Dennis Meade

343

Maureen Withey on 30th July 2022

Conditional Pardons. Pardon available everywhere, save in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Portugal:- Dennis Meade, Vittoria. Sydney Morning Herald, 9 Jun 1849. -------------------------------------------------- The following incident could refer to this Denis Meade. ASSAULT AND ROBBERY. Mary Ann Morehouse, free, Martha Walker, free by servitude, were indicted for an assault and robbery, on the person of Dennis Mead, at Bathurst, on the 3rd of July last, and John Duggan was indicted for aiding and abetting, in the said robbery. Mr. Holroyd was counsel for the prisoner Morehouse, assisted by Messrs. Holme and Wadeson. Dennis Mead deposed— I am stockman to Captain Bull : I came into Bathurst in June last and left the beginning of July ; I brought some money into Bathurst for Capt Bull; I got 6 one pound notes from Mrs. Black; I was invited into a house kept by Morehouse ; I went in, she asked me if I wanted a wife ; I said I had no objection as I was a batchelor, she said there is one for you ; you can take her into the bush with you if you like ; Duggan was in the house when I went there ; he said he was Master of the house and that Ann Morehouse was his sister ; I went up a ladder; the prisoner Walker went before me; after I had done my duty to Walker, she put her hand in my pocket and stole some notes ; I swear I saw one in her hand; she might have had more ; Mary Ann Morehouse came up and put her hand in my pocket and stole the other notes; they were loose in my pocket; I felt my pocket after Walker robbed me, there were some notes in it then, .after Mary Ann Morehouse put her hands in my pocket I felt again and all the notes were gone ; I swear that Mary Ann Morehouse stole the rest, of the notes ; Duggan was below he did not lay hands on me ; I said I had been robbed ; I had a pint of brandy in my pocket which I got at Mrs. Black's ; Duggan drank some of it in my presence ; the two women drank some; I went outside of the house and persisted in saying I was robbod ; Duggan said he would fetch a constable and give me in charge ; he went out for that purpose ; [ met him and two constables coming, the two prisoners Mary Ann Morehouse and Walker were with me ; I told constable Finnerty as soon as he came that I had been robbed by the two women ; he took them into custody ; Duggan went into a public house with me .and said he would give me £5, on the following day if I would not prosecute the women ; he said this in the presence of constable Finnerty ; he did not show me any money. Cross-examined by Mr. Holroyd — It might be 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon ; I had got the money from Mrs. Black about three hours before I went to Mary Ann Morehouse's place ; I got up about 8 o'clock in the morning; I might have 5 glasses of gin between breakfast and 12 o'clock I had a ball of gin when I got up ; I had 5 glasses of gin at Mrs. Black's before leaving ; I went from Mrs. Black's to Nevilles public-house ; I dined at Mrs. Black's ; I got a pint of brandy at Mrs. Black's ; I then went to Mary Ann Morehouse’s ; I was on my way home to the station ; Mary Ann Morehouse invited me in ; I had connexion with Walker, I paid her 5s. beforehand ; I was sober my horse was outside the door ; I went out of the house immediately after I was robbed. Thomas Finnerty, constable, deposed — on the 3rd of July, I took the two female prisoners into custody ; Duggan came to me at the watch-house and asked me to go to his brother-in-law's he said there was a drunken man there who said he had been robbed, and he did not like the house to get a bad name : I refused to go ; he said he would report me ; I afterwards went with constable Hood ; I meet the prosecutor Mead and the two women on the way ; prosecutor said the two women had robbed him ; I took them into custody ; the prosecutor knew perfectly well what he was doing ; after confining them I went to Aaron's public house ; I saw prosecutor and the prisoner Duggan there ; I heard Duggan say, to the prosecutor, if you will not prosecute the two women, I will give you £5 to-morrow ; I told Duggan if he said that again, I would take him in charge; he persisted in it and I confined him. Cross-examined by Holroyd — I know Duggan was lodging at Mary Ann Morehouse’s ; I will swear prosecutor was more sober than drunk it was about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Constable Hood, deposed — I heard the prisoner Duggan offer Mead £5 not to prosecute the two female prisoners ; I heard Duggan say Mary Ann Morehouse was his sister ; I took the two female prisoners from the watch-house to Morehouse’s residence ; Morehouse asked me on the way if £1 would be of any service to me ; when we got to the house I heard Walker tell Morehouse to unrip the bed, she did so and took out a roll of notes ; I said I suppose they are the notes Mead the prosecutor had been robbed of : she said yes ; she said keep them ; do not give them up or we are settled. Cross-examined by Mr. Holroyd— When I got to the house the female prisoner Walker said to Morehouse do it. Morehouse then opened the bed-tick and said after searching they are gone; Walker said they arc there, look again, she then took them out and gave them to me. The case for the Crown being closed, Mr. Holroyd addressed the Jury on behalf of Mary Ann Morehouse, in an able defence — when the Jury returned for about half an hour, and on coming into court returned a verdict of guilty against the three prisoners. His Honor then' sentenced the two female prisoners to two years hard labour in Bathurst Gaol, and Duggan to be worked on the roads or any other public works for three years. Bathuurst Advocate, 29 Sep 1848.

343

Maureen Withey on 30th July 2022

Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Dennis Meade, age on arrival, 31, per Vittoria 1829. Tried Portugal, 1827, Life, for Desertion. DOB, 1798, native place, Cork Co. Married, 2 children. Trade, Soldier, indoor servant. Moreton Bay. --------------------------------------------------- Moreton Bay Convict Record. Denis Meade, per Vittoria, Original conviction: Mapa Ct. Mart. 12 Sep 1827, Desertion, Life. Trade - Labourer. Colonial Conviction: Tried by Bench, Stonequarry, 23 Nov 1829, Offence: Shamefully ill-using a woman whilst under his charge & attempt to force her. Sentence, 3 years. Returned to Sydney, 18 Apr 1833. Description: Denis Mead, native of Cork, age 33, 5ft 10 ¼, dark comp, brown hair, d hazle eyes, catholic.