Richard Connor

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Maureen Withey on 18th June 2025

Discovery of a Murderer on board ship.  The melancholy affliction which occasioned the return of the Brutus to Liverpool has been the providential means of securing a man who has, all appearance, been engaged in the murder of one of his fellow-creatures.  Amongst the passengers on hoard the Bn/fut were two individuals who went by the name of Daly, and also pensioner of the Garrison Battalions, named Jer. Whelan. When the vessel had proceeded some distance from land, Whelan had some conversation with the Dalys, from which he was led to conclude that they had been concerned in a murder, or at least something not far short. He also ascertained that they had come from the neighbourhood of Portarlinglon, in Queen’s county. His suspicions were so strongly confirmed that, soon as the opportunity presented itself, by the return of the ship to Liverpool, he dispatched a letter to Lieutenant Fay, the chief of police, at Maryborough, Ireland, in which he stated the  circumstances have mentioned, and also that one of the men had declared, after they put back, that he  would go by the first vessel to Quebec, as he durst not return home. The result of this letter was the arrival of an officer from Ireland, with a warrant for the apprehension of Richard Connor, a labourer, aged about 26, William Connor, a blacksmith, aged 24, Richard Connor, jun., and Jas. Conroby, who were charged with having assaulted a person named Peter Dowling, at Ship House in Queen’s county, and beaten him so severely that he died. The warrant for their apprehension was received at the Police-office, in this town, yesterday forenoon, and placed the hands of Turner, the police-officer, for execution. The passengers and crew of the Brutus had been removed to the Newcastle lazarrette, and as he would not have been allowed to make a search there, the officer proceeded the parish-office, where he learned that no person of the name of Connor had applied there;  but on looking at the description of the applicants, he found one belonging to Queen’s county, under the name of Daly. Me was told that he had applied for relief and would shortly call again in about five minutes accordingly made his appearance, when Turner tapped him on the shoulder, and asked him his name. He answered, without hesitation, “Richard Connor,” but had hardly uttered the word before he tried to recall it, and added “Daly”. When asked why he had at first said Connor, he replied that he had made mistake. From these circumstances Turner was satisfied he was one of the men included in the warrant  and immediately brought in the pensioner to identify him. He was then taken into custody. Thus, in less than twenty minutes after the arrival of the warrant, the diligence and prudence of the police officer bad enabled him to discover and secure the object of his pursuit. William Connor fell a victim to the cholera after the Brutus put back, and of the other two prisoners nothing has yet been heard, nor is it understood that they were ever on board the vessel. —Liverpool Courier, July 4. Dublin Evening Packet, 7 July 1832.

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Maureen Withey on 17th June 2025

Irish Convict Database by Peter Mayberry. Richard Connor, sen. age on arrival, 26, per Roslin Castle (3) 1833, Tried 1832, at Queens Co, Life for Manslaughter. DOB 1807. Native place, Kings Co. Single. Catholic. Servant farm.