ASSASSINATION OF MR. SAMUEL COULTER[1].
THE INQUEST.
On Saturday John Byrne[2], Esq., one of the coroners for the county of Louth, proceeded at twelve o'clock to Shortstone[3], for the purpose of holding an inquest on the body.  Mr. French[4], R.M., of Dundalk, and Mr. Bigger[5], J.P. of Falmore House[6], were present from an early hour.  In the course of the day Mr. George Morant[7], J.P., Carrickmacross, arrived, and visited the scene of the murder, which was indicated by the blood which still remained fresh upon the road, and on the stone gap where Mr. Coulter had been found lying on Friday morning.  The coroner having inspected the same locality with great minuteness, returned to the house of mourning, where the remains were stretched on a pallet in the parlour.
  The following respectable jury[8] was then sworn - Samuel Bradford[9] (foreman); John Bradford[10], John Dickie[11], John Kieran[12], Robert Dickie[13], Owen M'Integarth[14], Joseph M'Integarth[15], William M'Clean[16], James Bell[17], William Charles Jones[18], Hamilton Lane[19], John Thomas Dickie[20], and James Dickie[21].
  Michael Farrell[22] examined - I was a servant to the late Mr. Coulter, and I live here; about nine o'clock on Friday morning I gave him his horse; he left the house between nine and ten o'clock; after he went away I heard the clock strike, but I could not say whether it was nine or ten it struck; I saw him go down the lane from the house; he was then well; I wished him safe home; and he said there was no fear of him; these are the last words I heard him say; I saw him about an hour afterwards, he was then unable to speak; I saw him on the road before I saw his horse; a labouring man, named James Dunne[23], told me that there was a man hurted down the road; I did not then know who the man was that was hurted; on hearing this I went down the road to look for the man; I then saw the deceased lying up against Jemmy Dunne's two feet; he was covered with blood, he could not then speak; there was blood on the ditch and on the stones where we got him lying; Dunne and I with plenty of boys brought him home; there was plenty about him; Ned Kelly[24], a boy of his, went down the road to him with Dunne; when I got there Kelly was there and also a woman named Biddy Keenan[25]; I did not see his horse at the time; I first saw the horse with Ned Kelly.
  To Mr. Hill[26] - When my master went away I went into a field about some pigs; it was not there the woman told me about the man being hurt; when I was cutting a hedge up off the road afterwards; a woman did not come to me and ask me if the master had gone to the fair; a woman spoke to me from the road, and bid me the time of day; she said nothing about my master; I did not see anybody with the woman; the woman is called the "wrecker."
  To Mr. Bell - I had no particular reason for wishing him safe home that day; I did not apprehend any danger to him.
  To the Coroner[27] - Since my master was killed I heard no one saying why he was killed;  I heard no cause assigned for the murder; every one that I heard speaking said they wondered why he was attacked, and they said he was a good man; I thought it was an odd thing to see so good a man murdered; I often saw him take the hunger off a poor man, and stealing out the food to him; I am not aware that he had any dispute with a tenant; I never was talking to him about his business.
