fay's shop to have them examined, and Mr. Fay, on their being exhibited to him, having decided that they (the four sovereigns) were not value for so many brass bottoms, the prisoner displayed no fear or appearance of guilt, but merely asserted that he would have all made right, as he had received them from Mr. John MATCHETT of Poles, hear Cavan, in payment of the price of a cow, which he had sold him in the last fair of that town, and having been arrested (although he had had an opportunity to make his escape but did not attempt to do so), he was interrogated as to his having any money up! on his person by sub-constable Thomas IRWIN, who had taken him into custody, and he (the prisoner) with equal candour and fair dealing, stated that he had another similar coin (a counterfeit sovereign) in his waistcoat pocket, which he produced with search. After a most lucid, impartial, and eloquent charge form the learned barrister, the jury, after considerable discussion, returned a verdict of guilty, but recommended the prisoner, on account of his youth and apparent candor, to the merciful consideration of the court, and in consequence of all which his worship sentenced the prisoner to only six months' imprisonment at hard labour. Mary Anne KEARNEY, an old offender, though young, was placed upon her trial for having stolen five pounds in notes and a cloak, at Sex, on the 28th August last, the property of Anne Fitzsimons of that place. The prisoner also stood further indicted for having at Cornany, on the 29th August, the day following, having had the said cloak, the property of the said Anne Fitzsimons, in her possession, of the value of 10s., she well knowing the same had been stolen. Guilty. Head-constable GIBSON sated that the prisoner was the worst character that came before him for the last twenty years. To be imprisoned for six months. County Cavan Newspaper Transcription Project