lor, aged 81, worth 40,000l. moft of which he has left to charitable uses; among the rest soool. in marriage portions to any ten young maidens whom his execu

A

tors may think most deserving.—Mr. Charles Smith, one of the oldeft comedians belonging to Covent-Garden thea

tre.

us

DOMESTIC Carlow, February 18. Correfpondent has favoured with the following account of a mott fhocking murder committed on the body of Elinor Dempsey, fister to a Romith clergyman :—On the 2d of January laft, in the evening, a woman of Rathangan, accompanied by her three fons, went to the house of the deceased, between Carbery and Johnftown, in the County of Kildare, under pretence of wanting lodging; the poor woman faid The had not room convenient for fo many: upon which one of the fons fwore he would have lodging, and what money the had befides. The deceased having no one in the house to affift her, and fearing fome treachery, replied the had but half a guinea, which he might have; but not being content with the fum, they feized her; when shocking to relate, they cut off her ears, in order to extort a confeffion where he had her money, but the poor woman ftill perfifting in her former declaration, they cut off her nofe, and gave her a mortal wound on the neck that almost severed her head from her body, of which the inftantly expired. After this piece of barbarity was finished, the mother held a pail under her to catch the blood, and thruit the body under the bed to prevent a difcovery. The youngeft of the brothers, who staid outfide the door during the whole tranfaction, hearing the dreadful fhrieks of the woman, cried out," do not murder her;" upon which the mother (a monster to human nature!) faid to one of the affaffins, I told you if you would let that young fogue come, he would discover of us ;" to which the other anfwered with an oath," that he would foon do for him." Hearing this he made off, and concealed himfelf in a quick fet hedge, and though clofely purfued, the dark nefs of the night favoured his escape. Next day he went to a farmer's house, and told what happened; upon which he was brought before Juftice Keating, who committed him to the gaol of Athy, in order to profecute the mother and two brothers, who were taken by means of the hon. the Anna Liffey Club, and lodged in Naas gaol,

Tuesday, 21.] A young married woman of good character, who lives near Bray, about dufk in the evening, paffing near the earl of Meath's wall, at Kilruddery, was met by two fellows, who attacked her, and attempted to defile her; the poor woman feeing no relief at hand in this lonefome place, thought if he could draw near fome habitation, fortune or her cries might bring fome affiftance; fhe therefore told them that fhe would comply with their defires, but requested they would retire with her off the road, and not expose her to pallengers, which would for ever ruin her reputation; and added, that there was a gate (near which the knew there was a house) higher up, thro' which they might go to fome convenient place; with fome hesitation they confented, but when they arrived there, the told them the gate the meant was a little farther off; they then fufpecting her defign, peremptorily refused to stir one foot more, and infifted on her perpetrating their purpose on the fpot: They then took hold of her; on her refifting, one of the villains knocked her down with his fift, and laid himself acrofs her head and breaft to keep her on the ground, whilst the other ruffian took up her coats, and endeavoured to fatisfy his brutal paffion : Cries and fhrieks were now the only de.. fence she could make, to prevent which, one of those barbarous wretches thrust his fingers into her neck with fuch violence as almoft fuffocated this unhappy woman; at last her cries alarmed an honest poor man, who lives near this place; he directly came out, armed with a pitchfork, and refolutely attacked the ravishers; they, after receiving feveral blows, fled with precipitation. His next care was the poor creature, who quite exhausted from the cruel treatment fhe had endured, lay fpeechiefs on the ground. Her huf band was now fent for, and with the affistance of his friends, carried her home, where she shortly miscarried, being young with child. A potle went in purfuit of the rogues, and overtook them beyond Bray, at a cabbin, where they had taken up their quarters for the night. They were carried before Justice Hoey, who committed them to Wicklow jail, but on

the

the road thither, they stopped at the Black Lyon Inn, where their conductors treated with the villains, and juft as they had agreed on taking fix guineas to let them efcape, Mr. Bunn, of Kindalflown, came in, and breaking up the conference, had them properly fecured and lodged in Wicklow jail.

Kilkenny, Wednesday 22.] Saturday night Jaft a foldier and his wife, belonging to the troops on their march to Corke, engaged a lodging at a houfe in John-fireet, and went to bed in perfect health in a close room with a coal fire in it, the fulphur of which had so powerful an effect on them as to deprive them of all their faculties, infomuch that next morning they appeared quite fuffocated; but by proper allifiance they are now likely to recover. This fhould be a caution against a very common but dangerous practice of leaving fires in bed-chambers all night, which may be attended with bad confequences, particularly from the fulphur of our coals which often proves fatal to firangers. We hear from Rofs, that on Saturday laft a man who was at work near the town hall, was killed by part of the wall falling upon him; and a woman was fo terribly affrighted by this accident, that the died fuddenly of the fright.

Clonmell, Thursday 23.] The inhabitants of Ballyragget having got information of an attempt of the White Boys to fet fire to that town on the night of Tuef day the 21ft inft. at the hour expected they entered the town, with lighted flambeaux, in order to effect their defign; but the inhabitants being prepared, fired on them, killed three on the spot, and wounded feveral others, five of whom were taken vefterday morning.

Tuesday, 28.] About nine o'clock one Maher, late a fervant to Major Caulfield, was flopped by a villain, armed with a piflol, near Chefier Alley, it is fuppofed with an intent to rob him, and on his making a refiilance received a fhot thro' the head that killed him on the fpot: the afaflin then fled without his booty, as his watch and a few thillings were found in his pocket.

His excellency the lord lieutenant has been pleafed to patronize a charity, inftituted in this city, for the relief of poor married women; lying-in at their own habitations, and for preventing the malignant effects of the natural small pox among the children of the poor, by the falutary means of inoculation.

It is recommended to the public to bel cautious how they buy old or indifferent flax-fced this year; for fhould it fail, the difappointment would be the greater if no fupplies come from America.

We have the pleasure to affure our readers that the works now carrying on at the Grand Canal, are in fuch forwardnefs, that before the 26th of December next, fourteen miles thereof, adjoining this city, will be navigable. It is refol ved alfo to proceed immediately in the propofed junction with the river Liffey through Kilmainham,

At the laft commiffion of Over and Terminer, held before the Lord Mayor, Mr. Juftice Robinson, Mr. Serjeant Coppinger,&c. the following perfons were capitally convicted, viz.

John Doyle, a watchman of St. Bridget's parifh, for the murder of James Dowde, a waiter in Copper-alley-Ordered for execution, the 5th of April, but fince refpited.

Jeremiah Murphy, for the murder of Mungo Grey, a watchman-Executed Saturday, March 11.

James Trenor, for robbing Mr. Fitzgibbons-Ordered for execution, Wednefday, March 15, but fince refpited.

James Hand, a butcher, for maiming a foldier of the 53d regiment-Executed March 8.

Thomas Kiernan, for killing fheep and ftealing the fat-Ordered for execution on the 5th of April, but fince reprieved for transportation.

John Birch, a butcher, for a street robbery-Executed March 15.

John Murphy, a butcher, for maiming a foldier-Executed March 8.

John Toomy and John Connor, for robbing Mr. Chriftopher Nesbitt-Executed March 18.

At the above commiffion, Enfign Dwyer Carrol, of the 49th regiment (having furrendered himself) was tried for killing Lieutenant Henry Franquefort (of the fame regiment) in a duel, and was acquitted.

As was alfo the rev. James M Mahon, for killing a coal-porter in his own defence.

Our Readers are requefied to fill up the Blank after the County of Carlow, in the Lift of High Sheriffs, given in our laft, p. 127, with the Name of Benjamin Burton Doyne, Efq;

Limerick, and was born in that city the 19th of February, 1706. He began his ftudies in Trinity College, Dublin, and finished them in the university of Oxford. He first travelled on account of his ill ftate of health, and afterwards as governor to the marquis of Hartington, afterwards duke of Devonshire.

His rife to the highest ecclefiaftical honours were gradual. He was made dean of Raphoe in the year 1743, and next year advanced to the deanery of Derry. In the year 1753, he was confecrated bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh; bishop of Meath in 1765, and archbishop of Dublin in 1766.

Dr. Smyth was mild and humane in his temper, of primitive manners, and the

utmoft candour, and patient under the

a long time, till he refigned his foul into the hands of his Creator, the 14th of December, 1771, in the fixty-fixth year of his age.

His grace married Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Bonfoy, of Abbot-Ribton, in the county of Huntingdon, Esq; who died without iffue, the 14th of July, 1771, (juft fix months before her hufband) aged fifty-feven.

The monument, erected to his memory by his grace's furviving brothers, Charles and Edward Smyth, is the most magnificent ever seen in this kingdom. It was defigned and begun by Mr. Van Noft, and finished by Mr. Henry Darley, of Abbey-ftreet. On it is the following infcription:

April, 1775.

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