CORONER’S CASEBOOK OF ROBERT HAMILTON REED (REID)

Continued from previous book and starting February 20, 1876.

pp 19-22

7-1192

Distance travelled to Inquest 15 miles; to adjournment of D^o 3.0 Miles 40 Miles.

Fee to Dr. R. HENRY fro post-mortem Exam ₤2.2.0 Same to Dr. O’REILLY ₤2.2.0

Police car hire of car from Sub-Inspector SMITH with dispatches. 7.6 paid for room for Jury 2.6 18.0

Held on view of the body of John BOYLAN 26 September 1876 in the town of Clones, Parish of Clones & Barony of Dartrey.

Joseph MOORE - Constable. Now identifies the body as that of John BOYLAN whom he identifies as being the person whom he took and lodged in the lockup on yesterday for drunkenness. Saw him fall on Fermanagh Street. In the lockup, searched and took from him 4 /12 pence, a key and a knife -- saw him fall ere taking them. The fall caused him a slight cut on the temple. This at 4:00 p.m.

Constable Patrick HUNT was Barracks orderly on yesterday at Clones Barrack. I remember John BOYLAN being brought to the barrack for being drunk and at 5:00 p.m. Robert GRAHAM was put into the lockup by me and at that time there was no other person there but BOYLAN and at 7:00 p.m. John McDONALD was put into the same cell with BOYLAN on a charge of drunkenness and the next person put into the same cell on a similar charge was Thomas REILLY.

After McDONALD was put into the lockup and I was putting in REILLY, GRAHAM complained to me that McDONALD had assaulted him, in consequence of which I put GRAHAM into a separate one.

About 8:15 p.m. I again visited the lockup and at that time there were in it Deceased, John McDONALD & REILLY. I observed them particularly and on none of them did I observe any injury say the slight cut on BOYLAN’s forehead and those three-man were quite quiet and no appearance of quarreling. McDONALD was more drunk than the others.

Between four o'clock & 8:15 I visited them eight or nine times to see that all was right and found them so and no complaint made by any -- save the one made by GRAHAM. Again about 15 to nine o'clock. I went out from BOYLAN’s wife wanting the key of their house which without his sanction I would not give. I then went out alone and observed BOYLAN lying on the floor face downwards at the far end of the cell. On this I went to awaken him and found his face all bloody and a great good deal of blood on the floor under his face. I tried to arouse him but could not. I turned him on his back on which I saw his face all bloody and his tongue partly out and a cut on his lip. Seeing the state he was in I went for the Head Constable, but previous to this I observed McDONALD on his knees and elbows his head resting on the ground and O'REILLY lying on his side beside McDONALD and both near the door. When leaving the strong room after each visit I bolted the door after me and also locked the door outside and kept the key in my pocket; when I strove to rouse him and could not I rested him against McDonald whose head was towards the door, but deceased head and body were in a different direction.

Robert GRAHAM. Deposed. Was arrested yesterday even and put into the lockup, when put in John BOYLAN was there. Next came in a stranger. About an hour after this person assaulted me. On my complaint the constable took me out and put me into another cell and shortly after I heard a noise in the cell I had left but could not say what the noise was like. Twas before I went into the cell that I got my eye blackened.

Constable John McDONALD. Deposed that about 8:15 o'clock on yesterday evening I went into the lockup to see if Thomas BEGAN was sober enough to go home. While there Graham complained to me that he had been assaulted in the other cell, but as he could not by whom on this he was brought back to his previous cell on which he pointed out John McDONALD a prisoner there as the person. On this he was returned to his previous cell. I then made an examination of the three prisoners. I saw they were all sitting on the bench. BOYLAN next the wall adjoining the other cell. REILLY next & McDONALD between them. I removed McDONALD from where he was and put REILLY in his place and this in consequence of Graham's complaint of him. I then spoke to BOYLAN and asked him how he was doing. He replied well. I asked at any one stirred him. He replied not as no one would stir him. All were quiet at the time. BOYLAN had no cuts on him at the time saved the one on his eyebrow, had before being put into the lockup.

McDONALD appeared to be more sensible. Saw nothing strange about him. One of my reasons for going into the cell was to see if BOYLAN was fit to go home, but at the time he was not. I then left the lockup and heard nothing moretill near nine o'clock, at which time the Head Constable called me and that one of the prisoners was dead. I observed no pool of blood on the bench, but did on the floor where he was lying. But afterwards saw the blood on the bench. I took the deceased by the pulse to see if there was life in him and thinks there was but that it was just departing.

Head Constable James FINEGAN, deposed. To being in the Barrack room ¼ two 9:00 p.m. heard some Constable HUNT calling me from the direction of the yard. I promptly went out when he told me he feared there was something wrong with one of the prisoners. I went into the cell. I went with HUNT and found John BOYLAN lying on the floor of the cell with his head towards the door and partly on his back and left side. I observed a cut on his underlip and his tongue slightly protruding. His face covered with blood, his coat pulled partly over his head. I turned him on his back. I tempted to pull him up but got no response. I then felt his pulse and found a slight pulsation. Then assisted by Constable HUNT lifted him up on the bench. I put my hand in his breast over the heart and found him very warm. I observed his hands open. I then sent for Dr. HENRY who was with me in two minutes, but ere his arrival I began to examine the cell more closely. I saw quantity of blood on the floor on the offside of the cell as you go into on the right hands side and talk of the bench I observed more blood and on the wall, back and sidewall. I then turned round and saw REILLY lying on the floor close to the door and his head towards it lying partly on McDONALD. I lifted REILLY up and he was able to walk about the cell. I then turned back towards McDONALD who was on his knees on the ground and forearm and his head down close to the ground. I tried to lift him but could not. I then turned him over on his back and moved him across to the other side of the cell. I done all I could to lift him up but could not. He presented all the appearance of the most helpless drunkenness. I then examined him and found his hands covered with blood quite wet, his hands both back and front and even the wrist[?] Of his shirt or the same especially the left one. Blood on the breast of his shirt and on his trousers and coat. There were no wounds on his body or face, say some slight scratches on his face, as if done with fingernails but for not on it when he was locked out, nor blood on either hands or face. 18 minutes after McDONALD was removed to the day room and REILLY to the other cell I locked the door of the cell where the dead man lay and kept the key in my pocket till the jury went to see it. In 10 minutes after McDONALD was moved into the day room he was sitting on the four and apparently perfectly sober.

Thomas REILLY I examined previous to removing him from the cell. There was fresh blood on his hands and also on his clothes and when put into the lockup there was no blood on his hands. On the bench I found a small lock of human hair now produced.

Doctor R. HENRY. Deposed has made a post-mortem examination of the body of deceased age 75 years -- 17 hours after death. Found the face covered with blood, eyes closed, and a lacerated ragged wound on the left side of the lower lip a portion of which was wanting one tooth out of the lower jaw. And confusions over the face and for head and one wound over the left temple. Skin off the two fingers of the right hand. In cutting through the scalp a quantity of black fluid blood escaped, found a clot of blood fully one ounce in weight resting over the left internal ear and pressing on the left hemisphere of the brain. On removing the skull a large quantity of fluid blood escaped. On opening the chest and abdomen found nothing to account for death. I am of opinion deceased died from pressure on the brain, caused by the extravascular blood which I consider the cause of death.

Dr. William O’REILLY. The Post has assisted Dr. HENRY in making a postmortem examination of the body of John BOYLAN and I quite concur in opinion with Dr. HENRY as to the causes and effects of said injuries connected with the death of said John BOYLAN.

Verdict. Death on the 28 September 1876 from violence but how or by whom we have not had evidence to determine.