Edward Leeney

341

Maureen Withey on 23rd August 2025

CASE ABDUCTION—CAPITAL, CONVICTION, Edmond Leeny stood capitally indicted for entering the dwelling-house of Catherine Bennett, on the night of the 4th of April,  and forcibly carrying her away, with intent to marry her. Catherine Bennett sworn, and examined Mr. Quin. Witness a widow; remembers the night of the of April. Witness was in bed with her only child, when she perceived a party of men surrounding her house, the door of which they were endeavouring to force open they succeeded after some time, when several of them entered it—witness being very much alarmed, got out of bed, asking them what they they wanted that hour; one of them answered they had a good husband for her, witness said she wanted no husband;  they then answered her that she must have one, and immediately forced her out of the house, leaving her child in the bed ; on her going into the road., the prisoner who remained all the time outside, placed her himself upon a horse on which he was mounted, and carried her a publican’s, of the name of M’Namara, 'a distance of five or six miles from her house, where kept her during the night; prisoner here wanted to prevail upon witness to marry him; she persisted in refusing—as soon the morning was arrived the owner of the house in which she had remained during the night, took her with him into the public road, when the witness made the best of her witness is quite positive that it was without her consent she was taken away. The witness was cross-examined by Mr. Freeman ; she admitted that the prisoner did not offer any violence to her person but nothing material was elicited from her in contradiction of the testimony given on her direct examination. Jas. M’Namara corroborated the circumstance stated by the prosecutrix of her being taken to his house—he stated that the prisoner expressed contrition for what he had done, on being interrogated by the witness relative to his having acted in the manner above mentioned ; that he gave her up to him saying that it was his misfortune to have taken her away, but that he would have nothing more with her. His Lordship minutely recapitulated the evidence and left the case to the decision of the Jury, who after short absence, returned a verdict Guilty. After the usual question being put to the prisoner by the Clerk of the Crown, what he had to say why sentence of death should not be pronounced against him—His Lordship proceeded to address him in the following impressive manner:—   John tjeeny, you have been found guilty of very grievous crime against the laws of your country, committed at the dead bout midnight; you attacked the house of an unoffending and helpless female, whom, it appears, you had never  before seen, and therefore for whom you could not possibly hare entertained affection ; after tearing her from her child, you forcibly carried her off, with the assistance of your companions in guilt. It is a crime a very serious nature, and to which the law attaches the punishment of death ; the only circumstance which can serve in any degree to palliate your offence, is that of your not offering violence to her person, and that you afterwards restored her to her house again ; these two circumstances may serve to make your case appear less aggravated, and recommend you to the mercy of your Sovereign. However, I cannot take upon myself to promise that mercy will shewn you, and I have now to warn you to prepare yourself for the execution of that sentence, which the law obliges me to pronounce against you. If the circumstances of your case ... Cork Constitution, 3 Aug 1826.

94

Dennis Nightingale on 10th April 2015

Born at Limrick Ireland. Crime - Abduction. Single. Classified as a WB. Irish whiteboy - (secret Irish organisation in 18th-century Ireland which used violent tactics to address the rack-rents collection, excessive priests’ dues, evictions and other oppressive acts against the tenant and subsistence Irish farmers).