  Anne M'Guinness[28] examined - My husband is in America, and I can't tell whether he is alive; I live in Ballybinivy[29]; I knew the late Mr. Coulter since I was born, and a good man he was; it is a couple of weeks since I saw him alive; I was going to Dundalk on Friday from Ballybinivy, after breakfast; I think it was about nine when I left my own house; I know the smith's forge above where he was beaten; when I came as far as Mr. Bailie's forge[30] I heard a noise like a shot; I made a little halt, while I was tying my shoe; I saw a black horse, which I believed to be Mr. Coulter's; the saddle was on the horse, and no one was riding him; I saw three men running behind the horse as hard as they could, and the sight almost left my eyes; they were strange men; they kept the horse a-head of them; they did not pass me on the road, but turned in at an iron gate; between the iron gate and where I afterwards saw the man lying I met a boy with an ass; the boy was clapping his hands, and said, "Is there any clergy or police at hand, for a man is shot by three men;" then it struck in my heart that it was Mr. Coulter; I said I knew the horse, whoever was the man; I saw the tops of the men's wee heads running up the field, and I thought they were following pigs or sheep; I then went on, and saw a man lying up against a stone ditch; he was gasping, and I did not know him, as his face was all covered with blood; I thought his clothes were like Mr. Coulter's; I did not stop there two minutes; no one came up while I was there; I was afraid, and went away; after passing Mr. Bailie's gate I saw a man named Mickie Farrell (the first witness) cutting bushes in Mr. Coulter's field; Mr. Coulter was his master; I asked him did his master say anything about me the night before, and he replied he did not; I then asked him did the master go to the fair; he said he did; I asked him was it long since and had he time to pass the cross-roads; as I was afraid of what I had seen on the road; he said he had time to pass, and that it was near an hour since he had gone; I said thank God it is not Mr. Coulter - there is a man lying dead on the road side; I asked him what sort of a horse the master had; he said a black horse; I then said if it was the black horse the master was dead if it was not God's will; he replied - "hold your tongue; the master had time to pass you;" Peter Woods[31] was then a good way from me; when Farrell told me the master had time to pass, I said, "thank God it can't be him - I'll say no more about it," my heart then got strong; I said it was the wisest turn for me to hold my tongue, as I had enough to do to mind my own business; I then came on, and met a lot of labourers belonging to Mr. Coulter; that was near the house here; I said there was a sear in my heart, and asked them had the master had time to pass Ballybiviny cross; some of them said he had, and others that he had not; when I told them that there was a man dead, and that the horse was like the master's they pegged away down the road.
  Michael Farrell re-examined - I swore that I met the last witness on the road; she was busy talking, but I didn't mind what she said - I was at my work; she did not ask me did the master say anything about her last night.
  Anne M'Guinness - Oh! I did; you told me to hold my tongue, as it was the wisest way for me.
  Michael Farrell - I did not.
  Anne M'Guinness - You did.
  Michael Farrell - I was at my work and did not hear what she said.
  To a juror - Farrell answered me every word I said.
  The Coroner said that both he and the jury were so dis-satisfied with the evidence of Farrell, that he would commit him to gaol.  A warrant was subsequently made out, and the witness was given in charge to the police.
  Dr. Browne[32], of Dundalk, examined - I performed a post mortem examination on the body; I discovered eighteen wounds on the head, and one upon the neck; the wounds were contused and excised; the skull was fractured and driven in in two places; there were some slight bruises on the limbs; the wound on the neck was a puncture one; it was inflicted with a pointed instrument, but not very sharp; all the serious wounds were upon the left side of the head; the wounds appear to have been inflicted with a heavy blunt instrument; two of them were quite sufficient to cause death; I don't think the wound in the neck would cause death; the skull in two places was driven in about a quarter of an inch on the brain; there was no trace of any gunshot wound.
  Dr. Donaldson[33], of Crossmaglen, corroborated the testimony of Dr. Brown.
  Peter Woods examined - I met Anne M'Guinness near Mr. Bailie's gate; she told me there was a man lying on the side of the road, bleeding; I walked then before her; I did not ask where the man was; left her talking to Farrell; I walked on to Dundalk, and said nothing about the matter; I heard her ask Farrell was Mr. Coulter gone to the fair; she told me she did not know who he was without my asking; did not hear a shot that morning nor shouting.
  The Coroner then announced his intention to adjourn the inquest until 10 o'clock on Tuesday next.
Tuesday, May 6th.
  The examination of the witnesses was resumed at 11 o'clock this morning, in the Police Barrack, at Hackball's-cross[34].
  Mr. French, R.M., Mr. O'Callaghan, J.P., and Mr. Hill, S.I., were in attendance.  There was also a large number of police present, some of whom had come from Dundalk with prisoners, who had been arrested at various times within the last few days on suspicion.
  Michael Farrel was again brought before the jury.
  Coroner - Do you still say, Farrell, that you had no conversation with Anne M'Guinness, on Friday, but to bid her the time of day.
