Murder of Alice McCartan, Drumaroad

On December the 11 th 1882, a woman called Alice Mc Cartan was killed as she was walking home from a nearby shop owned by Samuel Boyd, at Edendarriff, on her way back to Drumaroad. She was found lying on the roadside with a severe fracture to her head, and lying on her back in a pool of blood with serious head injuries. Following her death, a special Court of Petty Sessions was held at Seaforde, before Captain H. G. S. Alexander J. P., to investigate a charge preferred against a man, named William Valentine, from Castlewellan, of having caused the death of Alice McCartan. The following is a news article, which was printed in the Down Recorder on 16th December 1882 regarding an inquest into the death of Alice McCartan.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT DRUMAROAD

"On Wednesday an inquest was held at Edindarriff; by Mr. Jos. Dickson, coroner, on the body of a woman named Alice M'Cartan, who, it appeared, had met her death on the previous Monday by a cart being driven over her. The evidence went to show that the deceased was found lying on the road at about half-past two o'clock, with her skull broken in. Dr. Cromie examined, and stated that he believed her death was caused by the wheel of a cart passing over deceased's head. The jury found that "the deceased died from fracture of the skull, caused, they believed, by a ginger-ale-cart being driven over her, in the townland of Drumaroad, on the 11th of December." Constable Davenport arrested a man, named William Valentine, on the charge of driving over deceased and had him brought before Captain H. G. S. Alexander, J. P., and George Allen, Esq., J. P., who remanded him until the 20th inst., taking bail for his appearance. Constable Davenport exerted himself most creditably in conducting the case."

The following news article records the full court proceedings, which followed the inquest of Alice McCartan. A Special Court of Petty Sessions was held at Seaforde to hear the charge against William Valentine. The minutes of the Court proceedings were printed in the Down Recorder on 23rd December 1882.

MAGISTERIAL INVESTIGATION AT SEAFORDE [FROM OUR REPORTER]

ON Tuesday, at eleven o'clock, a special Court of Petty Sessions was held at Seaforde before Capt. H. G. S. Alexander, J.P., to investigate a charge preferred against a man, named William Valentine, of having caused the death of Alice McCartan, an old women whose dead holy was found on the roadside, in the townland of Drumaroad, on the 11th inst.

Mr. Leatham, S.I., appeared to prosecute and the accused was represented by Mr. R. J. Crawley Solicitor.

The case having been called on

Mr. Leatham said that a man named Alexander M'Manus had already made a deposition in the case and he would ask it first to be read.

The Clerk (Mr. G. H. Hillyard) then read the deposition of M'Manus, who stated that he was a labourer, and resided sometimes with his wife and family at Ballynahinch. He had been latterly in the employment of one Samuel Crawford, about a mile below the Temple, and about five miles from Ballynahinch. He came into Ballynahinch on the 11th inst., on his way to Ballylough, and inquired for the prisoner, or a driver of one of Mr King's carts from Castlewellan. He met the prisoner in a yard in Ballynahinch, and asked him for a "lift" to Ballylough, as he was not fit to walk. This was at about twelve o'clock in the day. Prisoner gave him a "lift" on the cart, and they started about five minutes afterwards. They stopped at Samuel Boyd's public house at Edendaffiff, and witness treated prisoner to half-a-glass of whiskey, and had the same himself: He noticed a little on him after they left Boyd's. They proceeded homewards to Castlewellan, and were going at a pretty smart trot. Some distance after they left Boyd's, they passed a woman on the road and before calling up to her, Valentine shouted to her, "to clear the way ".

She was then twenty or thirty yards in advance of them. He (witness) thought that the women did not take any notice of it, and prisoner drove on at the same pace.

The woman was on the right side of the road. He could not tell whether the woman was in the way of the cart or not. He did not feel that the cart gave any lurch, and he could not tell whether the cart went over the woman or not, as he did not look back. He made no remark to the driver, and he drove on at the same rate. They then drove to Mrs. Fitzpatrick's at Drumnaquoile. He (witness) then got a glass of whiskey for himself, and Valentine then took a bottle of soda water.

Mr. Leatham (to M'Manus) - Did you notice the deceased in Boyd's public house?

Witness - I saw two women, but who they were I could not say. Mr. Leatham - why did Valentine take the soda water?

Witness - I don't know?

Mr. Leatham - Did you ask him to take whiskey?

Witness - I did not that I remember.

Henry Nixon, a young lad, was next examined, and said that he lived at Drumaroad. He recollected the 11inst., and was going to Samuel Boyd's that evening, at about twenty minutes to two o'clock. He found the dead body of a woman on the road, lying across the road on her back. Her head was on his left side going to Boyd's. Before seeing the body he met a ginger-ale cart on the road, going middling quick. There were two men on it; and he identified the first witness as one of them. No other cart or cart passed at that time. When he saw the body, he went and told Tom Smith. He saw blood running down the road from the woman's head. The head was near the wheel-track.

