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Re: Hanged for Murder

Posted by Alan King on June 11, 2015 at 10:54:40:

In Reply to: Hanged for Murder posted by Interested on June 10, 2015 at 14:10:04:

Edward Walsh was the last person to be hanged in Castlebar but as far as I know, the last person to be sentenced to death in the town was a 79 year old James Hopkins Senior in 1904 from Glosheens, which is about seven miles from Crossmolina. He was found guilty for the murder of his son Edward Hopkins on the 13th January 1904 in what became known locally as the Glosheens Tragedy. Another son James Junior who was a District Councillor in the Ballina Union was also charged with the murder and was to be tried separately. From evidence given, the family had been bitterly engaged in litigation about land and other matters for some time and when cattle were seized by the deceased from his father’s land, this is when the horrific act took place and Edward died from shotgun injuries. Malachy Kelly, Crown Solicitor conducted the case for the Crown and Mr. H.C. Bourke, Solicitor appeared for Hopkins senior. The Judge was a Lord Justice Walker. It was a straight forward case and even though the jury found him guilty, they asked for mercy to be shown. However, on the 19th March 1904, the Judge put on his black cap and sentenced Hopkins to be hanged within the precincts of Castlebar Gaol. The case had a twist because the day before the hanging, Hopkins was found dead in his cell. Wild rumours swept through the town that he had been poisoned but at a later inquest, it was revealed that he died from heart failure. Four months later, the Crown dropped its case against James Junior and he was discharged.

 





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