Thomas Murphy

342

Maureen Withey on 7th June 2026

COMMISSION OF OYER AND TERMINER. A city grand jury having been sworn, James Dunn, Thomas Murphy, alias Havey, William Archer, and James O'Meara, were indicted  for a burglary in the house of John Cornwall, and stealing thereout a number of bank notes, some articles of wearing apparel, and a thimble, on the night of the 9th of December, Eliza Swan was indicted for receiving the thimble, knowing it to be stolen. John Cornwall, at 36, Rutland square 9 in December last the front drawing-room of his house was broken into, the key of the safe got at, and several articles stolen ; this was on the night of the 9th ; the entrance was effected by breaking a pane of glass in one of the front windows; at half-past ten o'clock that night saw the place secured; bank notes and bills were taken out of the safe in the office ; the amount of the money taken was about 560£. ; it consisted of notes on different banks, some bills, and gold ; saw some of the notes since, and was able a to identify them from their peculiar marks ; identified tour of these notes-namely, a 5£. note; a 30s. note, and two notes for 1£ each. Leonard Cornwall: the night of the burglary; discovered that a robbery had been committed between eight and nine o'clock the following morning; the front drawing room window was up, and one pane of glass broken. Bridget Oakes, an approver, Knew the prisoner, William Archer; knew the others also; the 5£. note handed to her, and the two notes for 1£. each, she thought she had in her possession; could not swear positively to the identity of the notes; those she had corresponded in amount with the notes produced; Archer gave them to her; a policeman took them from her, was in Mr. M'Allister's shop in Daine-street, buying a cloak, in December; the prisoner, Archer, went with her to the shop, but did not go in ; the prisoner, Jemmy Mara, went in with her; she handed him eight notes out of which he picked two; he returned her the rest; but Archer took them all afterwards from her, except a 5£. note; on getting the cloak at M’Allister's, the two notes were given to the shopman in payinent, and he gave witness ten shillings in change; she parted them in George's-street and returned to her lodgings; the five pound note was taken from her in the watchhouse; recollected having ... about that time at Dodd's public. house in company with Archer and Dunne; on the 2d of January was in company, at Sutcliffe's house in King-street, with Archer and O'Meara; saw on the latter occasion, a large quantity of money with O'Meara; he had it in a ticker bag; the money consisted of silver and notes; he took out the notes and put them into his trousers pocket ; could not undertake to identify any of the notes she saw on that occasion, By the Court- Knew these men about two months before she was taken; was in the habit of seeing them in the house in which she lodged in Exchequer-street; they used to go there separately and together; when she saw the money with Archer she did not know how it was come, by; she got her bread on the streets, and did not care how money came to her; that of the prisoners' was as good to her as any other persons. By a Juror- Would know the difference between a 5£. note and any other note? could not tell the amount of that now shown to her. Gregory Browne examined..Was in the employment of Mr. M’Allister, silk mercer, 38, Dame-street; saw the last witness in his employer' shop, on the morning of the 10th, of December; O’Meara was with her; she purchased a cloak for 30s; she paid for it in two 1£. notes of the new National Bank, and witness gave her 10s. change; the notes now produced were the same that had been paid to him on the occasion in question; witness gave them to the cashier;  saw the girl, Oakes, about four or five o'clock on the same afternoon, with another female in the shop ; he heard of the robbery in the mean time, and give her in charge to the police; she was searched in College street office, when the 5£ Bank of Ireland post bill now .shown him was found on her ; he accompanied the police to her lodgings in Exchequer. street, where, on search, they found a bundle of wearing apparel, …. Freeman’s Journal, 11 Feb 1837. —James Dunn, Thos. Murphy, William Archer, and James O’Meara, burglary and felony of the dwelling-house of John Cornwall, Rutland-square, judgment of death recorded  Dublin Evening Packet, 14 Feb 1837.

342

Maureen Withey on 7th June 2026

Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Thomas Murphy, age on arrival, 19, per Heber, 1837. Tried at Dublin City, 1837, Life for Burglary felony. DOB, 1818, native place, Dublin City. Single. Catholic. Blacksmiths or siversmiths boy.