Lially contributing to the health of the 'inhabitants; your effablishment of a difpenfary and humane fociety in our city, by the former of which, the poor of every defcription are relieved with medicines and medical affiftance, who would otherwise languish in mifery, and perish on the bed of fickness, and by the latter the apparently drowned husband, wife, or child, is reftored to their afflicted and difconfolate families; in fhort, to enumerate the several other eminent fervices you have rendered the public, is fcarce to be conceived practicable within the fleeting compafs of one year, and in detail would as far exceed the limits of an Address, as we feel confcious of wanting powers fufficient to exprefs them. "We therefore have only to add, that the very many virtuous and memorable traits of your Mayoralty, have made fuch lasting impreffions on the minds of your fellow-citizens, as nought but the period of their lives can ever obliterate, and whole ardent wishes are, that you may receive in this life and hereafter, rewards fuitable to fuch meritorious conduct. "Signed by appointment for and on behalf of all the Trading Companies. "GEORGE SEYMOUR, President, of the General Meeting, and late Master of the Company of Goldsmiths. Cork, January 16, 1788." To Samuel Rowland, Efq; late Mayor of the City of Cork. After which Mr. Seymour Mayor with the Gold Box. respect appeared to me more likely to be effected Your most obedient, much obliged, Jan. 16, 1788. To the Mafter, Wardens and Freemen of After which the late Mayor dined at the Phenix Tavern with feveral Trading Corporations, where a most elegant etertainment on the occafion was provided by them, and the evening conprefented the late cluded with the greatest harmony and feftivity. To their Address the late Lord Mayor returned the following Answer. DUBLIN. An Account of the Trial of Robert Keon, Gent. for the Murder of George Nugent Reynolds, Ejq. ON Robert "GENTLEMEN, "IMPRESSED with every fenfe of gratitude and esteem, I fhall always hold in recollection the repeated teftimonies of your approbation, which, as Chief Magiftrate, you have been pleated to honour me with; particularly inftanced on the day of my retiring from office, and now again fucceeded by this fresh proof of your friendly fentiments, in admitting and enrolling me Free of each Trading Corporation; which I receive as the most honourable mark of your diftinction that can be conferred, an honour, which you have thought proper to convey in lo munificent a manner, as would be highly flattering to the most exatred perfonage, and will ever by me be confidered invaluable. Your very obliging partiality has infinitely over-rated all my actions; permit me to fay, that if any utility kas arisen therefrom, it is very inferior to what my zeal and anxious wishes would lead me to accomplish in the fervice of the public, it my fituation in life afforded me that opportunity. Whilft in the department of Chief Magiftrate, it was my indispensable duty to render every service in my power to fo valuable a body of my fellow-citizen, as compofe the feveral Trading Corporations, whom I thall always confider the most useful members of society, and beg leave to affure them, that every exertion I was capable of bringing forward has been fludioully directed to promote their interefts, in the accompliment of which, I confidered it marerially effential (as an incitement to industry) to imprefs the Trading Community with a pieper idea of their own confequence, which in no offer Keon and Ambrofe Keon, who had been brought up from Carrick-on Shannon, in the co. of Leitrim, in the courfe of the vacation, and committed to the gaol of Newgate; and Edward Keon, Patrick Carty and Michael Mullaiky, who had surrendered themselves in discharge of their bail, were brought up to the bar of the Court of King's Bench; and after several points of law being argued relative to the proceedings, the Clerk of the Crown read the indictments, and gave the prifoner Robert Keon, in charge to the Jury, Mr. Duquery then opened the matter as follows: Mr. Duquery. It is my duty, as Counsel for the Crown, however painful the discharge of that duty may be, to lay before you, as concifely as poffible, the nature and circumstances of the crime with which the prisoner Itands charged, and for which he is now to take his trial at your bar. When Counsel ftate cafes of this nature, I conceive it to be their office to difclose to the Court and the Jury, with as much clearness and previfion as they can, the facts which they are inftructed will appear in proof, in order to elucidate the evidence which is to be produced, and to point your attention to the material parts of the cafe but I do not conceive it to be by any means the province of Counsel to endeavour to exaggerate the facts, or to awaken the paffions of the Jury. Whatever profeffional ability and addreis addrefs may be exerted on other occafions, in cales of this nature the ingenuity of the advocate must be totally laid afide, and nothing stated as a fact, which is not founded in the proofs, nor any thing advanced as law, which cannot be ftrongly fupported. It the Counfel for the profecution know of any circumstance favourable to the prifoner, they fhould unfold it as readily and as fully, as any matter which they may ge in fupport of the charge. The Crown and the public can have "no, interest but in the conviction of the Guilty: The punishment even of the offender is only the fecondary object of the law; the prevention of crimes is the first. It cannot therefore be the with of thofe concerned for the profecution to endeavour to mislead the Jury from the truth, or to draw down the penalties of the law upon any man who does not justly merit its punish ment. The charge which is brought against the prifoner at the bar is not advanced on any light prefumption. If he be not really guilty of the crime imputed to him, thofe who accufe him have been grofly deceived. Whether