1793 January 25. Gordon's Chronicles.

NEWRY.

Extract of a letter from Lowth, dated 25 January 1793.

 

On the 20th, (Sunday night last) the house of Mr. Charles Bolton[1], of Castle Ring[2], was attacked by a numerous band of armed robbers; they were bravely repulsed by Mr. Bolton and son, who fired repeatedly, wounded several, and put them to flight. -- Mr. Bolton received a slight wound of a musquet bullet in the shoulder.

 

On the 22nd (Tuesday night) the house of Mr. Gabriel Barrett[3], of Rosskeeagh, was attacked and robbed of arms and money; they fired into the house, and one of the balls passed through a part of Mr. Barrett's clothes. The house of Mr. John Johnston[4], Junior, of Falmore[5], was robbed of arms same night, with several other houses.

 

Several gentlemen have received anonymous letters, threatening them with destruction if they did not pay certain forms of money for the use of the robbers. Every account for the counties of Meath, Monaghan, and Cavan, show them as bad, if not worse than Lowth. In the country about Carrickmacross, they go in large armed bodies, and commit robberies almost every night; this I can affirm from my brother-in-law, who lives there; his house was beset by a large body, they fired a volley in, and three musquet balls went close by the nurse and child in bed; he, being prepared, returned the fire, and drove them off. Mrs. Steel[6] and Mr. Daniel[7] are very active, and are doing a great deal of good.

 

The house of Mrs. Jackson[8] of Forthill, was robbed on Wednesday night, and many other houses in that neighborhood. Five families of opulence have already quit this country.