30-1-1886 The Times The murder of Edward Allen in the County of Tipperary. To the Editor of the Times. Sir;-Permit me to state some circimstances which existed previous to the murder of Allen in the broad day-light, on the high road at Damerville, in the County of Tipperary on the 16th inst. In the month of Jan, 1885, in the Court of Common Pleas, Dublin, judgement was obtained (after a trial by jury) against a tenant named Hourigan for £160., one years rent of a farm at Ballycouree, due to May 1st. 1884. Hourigan, the tenant died, and his reps. declined to pay the amount of the rent or the costs of the action, and were in July 1885 evicted from their holdings. I may here mention that the Judge before whom the action for rent was tried, expressed it as his opinion that I as trustee, was bound to bring the action for the rent. The following is a list of outrages perpetrated at Damerville, otherwise Ballycouree;-1. I received a letter threatening my life if I did not reinstate the Hourigans. This purported to come from the Cork branch of the National League. 2. The caretakers arms were stolen from Damerville House. 3. The widow Hourigan and family were reinstated in the house from which they had been evicted, by, as they allege, over 200 armed men at night. 4. Shots were exchanged between my caretakers (and the police who were protecting them) and an armed, disguised mob of men, who succeeded in driving off the lands the cattle put to graze thereon by the landlord, and which the next day were recovered and brought back by the Police. 5. An unsuccessful attempt was again made to drive the cattle off; 6. A summons server, who went to serve a summons on the inmates of the evicted house for trespass, was badly beaten, stripped literally naked, and sent back to Tipperary in a sad condition. 7. Mr. Chadwick, the Landlord who lives some 20 miles from Ballycouree, was boycotted, his hay and crops were allowed to rot, he was almost starved out, and I had to send provisions to him from Cork, as no one in the locality dare have anything to do with him. 8. As trustee, I went to demand possession of the house which had beentaken possession of by the Hourigans, when a large crowd, collected by the Chapel Bell and blowing of horns, out in an appearance. The Roman Catholic Curate took command, and kept them quiet. The authorities with a large force of police, declined to break open the door, and I refused to allow my caretaker to take possession with a strong hand, as I did not consider it the proper course to adopt. At the request of the owner (Mr. Chadwick) and others, I consented for peace sake to allow an arrangement to be come to by arbitration. The Hourigans got back their farm on paying £175 in lieu of £550 (two and a half years of rent at £160 per year and about £150 costs due) and the future rent to be fixed by the Land Court. Now mark well the result of this concession granted in response to the outrageous , illegal conduct of the people. The murdered man Edward Allen frequented Damerville House, he was a loyal man, a friend to the LandLord. He borrowed a horse from him , he returned his horse to him, and was shot within 200 yards od Damerville House. Another tenant had offered £150 fine and £3 per acre for 7 acres of land in the possession of Mr. Chadwick. Allen was suspected for having bid for it, and these, Sir, are the simple facts of this most sad case, from which those who read can draw their own deductions as to how men live here and why they must die. I am Sir, Your obedient servant Robert Pratt.J.P. Carriggohane County Cork. Jan. 26th 1886