Ellen Bercary

341

Maureen Withey on 12th June 2023

Conduct Record. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON41-1-12$init=CON41-1-12P12 Ellen Bercary. See record for details. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Marriage Permission. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON52-1-6P049 Date of permission, 2 Feb 1853. J. Alfred Hore, per Equestrian 2, and Mary Ellen Bickey, per Arabian. Recommended 11 /2/1853.

341

Maureen Withey on 12th June 2023

MURDER IN TIPPERARY. The following report of the inquest en the body of Daniel Berechree, taken from the Nenagh Guardian, discloses a state of society which was hitherto supposed to be confined to the very lowest class of the Irish peasantry. The murdered man is described as a comfortable farmer. MURDER—INQUEST.--On Wednesday last, James Carroll, Esq., held an inquest on the body of Daniel Berechree, at Toureenbrien, about -14 miles from Nenagh. The deceased was a man over 60 years of age, and his wife (who appears to have been accessory to his death) is about 20 years his junior. He was rather a comfortable farmer, and has left 11 children. William Walshe, the deceased's servant, appears to have been a paramour of the wife's, and they both have been committed by the coroner charged with the wilful murder of the deceased. Walshe, we understand, is a married man, and has a wife and three children. Ellen Berechree sworn.—l am daughter of the deceased. I remember the night of the 10th inst. On the night in question my mother, father, three sisters, three brothers, and Patrick Hayes (servant), were in the house. About half-past eight o'clock, after we had eaten supper I and my two sisters, Catherine and Honora, went to bed. I fell asleep immediately after going to bed. I did not hear any of the persons I left behind me go to bed. My mother slept in the same room in the same room, in a bed adjoining mine. In the course of the night I was awakened by my mother, who had her petticoat about her shoulders, clapping her hands, and crying 'Ellen, Ellen, your father is killed I slept outside, and saw William Walshe going from the bed in which my father lay. He had a hatchet in his hand. On going towards the room door I heard Walshe say, 'Take that. Walshe had nothing on him at the time but his shirt. He has been in my father's service since July last. I saw no other person in the room at the time of the occurrence but Walshe. When I got out of bed I saw the deceased lying on his back in the bed. He was covered with blood, and was unable to speak. I heard my mother say that it was four black boys that killed my father. I knew at the time that it was Walshe who killed him, because I saw him leave the room with the hatchet in his hand. When I began to cry I saw Walshe run out of the kitchen-door I saw Walshe run out of the kitchen-door, as if to go to alarm the police. When he first came to our house, he slept with with my father and mother, but latterly he slept on the loft. My brother William also slept with my father and mother, but did not do so on this night. I recollect on one occasion that he (Walshe) slept with my father and mother, my father got up an hour before day to go to the fair of Cappamore, and left Walshe in bed after him with my mother. After the police came to the house, I Went to search for the hatchet, and found it under the dresser in the kitchen with blood on it. The hatchet belonged to my father. I first searched for it where it generally lay, but did not find it. My father lingered from the 10th to the 17th inst., when he died. Grace Berechree (rather a well-looking girl, aged 17), examined by the Coroner.—The witness's testimony was corroborative of her sister's, but further stated that some time after she fell asleep her father called her pp to let in William Walshe, who was tapping at the window He was hearty when he came in, and sat by the fire and smoked, after which he went to bed inside her father. Witness then raked the fire and went to bed, soon after which she was aroused by her mother crying and saying that four of the black boys had beaten her father. Soon after she saw Walshe going from the bed-room into the kitchen. Walshe had no clothes on him at the time but his shirt. Sub-constable Michael Foy examined.— On the 10th inst. the police party of Toureenbrien were called on by William Walshe, who stated that Daniel Berechree's house had been attacked by a party of black men. I instantly proceeded to the house, and found deceased lying in bed on his side, with wounds on his head. I had a conversation with Walshe, who told me he slept in the loft that night, and that the occurrence could have happened without his hearing it. Patrick Hayes examined.—l slept in the house the night deceased was killed. Previous to my going to bed deceased's wife desired me to shut the trap door of the loft to keep out the wind. On going to bed I closed the trap-door, when one of the women (I think it was deceased's wife) fastened it closer. This was never done before. I was asleep when I heard Mrs. Berechree (deceased's wife) say, Pat Hayes, get up, get up, Daniel is killed.' Walshe also called me. I got up and saw Walshe and Mrs. Berechree in the kitchen. Walshe was in his shirt at the time. I and the rest of the family cried out, go for the police,' and Walshe left the house far the purpose of alarming them. The cry was that it was the black boys did it; but I saw no black boys in the house. Dr. Edward Kittson stated that he examined the body of deceased, and found an extensive fracture, which broke in a portion of the frontal, temporal, and parietal bones; the brain was lacerated; he also had three small wounds on the right hand. The jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against William Walshe and Mary Berechree, and they were accordingly committed for trial by the coroner. Morning Herald (London) 24 March 1846. Passing Sentence on the Prisoners. William Walsh and Ellen Berechry having been found guilty—the one of the murder of Daniel Berechry, and the other with being accessory after the fact, and the clerk of the crown having asked the usual question of William Walsh, to which he made no reply, Baron Lefroy passed sentence on them follows: —William Walsh and Ellen Berechry,, I now come to the most painful duty not only that that I have had to discharge at this assizes, but that ever fell to my lot heretofore to discharge, to pronounce the sentence of the law upon one person guilty of the of the murder of the husband of another woman. I find that she who endeavoured to screen the murderer of her husband from the justice of the law, took a part in that frightful deed, repugnant not only to the laws of God and man, but to every feeling of human nature. You, Ellen Berechry, thought to have it supposed that Walsh was not the murderer of your husband, but somebody else unknown, by unquestionably on your part bursting out into a violent exclamation, to which your daughter swore, who has been placed under the unhappy necessity of coming forward to establish the unnatural guilt of her unnatural mother. William Walsh, it is my duty to inform you that you have but a short period to live in this world. Here his lordship put on the black cap, and sentenced him to be hanged on Saturday, the 22d of August.The prisoner was then removed apparently much affected, and his lordship passed sentence on Ellen Berechry of transportation for life. Statesman and Dublin Christian Record, 7 Aug 1846.

341

Maureen Withey on 12th June 2023

Arabian Indent. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON15-1-4$init=CON15-1-4P48 and https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON15-1-4$init=CON15-1-4P49 No 825. Ellen Bercary, age 38, Country servant, Dairy. Tried Tipperary, 31 July 1846, Life, native place, Co Tipperary. Widow., 6 children, catholic, can read and write a little. Relations: Andrew, Denis, William, Thomas; Sisters, Catherine, Anne at N.P. Offence: Accessary to the murder of my husband. Some people served three notices to quit the premises on my husbands & because he did not go, they came and killed him in bed by my side. I am quite innocent of the crime laid to my charge. We had been married 25 years.