The witness was not crossed examined.

Thomas Smith. In reply to Mr. Leatham, deposed that he lived in the townland of Scrib, and recollected the 11th of the present month. He was at home in his father's stackyard that evening. In consequence of what the last witness told him, he went to Drumaroad, and saw the body of the deceased there. He did not know her then, but he did previously. The woman was lying right across the road on her back. The head was towards the left-hand side as he went up. There was a wound across the head, and blood on the road from it. It was about two o'clock. He saw a ginger-ale cart pass before Nixon came to him, and it appeared to be going towards Castlewellan from Boyd's. He saw two rnen on the cart but he could not identify them. The cart was going at a smart trot. He afterwards found that the woman was Alice McCartan, of Drumaroad, and knew she was very deaf.

Cross-examined by Mr. Crawley - My home is about twenty perches of the public road. It is o the left-hand-side coming from Boyd's. The body of the woman was about three-quarters of a mile from Boyd's when 1 found it.

James Savage deposed that he lived at Drumaroad, and knew the deceased, Alice McCartan. He sent her a message that day to Samuel Boyd's. It was about one o'clock when he sent her to Boyd's, and she was then in her usual health. She was deaf. He next saw her lying dead on the road at about two o'clock. He did not see the ginger-ale cart that day.

To Mr Crawley - the deceased was about half-a-mile from my house when I found her dead. >Mary Boyd deposed that her father is a publican. at Edendarriff She was in her father's shop on the 11 inst. She knew the: deceased woman, who was in the shop that evening about two o'clock, as she (witness) thought. Deceased got some grocery goods in the shop, and left immediately afterwards. William Valentine was also in the; shop that day, at about the time the deceased was there. Valentine was driving a ginger-ale cart, and there was a man with him, whom she now identified as M'Manus. The two men drank half-a-glass of whiskey each in the shop. She did not notice drink on Valentine, or look much at him. The deceased was very, very, deaf, and she (witness) had to shout loud to make her hear what she said. She was not able to say what direction Valentine drove to after he left the shop. She though both of the men were sober.

To Mr Crawley - The old woman had nothing to drink in the shop. She never drank that I remember. Valentine took away his empties, and I paid him a small account. He seemed as steady as usual. I newer saw him anything else.

Margaret Fitzpatrick was next examined, and deposed that she kept a public house at Drumnaquoile. She saw William Valentine on the 11th inst., she could not say the hour exactly, but she knew it was not three o'clock when he was in her shop. Her shop lay in the way of Samuel Boyd's of Edendarriff and Castlewellan. Valentine was driving a ginger ale cart, and there was another man with him. The one drank spirits; and the other drank soda water. It was M'Manus had the glass of whiskey, and he paid for the drink. She heard no reason given why Valentine drank the soda water.

To Mr. Crawley - He took away the empties, and settled the account as usual.

Joseph King deposed that he lived at Castlewellan. Valentine was in his brother's employment, and drove a ginger-ale cart for him on the 11inst. He (witness) sent him that morning to Ballynahinch, and he returned about half-past four o'clock. He was sober then. Witness pointed out the cart Valentine drove to Constable Greer on Monday, the 18th inst. The cart and load would be about a ton weight.

Constable Davenport, on being examined, stated that, consequence of information he received, he went between three and four o'clock, on the 11th inst., to Drumaroad, and there found a woman lying dead on the roadside, with her skull broken in. From enquiries he made, he proceeded to Castlewellan, and, in company with constable Greer, went to Mr. King's house. He asked Mr. King to point out his cart that William Valentine drove on that day and, on examining it, he found on the right wheel traces of blood, and a soft substance, of a dark greyish colour, which he thought resembled portions of human brains, and one hair of grey colour. He then went to the house of William Valentine, and arrested him on the charge of killing the woman at Drumaroad. After giving him the usual caution, he said that, if there was a woman killed, it was unknown to hirn. In the barrack, at Clough, he stated that, if he got out of this, as he hoped he would, he would never taste drink in his life. He appeared steady when arrested, but seemed to be labouring under the effects of drink. His stomach got sick on the way to Clough.

To Mr. Crawley - When I went into Valentine's house he was sitting eating a potato, I think.

Mr. Crawley - This was the time of the frost. You took him from his warm fire in the cold, after eating potatoes and drinking soda water. It was enough to make him sick. >Constable Greer gave corroborative evidence, and said they found on the right wheel of the cart five or six small spots or sparks of dark brown fatty matter, and short grey hair. He also examined the cart on the 18th inst.

