Cornelius Sullivan

135

C H on 15th February 2024

VDL Founders and Survivors Convicts 1802-1853, Convict Description Record ID fas_cod4844 Arrival year 1826 Arrival month 8 Arrival day 13 Gender m Height 5-feet 7 in Eyes Dark hazel Hair Dark brown Marks Pock-pitted Scar under chin Old Bailey Online CORNELIUS SULLIVAN. Killing; murder. 15th September 1825. Text type Trial account Defendants CORNELIUS SULLIVAN Offences Killing > Murder Session Date 15th September 1825 Reference Number t18250915-86 Verdicts Guilty > Manslaughter Punishments Transportation 1306. CORNELIUS SULLIVAN was indicted for the wilful murder of Jane Earl . MR. ADOLPHUS conducted the prosecution. MARY MELTIS. The prisoner and Jane Earl lived together next door to me, at No. 6, White Horse-court, Turnmill-street, Clerkenwell . On the evening of the 2d of August , between eight and nine o'clock, she came up the court to get her supper from the bakehouse, and asked me to go and have some supper with her at Con Sullivan's. While we were talking together, the prisoner came up the the court, knocked her down, and kicked her - I did not hear her say a word - she had her hand in her pocket to give some money to my child to get the victuals from the bakehouse; and he knocked her down with his fist, and kicked her with his legs several times while she was down - he kicked her in several parts about her body, side, and thighs; persons began to collect, and as soon as she recovered herself, she got up and ran into a chandler's shop at the corner of the court; he dragged her out by the hair of her head and her handkerchief, knocked her down again, and jumped upon her twice - the mob collected, and I saw no more - whether he dragged her down the court or what I cannot say. I stood at the top of the court, and said "Pray Con don't you;" he said "If you don't get away, I will serve you the same;" the woman had not spoken to him in my presence. Cross-examined by MR. BARRY. Q. When did you see him first on that day? A. About four o'clock - they were both together, and seemed very agreeable; neither of them were sober, but they were not far gone - he was more sober than her. Q. Do you recollect his complaining of her not getting the supper? A. No; she was giving my girl the money to pay the baker, when he came up. I did not hear him speak to her, nor she to him. Q. Did she not say to him "You may kiss my head?" A. Oh dear No. He kicked her, the first time he knocked her down. I was perfectly sober, and she seemed quite sensible. CHARLOTTE DAVIS . I live in Turnmill-street, with my mother. I saw nothing of this till Earl ran into the chandler's-shop. The prisoner ran in, and pulled her out by the collar, and hit her on the back of the head with his foot - she did not fall; he then pulled her to the top of the alley, where they live, took her by the hair of her head, and threw her down the steps where they live - the alley goes down six steps - he forcibly threw her down them. I did not go farther, and saw nothing more. Cross-examined. Q. How long had you know the deceased? A. From a child. I have known the prisoner about a year; she seemed solid when she ran into the shop - she did not appear at all drunk - she did not slip down the steps; he dragged her down by her hair - he did not fall himself. I had not been drinking with them. SUSAN WELCH . My husband is a chimney-sweeper. I was in White Hart-court, and saw Sullivan run into the chandler's-shop after his wife - he kicked her in the shop, and pulled her out by her hair, drew her down the steps by her hair, then pulled her all along the court, and dashed her in-doors like a dog, into the room where they live. I did not see him strike her till he got her in; he then fastened the door, and broke the chair all to pieces over her - he was beating her with the chair till he broke it; he struck her eight or nine times with the chair - it was not a heavy one - every body was afraid to go near him; she was laying down all this time, and all her senses were gone. Q. How did you see all this? A. I followed him and said "Con govern your passion;" he said "I will serve you the same." I peeped through the key-hole of the room-door, and saw him beating her with the chair - the room door opens into the court. While I was looking through the key-hole, I saw him tie a handkerchief round her throat - he tried to choak her, as it appeared to me; he said at Hatton garden, that when he got out, he would cut me with a knife. Cross-examined. Q. Do you know Mrs. Meltis? A. Yes; I had been selling cucumbers that night, and was quite sober; he kicked her when she was going into the shop; the house is in a broad paved court; he said the first person he caught near him he would murder - he would not let any body go in. COURT. Q. Where did he strike her with the chair? A. About her back and sides - his face was turned towards the door - he had a waistcoat with sleeves on. I did not see the chair fall on her head at all. STEPHEN HEARN . I keep this chandler's-shop. About half-past eight o'clock in the evening, I was serving two customers - the deceased came forcing into my shop apparently terrified, and before I got a sight of her the prisoner fetched her back by force, but I could not see how, and in about half a minute I heard a scuffling under my window. I went out and saw the deceased laying on the pavement - the prisoner stamping his feet on her rather than kicking her - I saw that repeated several times; her head lay towards my window, and her feet towards the curb stone; he took her up in his arms, and I saw no more - my shop is next door to the court where they live; she appeared to have no senses left, when he took her up - he stamped on her about the middle of her body, but not all on one place. ROBERT SMITH . I am a smith, and live in White Horse-court - the prisoner lives in the first house in the court. I was coming out of my room, and heard a person telling the prisoner not to go and ill use his wife any more. I saw him open his door and give his wife two kicks in her side, and say "Lay there you b - y w - e." I was just at the door - I saw nobody else there - the door was shut; he came and opened it, and went in alone - I went away. I think the kicks were in the body - it was near nine o'clock - no mob was assembled then. JOHN COOPER . I am a surgeon, and live in Cow-cross-street. I was called in to see the deceased on Wednesday, the 3d of August, twenty-four hours after the injury - I found her laying in a most wretched state, perfectly insensible; when I felt her extremities she did not appear to feel at all; I proceeded to bleed her arm, but without success. I afterwards opened an artery, and got about three ounces of blood - I took her some medicine, and with difficulty got two spoonsfull down. I had a blister applied all over her head, and mustard poulticies to her feet; her disease being an oppression of the brain. I was convinced she could not live - she was perfectly sensible all the time, and on Thursday she died. I opened her, and found several bruises under the scalp, very well marked indeed, particularly on the left side of the head - the bruises were inflicted by blows of considerable violence; they were very black, and very extensive. A person being dragged along the pavement would not produce them, but a fall would. I found four ounces of extravasated blood on the left hemisphere of the brain. I ascribe her death to the extravasation, which was caused by the violence on the head - that certainly produced her death; her chest and abdomen were perfectly healthy: there were several bruises on her body and legs, but not sufficient to cause death. Cross-examined. Q. Might not the extravasation proceed from other causes? A. The bruises could not. I have in some cases of apoplexy seen extravasated blood, but not so great a quantity - but here there was no cause for apoplexy; there was no fracture: the bruises without the extravasation would not produce death. I saw the prisoner - he paid me 2 s. 6 d. for attending her, and said he would pay me any charge when he received his money. I said she would not survive; he said he was very sorry, and exhibited extreme anxiety. It is not improbable that the edge of stone steps would produce such appearances, except that there was no cut. GUILTY. Aged 33. Of manslaughter only . - Transported for Life .