Defence of William Bourke Kirwan, condemned for the alleged murder of his wife, and now a convict in Spike-Island / to which, amongst other documents, is appended the opinion of Alfred S. Taylor, that 'no murder was committed'.

  • Boswell, James Knight.
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Defence of William Bourke Kirwan, condemned for the alleged murder of his wife, and now a convict in Spike-Island / to which, amongst other documents, is appended the opinion of Alfred S. Taylor, that 'no murder was committed'. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    and demanded payment before the corpse would be permitted to pass. This gentleman also gives some other important evidence. Catherine Brew swears that she heard Pat Nangle say, If I am called on again, I will pinch him, meaning Kirwan. Now, it' Kirwan had been conscious of having committed the murder, would he not have paid these persons liberally, and thus silenced their reports ? The Time of the Supposed Murder. A careful consideration and contrast of the period of time when Kirwan was at the Martello Tower waiting for the boat, and of the period when the alleged murder is supposed to have been committed, is of the greatest importance. Hugh Campbell, in his information, sworn the 15th September, 1852, states, That on Monday evening, the 6th September last, between the hours of seven and eight o'clock, p.m., he heard a call from the island of Ireland's Eye, which could not be far from where Mrs. Kirwan's body was found. As near as the evidence of this witness and the others on the trial can fix the time of Mrs. Kirwan's death, it must have been be- tween seven and half-past seven o'clock. Kirwan admittedly was standing on the bank near the tower at about a quarter before eight o'clock. If the convict had murdered Mrs. Kirwan, he must have remained in the Long Hole some time to dispose of the body. There was also between him and the Martello Tower half a mile to be traversed over land, the entire surface of which was covered with thistles, brambles, nettles, and with fern, which in summer grows to the height of three feet, and which must have impeded his passage. It is therefore extremely improbable, if not impossible, that he could have perpetrated the murder, and be found waiting on the bank a quarter before eight o'clock. Kirwan painting at seven o'clock. When Kirwan was asked by the Coroner's jury, what he was do- ing, he at once replied that he was sketching, and that he was taking the evening appearance towards Dublin. The sketch-book was then called for, and on its being produced, the sketch he showred was a tinted or coloured sketch of the sunset effect of the Dublin mountains, which could only be obtained at sun-down. The sun must have been set. Now supposing Kirwan was thus occupied until near seven o'clock, sun-set being twenty minutes before seven o clock, and allow him, as before mentioned, some time to arrange his colours, pallet, &c, and to secure his effects while fresh on the memory, is it unreasonable or far-fetched to say that he may be supposed to have been at the Martello Tower at a quarter after seven o'clock ? It is not within the limits of reason to believe that he could have between a quarter past seven and a quarter to eight o'clock traversed the island to the Long Hole, (half a mile) com- mitted the murder, and returned—all within half an hour—with not » the least appearance of disorder on hit person or his clothes, although,