Christopher Clancy

221

D Wong on 19th August 2020

Dublin Evening Post Dublin, Republic of Ireland 6 Apr 1837: HENRY-STREET POLICE OFFICE ATTEMPTED MURDER. On Tuesday, a man named Christopher Clancy, was brought before the sitting magistrates and charged by Mr. Henry Garnett, of Royal Canal Terrace, with an attempt murder him Monday night. Mr. Garnett, as was going home on Monday night, a little after nine o'clock, in mounting the hill from Little Dominick-street to the Canal Harbour, perceived a man dressed in a dark cloak and cap, standing at the little draw-bridge over the Aqueduct. When he approached within a yard of this man, the man looked earnestly into his face, and immediately drew a pistol from under his cloak, and discharged it at Mr. Garnett and wounded him severely on the left side. Mr. Garnett cried out murder and fell. The man fled down the hill towards Church-street, and was met by a Lock-keeper, named George Keyburn ; Keyburn was distant about fourteen yards from the draw-bridge when the shot was fired. He saw the flash, and of course heard the report___he let the man passhim and hastened to Mr. Garnett, but observed the fugitive, and saw him turn round about at the bottom of the hill, and pass under the Aqueduct towards Phipsborough. Keyburn then called out to his brother-in-law, who lives with him at the Bell-house, a few yards from the draw-bridge, to come out and pursue the murderer. He then ran by a shorter way towards the Phipsborough road, and as he was passing down a hill behind the Bell-house, he met the fugitive coming up towards the canal. Keyburn called out___"stop the murderer," and was joined in the pursuit by a tailor named Hugh Dalton___they pursued the man along the canal, and continued crying out___"stop the murderer." He turned by a lane into Phipsborough, and they pursued still, calling out___"stop the murderer." When the man got into Phipsborough, he began to call out with the same outcry___he ran about a quarter of a mile, and was stopped by a watchman named Lynch, and a carman of the name of Sale ; when arrested, he asked "was it I fired the shot?" and said it was because he was flurried when he heard the shot that he had run away ; there was a discharged pistol found near the spot where the man was arrested ; as the prisoner was being conducted to the watch-house, Sale observed him draw a pistol from his side pocket, and immediately wrested it from his hand ; the prisoner was subsequently searched, and another pistol, the fellow of that which Sale had taken from him, was found in his breast pocket; they were both charged ; the ball passed through the sleeve on a large outside coat, which Mr. Garnett was wearing at the time, and perforated the cloth under the left breast, but did not penetrate strong hemp wadding, which happened fortunately to lie between the lining and the coat ; however, it broke the button of his suspender, and left a severe wound upon his side ; during the investigation the prisoner, who denied that he had fired the shot, was brought up a second time, and the informations of Mr. Garnett, which were by this time prepared, and were read to him ; informant could not positively identify the prisoner as the man who had fired at him, but had no doubt on his mind of his being the same ; he was quite certain that the assassin was in point of stature like the prisoner, and like him wore a dark cload and cap ; the assassin had lain in wait for the informant, and was actuated in attempting his life by some bad and malicious feeling. When the prisoner was arrested he wore a cap, and had a dark cloak thrown across his arm. When Mr. Garnett's informations were read, Mr. Cole asked the prisoner if he chose to make any observation in reply, at the same time cautioning him not to say anything that mind tend to criminate himself, unless he thought proper to make a voluntary disclosure. The prisoner said in a cool and collected manner, that he had never come into any hostile collision with Mr. Garnett, and that consequently he could not have entertained any "bad and malicious feelings" towards him ; he had never offered him any insult or offence, and called upon Mr. Garnett if he did not state the truth to contradict him ; he refused to make any further remark, observing abruptly, that he had sent for counsel, and expected him every moment ; he was then removed from the board-room. Prisoner is a man of about forty years of age, of middle stature, dark complexion, and wild but determined expression of countenance. It appeared that Mr. Garnett is principal conductor of business to Messrs. Purcell and Stockley, coach proprietors, and that the prisoner was employed by Mr. Bourne, to superintend the repairs of the mail coach road between Dublin and Ashbourne ; he has not been in this employment for some time ; not long ago he wrote a letter to Messrs. Purcell and Stockley, which purported to disclose a system of fraud and peculation which he stated Mr. Garnett had carried on to the prejudice of that company ; that he had a market penny for himself upon all the purchases he was in the habit of making for his employers, such as horses, hay, &c. ; this letter had the prisoner's name subscribed to it, but on account of Mr. Garnett's high character for probity and fidelity, it was treated with contempt. Prisoner had also applied for a situation in Messrs. Purcell and Stockley's establishment, but did not obtain any. The prisoner's wife and two children were with him during the day. He was fully committed for trial. Dublin Evening Post Dublin, Republic of Ireland 13 Jul 1837: The Justices have commuted the sentence of Christopher Clancy, convicted of attempt the life of Mr, Garnett, to transportation for life. Christopher Clancy was listed as 35 years old on arrival. Native Place: County Tipperary. Occupation: Clerk and accountant. Christopher was literate, RC, married with 2 male and 1 female children, 5'7½" tall, dark sallow and freckled complexion, dark brown mixed with grey hair, hazel grey e3yes, long scar under left jaw, arms hairy. 11/5/1848: CP There was only 1 convict named Christopher Clancy - quite an uncommon name so presumably this is him. Cannot confirm the following information. The death notice in 1862 was the last mention of Christopher Clancy on 'Trove' newspapers. Found 2 marriages on the NSW BDM - 1849: Married Jane R Doherty at St. Lawrence's, Sydney. 1853: Married Jane Hamey at St. James, Sydney. No children listed from either marriage. 4/10/1856 Sydney Morning Herald: CENTRAL POLICE COURT. Christopher Clancy, having threatened to blow out the brains of J. H. Scrutton, was required to enter into sureties to keep the peace for six months or to be imprisoned until the Quarter Sessions. 25/12/1857 Sydney Morning Herald: Named as an Elector of the City of Sydney. 25/10/1860 Moreton Bay Courier: Christopher Clancy appeared on summons to answer an information charging him with having assaulted Elizabeth Eade. Complainant stated that she called upon him to demand payment of an account. He said, "account indeed! you may light your pipe with it," and so saying neither more nor less he tuk me by the arm and shuck me until I was'nt worth a button. After squeezing my arm he shoved me off the verandah. Clancy denied the charge and produced evidence to show that he simply ordered her away, saying, "If you have any business with me send your husband, or, come when you're sober." The case was thereupon dismissed. 14/1/1862 The Courier, Brisbane: DEATH. In Adelaide-street, North Brisbane, on Sunday, 12th instant, Mr. Christopher Clancy, formerly of H. M. Customs, in Sydney, aged 55 years.