Transcription
Account of a barbarous, & inhuman murder, committed by the
Revd Mr. Carroll., Parish Priest of Ballymore, on the body of a
child of 3 years old, also an account of his brutal usage of other
woemen' 2 of whom are not expected to live. For several days it had been intimated by notices sent round the
Counrtry that a miracle was to be wrought on Friday last by the
Revd. John Carroll Roman Catholic Priest of Ballymore.. On that
day he visited a man of the name of Henry Neale, who was dan-
gerously ill of appoplexy. He said the man was troubled with
devils, Jumped on him several times and bade the people present
to join him in prayer to disposess the evil spirits, one of them nam-
ed Peggy Dandy was so frightened that she fell to the ground in
hysterics on which Mr. Carrol Jumped out of bed off Neal's body,
seized her, swearing she was full of Devils, and called upon Jesus
to assist them in expelling them. He. trampled on the woman,
broke some of her ribs, and left her for dead, and then said he
would go and bury the devils whom he had secured. The blood
was gurgling in the womans throat, and some of the Credulous
people who were looking on exclaimed they saw the devils come
out of her mouth. The Priest went to Assaily bridge, and on his
return said he had buried the reptiles in hell. He then, went to
the house of Robert Moran, and struck his wife repeatedly that she
was scarce able to,speak, and her head was swelled in a shocking
manner. He next went to the house of Thomas Sinnot, accom-
panied all the time by a vast number of people, asked the mistress
for some refreshment, which she gave him. At this time a fine
little girl between 3 and 4 years old, being in bed began to cry, on
which he consulted his Breviary and declared there was a devil in
the child and immediatly jumped into the bed, and on the body
of the infant.
The child cried mournfully'save me, O save me. Her father coming in. endeavoured to
save her, but was restrained by the Spectators, and even the child's mother declared she
believed the Priest was working a miracle to drive the devil out of her child,and actually
assisted him in his operations, He ordered her to get a tub of water and some salt, these
she instantly procured. The innocent sufferer lay bleeding & insensible in bed: he poured
the contents of the tub upon her, and as the the. water mingled with the stream of life, he
cried with enthusiam, Behold a miracle; I have turned the water into blood!, he then turn-
ed the tub over his victim; the edge of it coming on the child's neck, completed the tragedy
by putting an end to its sufferings.
Having desired the parents, not to allow any one to enter nor to touch the child, he de-
parted for Wexford, His direction was religiously obeyed and the besotted parents anxiously
awaited his arrival, next day his (the Priest's Sister) called on them and told them their
child would be quite well on her Brothers return!!!
It now turns out that the Priest was deranged, and knew not what he did; but how shall
we account for the conduct of the croud of Spectators, around him, many of whem assisted
him in the furtherance of his design, and all of them placed implicit confidence in the pre-
priety of his proceedings: who would have thought, such fanaticism could exist in this en-l
lightened age? '
A Coroner's Jury sat on the body, & returned a verdict, that her death was caused by
hte violence she received from the Reverend John Carroll; who has been committed to
Wexford Jail; but as his insanity is undoubted, he cannot be capitally punished. R. Husband, Printer, 15. Princes Street.
View Commentary | Download PDF Facsimile
|
 |
Date of publication:
1825-1828 shelfmark: L.C.Fol.73(013)
View larger image
|
