The Murder of Thomas Mayne

THE murder of Monaghan man Thomas Mayne in 1818 shows that, like the ‘Bull McCabe’ in John B. Keane’s The Field, you should never come between an Irishman and the land. The Cavan Herald on June 26, 1818, reported a murder which was called a most premeditated and horrible act, carried out at Drumshiel, Co Monaghan in the neighbourhood of Cootehill. The particulars of which related to Mr. Thomas Mayne of Lisnalong in the County of Monaghan, a respectable gentleman of high esteem, who went, accompanied by Mr. Fitzpatrick, County Coroner, from Cootehill, and Mr. Sloan, to receive, under an order of Law, possession of the house and ground of Thomas Simpson, of Drumshield, Co Monaghan. The legal notice was quietly handed over by Mayne to Simpson.

The officials were preparing to leave, both Messrs. Fitzpatrick and Sloan already were on horseback when Simpson addressed Mayne, ‘Tom Mayne, I want to speak with thee,’ he said using Quaker terminology, then immediately running into his house, brought out a loaded hunting gun. Again, speaking to Mayne, he said, ‘Tom, thou has brought the Coroner here and tis fit he should have a job.’ Simpson pointed the weapon at Mayne who by this time mounted his horse and was leaning forward to fix his foot in the stirrup when Simpson fired a shot, its contents lodging in the head of Mayne, and his horse. Both Mayne and the horse fell to the ground.

Simpson was triumphant in his murderous victory, and addressing the Coroner, said to him, that he did not blame him, as he was only doing his duty. Simpson then pulled out a case of pistols, calling on Sloan, said, he had wished to speak to him, but would cause him no injury. Sloan knowing better, did not trust Simpson, realising it was time to say adiós before they got themselves killed. When the men reached Cootehill, a party of soldiers were immediately sent in search of the murderer, who by then had fled, and for the time being eluded justice. When the soldiers arrived at Simpson’s, their attention was directed to the severely injured Thomas Mayne, whom they removed to Cootehill. He lived only a few days , dying on Wednesday 1st July.

The murderer had indeed given Fitzpatrick, the Coroner, a job to do. An inquest was performed on the body of Mayne, returning a verdict in accordance to the circumstances previously outlined. ‘What aggravates the crime’ wrote the Cavan Herald, ‘if aggravation can be applied in a case of such enormity, was, that the deceased and Simpson dined together a few days before.’ The men had parted on good terms, without a hint of animosity, having not met until the day of the murder there was not the smallest hint of trouble.

Simpson’s use of the words, thee and thou, sparked speculation that he was a Quaker. The Newry Magazine, provided clarification; Simpson did not belong to the Friends settlement at Cootehill but appeared to conform to their principles, having married a Quaker lady.

Wanted poster

Posters were erected across the counties of Monaghan and Cavan seeking information that could lead to Simpson’s immediate arrest, offering a reward of £851. One of the surviving ‘Wanted’ posters printed by Courtney, Whitefriar-Street, Dublin, went on sale at Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers in 2015. The poster’s message read: ‘issued by Edward Mayne of Lisnalong, Co Monaghan, January 1819, offering this reward for the arrest of Thomas Simpson of Drumsheil, … stated to have killed Mayne’s father Thomas, having without any provocation and in a most treacherous manner … fired a blunderbuss at, and lodged the contents thereof in the head of the said Thomas Mayne, and in that of his mare on which he was mounted, of which wound he has since died.’

The auction material, included a list of neighbours and friends who promised contributions towards the reward, amounting to a total of £851 as mentioned. Along with the poster, there were two pages of signed pledges, headed by a donation of £22.15.0 from Lord Cremorne of Dartrey. The ‘Wanted’ poster and its list of subscribers are now held in the National Library of Ireland.

John Gamble’s published diary, Society and Manners in Early Nineteenth Century Ireland records Mayne’s murder. Gamble having lived in Cootehill, wrote in his diary, ‘the murderer has absconded, but it is thought he cannot escape. The whole country is in pursuit of him … still there is fear, and with greater reason than ever, for he who kills one man is likely to kill another.’

One question remains, was Simpson caught? From here the trail grew cold for the researcher, but while we may hope that he was caught, assuming is never a safe strategy. When time permits, another trip to the archive will be required.

Monaghan and the Big Wind

In January 1839, the Big Wind wreaked havoc in every locality. The Northern Standard reported on damage caused to Monaghan Town, stating the late storm on Sunday night last ‘was felt severely’ in the town. Around 11.30pm the gale, having gathered pace for some time, ‘swelled into a most terrific hurricane.’ At about 3.00 a.m., Monday morning, ‘the power of air rushing from the south-west bore everything before it with resistless force.’

The slates and rooves of houses, said the newspaper, were swept up as if they were leaves upon a breeze, while terrified residents watched on. Fire burst from the chimney of John Murray’s, Church-square, the sparks and flame ‘soon dashed on the roofs of several thatched houses occupying one side of the Diamond. For an hour the chimney, which the reporter heard, had not been swept for some time, spewed forth ‘masses of fire which were hurled by the tempest to a great distance’, occasioning ‘much additional alarm.’ The fire eventually waned, the rain and snow helping to extinguish the remaining sparks.

In the neighbourhood, farmyards were strewn in ‘hay, straw, oats, wheat and barley.’ At Glasslough village, eight houses were burned to the ground, and the inhabitants ‘driven houseless into the streets.’ Luckily, no loss of life was reported.

The town of Clones, from ‘its elevated position’, received the full force of the cyclone, while many houses in Ballybay, Castleblayney, and Carrickmacross were destroyed. The report concluded that, ‘every hour brings tidings of fresh disasters’ which are ‘truly frightful’.