Edward Flaherty

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Maureen Withey on 26th January 2025

GOULBURN CIRCUIT COURT. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th, 1856. LARCENY.  Edward Flaherty was indicted for having stolen at Gunning, on the 23rd August, a certain sum of money, to wit £40, and a knife, the property of Patrick Brennan. A second count charged the prisoner with having received the property knowing it to have been stolen. It appeared from the evidence, that on the day mentioned in the information Brennan, who lives at the Billy Bong, near Wagga Wagga, was returning home from Goulburn. He had on his person a knife, and £80 in notes. On arriving at a grog-shop near Gunning, kept by a person named Jones, he partook of a glass of spirits and lit his pipe ; the prisoner was there present at the time. Jones's wife invited Brennan to stop for the night, and said that it should cost him nothing for the feed of his horse. Brennan accepted the invitation, and there was some drink supplied during the evening. He changed a £5 note during the night, and went to bed drunk. On getting up in the morning, he found that he had been robbed of all his money with the exception of two £1 notes which he had received in change for the £5--his knife was also gone. He informed Jones of the circumstance who said that prisoner, who had decamped, was the man who had robbed him. Jones and Brennan proceeded to Vass. From information given to the police, prisoner was apprehended within twelve miles of Goulburn by a trooper of the southern patrol. On the latter taking him into custody, he said he did so on suspicion of robbing a man named Brennan of £80 on the night before ; prisoner said he had only part of the money ; that he had but £27 of Brennan's and was sorry he took it from him as he was a d-- decent man, and if he were there present he would return it to him ; prisoner then gave up the £27, but on a further search £15 and a knife were found in another pocket, and 2 sovereigns with 5s. in his fob, in all £41 5s. ; prisoner further said he would not have taken it, had not Jones told him to do so, and that indeed he was so drunk at the time that he did not know whether he or Jones took the money out of Brennan's pocket, and that after it was taken half was given to him (prisoner) with directions to be off. The knife produced by the trooper was identified by prosecutor. The prisoner in his defence denied having made the foregoing statement to the trooper ; and at his request Jones, who had since the robbery been convicted of grog selling and was serving a sentence for the same in Goulburn gaol, was sent for and asked if he heard any confession made by prisoner when taken. On his giving an answer in the negative. Mr. Isaacs elicited from him that he was not present when the prisoner was taken into custody. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and he was sen.tenced to be worked on the roads for three years. Empire, Sydney. 3 Oct 1836. Edward Flaherty, per Dunvegan Castle, 1832, Ticket of Leave, No 58/55. District, Scone; Tried, Goulburn, 1856. NSW Govt Gazette, 6 Feb 1839. THE undermentioned Convicts have been, allowed the indulgence of Tickets-of-Leave for the Districts set opposite to their respective names: Colonial Scone: — Edward Flaherty, or Bussell, per " Dunvegan Castle" (2). NSW Govt Gazette, 6 July 1858.

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Maureen Withey on 24th January 2025

Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Edward Flaherty, age on arrival, 20, per Dunvegan Castle (2), 1832. Tried 1832 at Dublin, 7 years for Picking pockets. DOB, 1812, native place, Dublin. Single. Catholic. Trade, Law clerk.