Carlisle Patriot, 01 Oct 1825 - Local News (1)

[petra.mi...@doctors.org.uk]

Saturday 01 Oct 1825   (p. 2, col. 5-6 and p. 3, col. 6)

 

CHARGE OF MURDER.—A very melancholy catastrophe took place at the Crown and Anchor public-house, Old Turk's Head Lane, in this city, early on Thursday morning, by which a respectable and valuable member of society lost his life. John MAHON, a private of the 3rd Dragoon Guards and an Irishman, quartered at the Crown and Anchor, having drank too freely, became very noisy, about one o'clock in the morning, and greatly annoyed the company. Mr. William BELL, grocer, Scotch-street, a remarkably sober and quiet young man, lodged in the house; and knowing the soldier, he persuaded him to retire to bed, and both went upstairs together. In a short time Mr. BELL came down, and was soon followed by MAHON, with a drawn sword, which he flourished over his head and about his person in a manner very dangerous to all who approached him. Mr. BELL again interfered in the most conciliating way. He shook hands with the soldier and earnestly advised him to return to bed; and, seizing a favourable opportunity, he got hold of the sword, and with the assistance of some other persons, wrested it from him. MAHON then became more turbulent than ever. He hastily returned upstairs, muttering something about "fetching their master," and the persons below heard a rattling in his room like the sound of a chain, which caused them to run out of the back kitchen and hide themselves in a closet, &c. some of them observing that he had gone up to fetch a pistol. In a few moments he actually did come down with a pistol in his hand, and went to the door of the middle kitchen. Mr. BELL just then entered the back kitchen from the lane; and seeing what was going on, seized MAHON, without any great violence, from behind, and endeavoured to get the pistol out of his hand. A struggle ensued of a few seconds' duration, when the pistol went off, and both fell, MAHON uppermost, Mr. BELL exclaiming, "I am a murdered man, and all for my own goodness," or "kindness." The persons in the closet rushed out, and on pulling MAHON away, Mr. BELL was found to be severely wounded, and bleeding profusely. Surgical aid was instantly called in. It was then discovered that a ball had entered the upper part of his left thigh, near the groin, slanted upwards, passed through the lower part of his body, and came out behind. With such a wound, there was no hope of recovery: the unfortunate young man remained perfectly sensible for some time, quite aware that he should die, and about half-past seven he breathed his last. The delinquent was instantly taken into custody; and early in the forenoon the Mayor of Carlisle committed him to Carlisle Gaol, on a charge of wilful murder. About the same time, Mr. NANSON, acting for the City Coroner, went to the Crown and Anchor, for the purpose of holding an inquest in view of the body, and a jury was impannelled, but owing to the liquor on some of those who saw the transaction, and the absence of others, an adjournment took place till eight this morning, when the inquiry was resumed and terminated, after the examination of seven witnesses, whose evidence it would be both illegal and unfair to publish in the present stage of the business. Suffice it to say,—the Jury after an attentive consideration of what had come before them, returned a verdict of WILFUL MURDER against John MAHON: the jury consisted of Gustavus GALE, Thomas BOUSTEAD, Thomas ARMSTRONG, John CONNELL, Francis JOLLIE, Hugh JAMES, George WAUGH, John HOLLIDAY, Robert CARTNER, Daniel CRONIN, Joseph WILSON, Joseph GRAHAM. Mr. BELL was completely sober. He had retired to bed at an early hour; but in consequence of the crowded state of the house, on account of the races, two persons shared it with him, and he found himself so uncomfortable that he got up and walked about, and thus met with his death in the midst of health and strength. Some time ago he had a very narrow escape with his life, having been fired at by some robbers, on the highway, while on his road to Carlisle, from whose designs he was rescued by the fleetness of his horse. We have seen the ball: it is almost flat, and considerably elongated. As the offender must answer for his conduct before a legal tribunal, we shall not indulge in any observations on this distressing case; yet we cannot help asking, if this is not another and an unanswerable reason for the speedy construction of horse-barracks in the neighbourhood of Carlisle?

 

 

[to be continued]