  Farrell - No, Sir.
  Coroner - She did not ask you any question about Mr. Coulter?
  Farrell - No, Sir.
  Mr. French - When the woman was talking, are you sure she said nothing but bid you the hour?
  Farrell - She told me she was going to Dundalk to get a summons.
  Coroner - You did not tell that on Friday.
  Farrell - The sight of the dead man confused me.
  To a Juror - When the woman was speaking to me there was no man with her, but I thought I heard a voice on the road; I think I would know Peter Woods; I did not see him that morning to my knowledge; the voice spoke only a word to me then went away.
  James Dunne examined - I live in Philipstown, and was in the employment of Mr. Coulter; I was in the barn when he was going to the fair; he said nothing to me, nor did I say anything to him; I did not see him mount the horse; I first heard of the attack between nine and ten o'clock, from Mary M'Guinness, who is called the "Wrecker;" she was making a great noise saying that we would soon hear enough about it; she told me she feared the man was Mr. Coulter; we did not know whether it was the master or not, and I told Farrell not to go down, as it would not do for us all to leave the place; when we went down there were two women standing opposite to him on the other side of the road, one of them was a basket woman; Mr. Coulter was lying against the ditch; I shook him, but he could not speak at all; we were more than fifteen minutes at the body before Farrell came up to us; I got the bayonet on the side of the road slough near Mr. Coulter's feet, and I got the pistol in the back of the ditch stuck in a whin bush; the bayonet was bloody, and on the butt end of the pistol there was hair; I do not know of a single circumstance that would throw light upon the murder, and if I did I would tell it; I never heard talk of there being ill-will in the county against him for lands at Castleroach; the bayonet was stuck in the whin bush as if to hide it; I also got a chip of the pistol belonging to that part where the ramrod fits; on Monday week Mr. Richard Baillie[35] of Mounthill [36]and Mr. John Coulter[37] of Ballsmill[38] had a quarrel; the quarrel did go to blows; I seen the two dragging each other at the hall door; on that occassion Mr. Richard Baillie was not perfectly sober; Mr. Coulter was sober; this was between eight and nine o'clock in the evening; I heard a shot fired that night in the yard; it was after the quarrel, about fifteen minutes; the master was then in the house[39]; Mr. Baillie fired the shot; Mr. Samuel Coulter went to interfere between Mr. Richard Baillie and Mr. John Coulter.
  Mr. M'Lean - I knew the two parties, Mr. Richard Baillie and Mr. Samuel Coulter, for several years; and there was always a good feeling between them.
  Peter M'Mahon[40] examined - I went to Crossmaglin fair on Friday morning from Dundalk; heard a shot fired a little below the Cross, near Mr. Coulter's place; when I heard it I saw a boy working on the side of the road with a shovel; after I passed this boy I heard four or five shouts of "murder;" I turned round and asked the boy to come and see what was the matter, but he said he could not leave his work; the shouts appeared about a quarter of a mile off, and came, I think, from one person; do not think I would know that boy again; I hurried on in the direction of the place where I heard the shouting; when the road came straight, and I could see directly before me, I saw three men coming out of the gripe; they were about 30 perches from me, as well as I can remember; when they came out of the ditch one of them looked towards the place where I was stationed, and as soon as they saw me they hurried on in the direction of the mountains; there was a black horse trotting on before them; on my oath I am not acquainted with any of these men; one of them was a tall man, and wore a hat and a long frieze coat hanging down to his heels; he seemed from his running to be an old man, but I could not see his face; another of the men had a blue body coat on him and wore a blue Scotch cap; the trousers of this man were white; the third man was running before the other two, and I am not able to describe his dress; when I arrived at the place from which I saw the men start out, I observed a man lying in the side of the ditch, hurried on to the nearest houses, and met a woman whom I told of the murder; did not go back to where the body lay; I asked the woman I met if there was a police barrack or a clergyman near at hand, but she did not answer the question; she merely said she thought she knew the horse; after I passed the place where the body lay I was overtaken by a "clever" boy, who told me he had seen it; met a number of women of the road who must have heard the shouting that I heard because they were nearer to the scene of the murder than I was.