Dr. Thomas Cromie deposed that he was called on the 11th inst. to Drumaroad to see the body of a woman who was found dead. He examined her on the roadside, and found the bones of the skull fractured, the brain exposed, and lacerated. The injury could have been caused by some heavy weight, like the wheel of a cart, passing over the woman. The injury was from the nose to the temple on the right side. He would say that a fall on the road would not have injured her in that manner. He examined her at about half-past four o'clock, and she could not have been more than a few hours dead at that time, as the body was warm. He though the deceased might have between fifty and sixty years of age. She had dark brown hair. It was not grey, but there might have been grey hairs in her head. Death was caused by the injuries he found on the head.

Mr. Leatham said that was all the evidence, and he would ask the court to return the case for trial to the next assizes.

Mr. Crawley - said that, of course, the magistrate was the judge, and, if he thought there was a prima facie case made out, he would return it for trial; but he (Mr. Crawley) submitted that it was entirely a case of suspicion. There was no direct evidence against the accused at all on the contrary; the evidence went to show that he was a sober; steady man. He knew nothing about the matter, and it appeared to be purely an accident. He believe that that was what any Grand Jury would find but, if the case was to be sent forward, why not send it to the sessions?

Mr. Leatharn said he was afraid it was not a case for the sessions. Captain Alexander said he had sufficient evidence before him to return the case for trial to the next assizes in Downpatrick.

The case was accordingly sent forward to the assizes, the accused being admitted to bail, himself in £40 and two sureties in 320 each. The court then adjourned."

On Friday 16th March 1883, Mr. William Valentine was put on trial at the Spring Assizes in Downpatrick. Mr. William Valentine having been in court on 23rd December 1882, was being tried at the assizes for the murder of Alice McCartan of Drumaroad, after the court case was referred from a special sitting of the Court of Petty Sessions, held on 23rd December, 1882. In attendance at the trial were the Lord Hon. Lord Chief Baron Palles, Mr. Henry Lyle Mullholland, J.P., High Sheriff for County Down, Mr. George L. MacLaine Clerk of the Crown and Peace, Colonel Forde, and a Grand Jury re-sworn in for the investigation of criminal business.

The following is a report of the case of Mr. William Valentine, which was printed, in the Down Recorder on Saturday 17th March 1883.

MANSLAUGHTER

"William Valentine was indicted for that he, on the 11th December last, did feloniously kill and slay one Alice McCartan. Mr. Dodd and Mr. M'Granahan (instructed by Mr. M. M'Cartan) appeared for the prisoner.

Alexander M'Manus deposed that he was in Ballynahinch on the day in question. The prisoner was driver of a ginger-ale-cart; and belonged to Castlewellan. Witness asked him for a "lift" on his cart to Castlewellan, which he gave him. At Edendarriff they went into Boyd's public house, and afterwards they proceeded on home. He saw a woman on the road, and prisoner shouted to her to clear the way, but the horse got between him and the woman, and he cold not say what occurred. He did not feel the wheel of the cart going over anything. He bad heard the woman was deaf. The prisoner was going at a smart trot.

To his Lordship - He could not say exactly whether he felt anything. Cross-examined by Mr. Dodd-The prisoner is not a friend of mine. I do not mind whether the cart was like a bread-cart. (Laughter.)

Henry Nixon deposed that, when going on a message, he found the deceased lying dead on the road, with blood about her. Before finding the body, he met a ginger-ale-cart, with two men on it, going towards Castlewellan. The woman's head was about the centre of the road.

Cross-examined by Mr. M'Granahan - I remarked nothing particular about the head, except the blood. I could not say whether she had a shawl over her head.

Thomas Smith deposed that, in consequence of something said to him by the last witness, he went to where the woman was. The head wets near the centre of the road. He saw the ginger-ale-cart passing shortly before as if towards Castlewellan. He went for the police immediately afterwards.

Mary Boyd deposed that the old woman was in her ,shop that day. After buying ,some groceries she left, and the prisoner came to the shop with another man. They had a half-a-glass of whiskey each. She thought the prisoner was sober, but she did not mind him much.

To Mr. M'Granahan - The old woman. was very deaf.

Margaret Fitzpatrick deposed that the prisoner and the other man called at her public house, and got a half-a-glass of whiskey and a bottle of soda water. She thought the prisoner had some drink, but he was quite able to do his duty.

Constable Greer deposed that he examined the wheels of the cart and found blood on one of them, and one grey hair.

Constable Davenport gave corroborative evidence. On arresting the prisoner, he said if there was a woman killed it was without his knowledge. He also said that if he got out of this, as he hoped he would, he would never taste drink in his life.

Dr. Thomas Cromie having described the wounds.

Mr. Dodd addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner. The prisoner was found not guilty, and discharged. "

References:
Down Recorder, p3, 16 December 1882
Down Recorder, p3, 23 December 1882
Down Recorder, p3, 17 March 1883

References: