The next witness called was McGovery, who had been summoned on behalf
of the prosecution. He was asked whether he had not suspected that
some foul play was intended against Ussher, and he stated in what
manner he had, in the first place, cautioned Ussher himself--then
that he had told the same thing to Father John--and that after
overhearing a portion of the conversation at Mrs. Mehan's, he had
gone to Father Cullen, for the purpose of informing him that he
feared there was a conspiracy against Mr. Keegan. Little, however,
could be learnt from him, for he owned that he had no substantial
grounds for his suspicions in the first case, and that he had chiefly
been led to fear an attack upon Ussher, from knowing his unpopularity
and the bad character of many of the guests expected at the wedding.
Mr. O'Laugher tried to make him say that the conversation at Mrs.
Mehan's had been confined to Keegan, and the threats which he had
heard uttered against him; but McGovery would not say as much as
this; he stated positively that he had never heard Ussher's name
mentioned, but that during a considerable portion of the evening
he had been entirely unable to hear a word that the men said; he
declared, however, positively that Thady was drunk when he left the
room, and that it appeared to him that he, Thady, had taken very
little part in the conversation before he was drunk.
When this witness went off the table, Mr. Allewinde declared that the
case for the prosecution was finished--stating at the same time that
he abstained from feelings of delicacy and respect from putting the
prisoner's sister into the witness box; and that he should trouble
her with no questions unless she were placed there by the counsel for
the defence.
Mr. O'Malley then rose to address the jury on behalf of the prisoner,
and spoke to the following effect:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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