  Patrick Haynes[41] examined - I am a police-constable stationed here; I got a bayonet, pistol, and part of a stock from Jemmy Dunne; Police-constable Cartin[42] has also the lock of a gun found in the locality of the outrage.
  Police-constable Cartin deposed that Michael Farrell found a bullet and the lock, the latter on the top of the ditch where the deceased was lying.
  Mr. John Coulter examined - I live at Ballsmill, county Armagh; I was in Mr. Samuel Coulter's house on Monday week; a slight quarrel ensued; Richard Baillie appeared to be a little tipsy, and not in good humour with me; he appeared to be in good friendship with Samuel Coulter; Samuel Coulter and Baillie's sisters[43] put him (Richard Baillie) out of the room; Samuel Coulter interfered as a pacificator; I always believed them to be good friends; I always found them on good terms, and I never saw anything between them that could lead me to believe that they were not on good terms.
  Constable John Creighton[44] examined - I am stationed at Dundalk; arrested a man named James Kirk[45] on Friday last, at Shortstone-cross, near Mr. Coulter's house; it was about six o'clock in the evening of the day on which the murder took place that I took him into custody; he wore a large frock coat, made of frieze; it was not long enough to reach down to the ancles; he also wore a pair of white corduroy trowsers; was looking for a man named Kirk, and Mr. Coulter's brother-in-law[46] pointed this man out to me as one of the Kirks that we were looking for; when I arrested him he shook in himself; he (Kirk) said that some spots of blood which he noticed upon his trowsers were accassioned by a bleeding from his nose a few days before; a large spot of blood appeared as if it had been scraped; he wore a clean shirt on that evening, and when he (witness) remarked the circumstance, he accounted for it by saying he was going to Philipstown dispensary; he had a ticket for the dispensary with him which he showed to the witness.
  J. Browne, Esq., M.D., sworn - I examined these trowsers on Sunday morning in Dundalk, and was then doubtful whether the spots upon it were blood or not, but I am now satisfied that the large spot is blood; cannot swear whether it is human blood, or the blood of any of the lower animals.
  James Kirk (the party referred to by the last witness) was then called into the room, and having been duly cautioned by the coroner against saying anything to criminate himself, stated that the trowsers in question were his property, and that the blood visible upon them was caused by a bleeding from the nose; he stated that he put on a clean shirt before he quitted his bed that morning; he admitted that he was in the immediate vicinity of the murder on the same day; stating that he was going to get a dispensary ticket, and heard a shot, but not any shouting.
  Owen Kirk[47] (also in custody on suspicion) examined - First heard of this murder when I was taken into custody in the field where I was ploughing; was not ploughing the whole day; was ploughing at an earlier part of the same day in James Markey's[48] field, at Ballybinivy, within one field from the place where the murder took place; did not hear a shot nor a shout while in the field, nor did I hear of the murder till I was arrested.
  Mr. Sub-Inspector Hill to witness - Do you recollect meeting anyone who asked you where you were from six to ten o'clock that morning?
  Witness - No.
  Mr. Hill - I asked you that question myself.  Do you deny it?
  Witness - No, I do not.
  Mr. O'Callaghan[49], J.P. - Did you not hear of the murder till you were arrested?
  Witness - Yes, I did; but I did not hear either the shot or the shouting.
  The jury then brought in the following verdict:-
  "We find that the deceased Samuel Coulter came by his death early on the morning of the 3d inst., at about the hour of two o'clock, in consequence of severe fractures of the skull, inflicted by some person or persons unknown, on the road leading from Dundalk to Crossmaglin, in the morning of Friday, the 2d of May, inst."
  There are thirteen people in custody on suspicion.  The government have offered a reward of 100l. for such information as will lead to the conviction of the person or persons who perpetrated the murder. - Abridged from the Newry Examiner.