Bryan Kine

341

Maureen Withey on 29th March 2025

Roscommon Assizes.  Bryan Kyne, formerly a Magistrate for Galway, Roscommon and Mayo, stood indicted for having, on the night of Sunday the 9th October last  entered the house (in which was a dance) of James Quin, at Crodone, in this County, and having demanded the fiddle,  desired the people instantly to disperse.—lt appeared in evidence, that after they had left the house, and had gone  about 12 yards from the place, the prisoner discharged a gun, loaded with shot, and lodged the contents in the backs of the prosecutors,  Patt Leonard and James Swift. The prisoner, not having set up any defence, was found was found guilty, and judgment of death recorded—but, owing the strong recommendation of the Jury, Mr, Kyne, being in the habit of accompanying and assisting the Police in the discharge of their duty, his Lordship was pleased to say, that the case should be laid before Government.  Roscommon and Leitrim Gazette, 12 March 1831. CORONER'S INQUEST. — An inquest was taken at Waterview, on Friday last, on the body of James Gevarin, an assigned servant of the Solicitor General's, who was shot in his master's dwelling on the previous evening, by a fellow servant named Bryant Kyne. The result of a long investigation was, that the accused man Kyne, was committed to take his trial for the wilful murder of the deceased. Sydney Gazette, 31 Dec 1833. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12848507?searchTerm=Bryant%20Kyne Friday.-Before Judge Burton, and a Military Commission. Bryant Kyne, was arraigned at the bar, charged with the wilful murder of James Gevan, alias James Gavan, alias James Gavanagh, on the 26th day of December last, in the house of the Solicitor-General, at Water View near Sydney. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. (A Coroner's inquest had been held on the body of deceased, at Water View, on the 27th December, when the prisoner was committed under the Coroner's warrant. ) ….. Sydney Herald, 13 Jan 1834. (This is a long and detailed trial- see original for full details) Bryant Kyne was found guilty and sentenced to be hanged. He was executed on 13 January 1834. EXECUTION. — At the usual hour yesterday morning, Bryant Kyne underwent the awful extremity of the law for the wilful murder of James Gevarin. The particulars of this case, are already fully before the public. The unhappy man, both during his trial, and at the last dread moment, displayed a degree of firmness which would have done honour to a better cause. He was attended to the scaffold by the Reverend William Cowper, whose pious endeavours to prepare the culprit for the presence of an offended Maker, have not we trust, been exerted in vain. After the customary preparations, the fatal drop descended; and the criminal, after a few convulsive struggles, ceased to exist. Kyne, when in Ireland, had been in respectable, and even opulent circumstances. He was, we understand, in the commission of the peace for two counties, in which capacity, having headed a body of police for the dispersion of an assemblage of white boys, some of the latter were killed, by the fire arms of the former, under the orders of Kyne, for which effusion of human blood, the law holding him inexcusable, he was sentenced to seven years transportation, and arrived in the Colony about two years since. From this time his conduct appears to have been exemplary, up to the fatal moment when he committed the crime, for which he has paid the forfeiture of his life. Sydney Gazette, 14 Jan 1834.

341

Maureen Withey on 29th March 2025

Irish Convict Database by Peter Mayberry. Bryan Kine, alias Kline, age on arrival, 47, per Asia V (20 1831, Tried 1831 at Roscommon, 7 years, for Shooting. DOB, 1784, Native place, Galway. Widower, 4 children. Protestant. Landed proprietor. Executed for murder, 1834, at Sydney.