they have been in error will be for you to judge, when you have heard, the evidence that fhall be adduced. The crime imputed to the prifoner ftands in the firft rank of the catalogue of thofe offences which our laws punish with the utmost severity, The crime imputed is that of wilful and deliberate murder. An offence which, from being a. Felony at common law, the Legiflature thought expedient in this kingdom to conftitute High Treason. advanced to Mr. Keon, 'who was on the ground Thefe are the fingular circumstances of the fact you are to try; and let me afk, to what mo tive in the breast of the prisoner can we afcribe this deed? Is it to the heat of paffion, which the law, in tenderness to human frailty, will fometimes allow as an extenuation?He had the whole preceding night to compofe his mind, and determine bis conduct for the morning. Is it to be ascribed to fear for his own life?- -That life, he knew, was in fafety by the previous agreement that had been made. Can we then attribute his actions on that day to any other motive in the human mind, but to that deep and fettled malice which conftitutes the act-deliberate murder? * Yet let it be in your remembrance, Gentle men of the Jury, that the more atrocious the.. crime impeached, the clearer ought to be the proof. Every man is, by law, prefumed to be innocent, 'till he is proved to be guilty; and the deeper the guilt that is charged upon any man, the greater fhould be your caution in lending The circumstances of this unhappy trapfaction your belief to the charge. Sift, therefore, the are fhortly there: The late Mr. George Rey evidence that fhall be produced to you in fupnolds thought, upon what grounds I need not port of the profecution, confider the character of mention, that he had received fome injury from the witneffes, weigh the confiftency of their telMr. Keon, for which he was intitled to redref. timony; and if, on any of thefe grounds, you In confequence of that opinion, he fent a mel-find just reafon to doubt of the truth of the acfage to Mr. Keon to meet him according to thofe rales of honour to which our laws give no fanction. Whatever advantage the prifoner can have from this circumftance, that the meflage was fent by Mr. Reynolds, he is entitled to avail himself of it. That meffage was delivered by Mr. Plunket, and it was agreed between them, Mr. Keon, and his friend, that the piftols fhould only be charged with powder, to which mode, it will appear to you, that Mr. Keon entirely acpeded; and it was fettled by all the parties on The evening preceding the day of meeting, that powder only should be made use of on that ocafion Singular as it may feem, it will be learly proved, that the two principals, and he'r friends, knew that, no, balls were to be 4ought to the field on the day of meeting. t is obvious that the only object of this meeting was to preferve the appearance of adhering to i hofe maxims of Honor, which it was conceived on that occafion to be neceflary to obferve; but hat on the part of Mr. Reynolds, or of his end who attended ham, there was no idea enertained of doing or attempting an injury to ny person. On the faith of this agreement Mr. Reynolds, Sttended by Mr. Plunket, came to the place apcolored on the morning of the 16th October, Mr. Reynolds, alighting from his horle, cufation against the prifoner at the bar, never vifit: upon him your indignation against the of fence; but bring in, without hesitation, a verdict of acquittal. Should you, on the other hand, fee no reasonable grounds to doubt upon the evidence of the guilt that is imputed to him, let no weak motive of mistaken lenity lead you to forget what you owe to the community and to your oaths, but difcharge your duty with the firmness that becomes men, to whom the Crown and the Prifoner have appealed on this folemn occafion. It is matter of real fatisfaction to thofe concerned for the profecution to obferve, that the. prifoner comes upon his trial with every poffible advantage which an accused man could defire.A long period has elapled between the accufation and the trial, the prifoner has had ample time to prepare himlelf for his defence, and it cannot be prefumed but that all proper exertions have been made during that interval, to lay his cafe before you in the most favourable, light.A relpectable Jury, composed of gentlemen, to not one of whom the prifoner has himself any. objection, is empanelled to try him; the Counfel inftructed to defend him, are in the first rank of their profeffion; and last of all, he has the united wildom of this Court, whom the huma→ nity of the law makes counfel for the prifoner, to guard him against any illegal proceedings. First Witness, James Plunkett, Efq; Examined by Mr. Caldbeck. Q. Did you know George Nugent Reynolds ? A. I did. Q. What was it? A. He was shot by Mr. Robert Keon. A. On Monday the 26th of October, 1786. Q. Do you remember any thing that happened previous to the meeting between Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Keon, and tell the whole of the transaction? A. I faw Mr. Keon the night before at his own house, or his brother's, I do not know which. I had gone to it by the defire of Mr. Reynolds. I had a converfation with Mr. Keon, about the bufinefs Mr. Reynolds had fent me about; I had met Mr. Robert Keon and his brother at the door, and they asked me in. They had been drinking punch, and after a few glaffes, I faid, I was very forry that any difference had taken place between Mr. Robert Keon and Mr. Reynolds, and that I wished to accommodate the difference. Q. What was the answer to that? A. All the Mr. Keons faid that Mr. Reynolds had used them fo ill, and particularly their brother Robert, by letters written to him, that it was impoffible.-There was one of the brothers, Mr. Edward Keon, feemed more inclined to settle than the rest. Q. What did you in confequence thereof ? ' Q Did you propose any means? Q. What were they? A. I propofed to him, that as I was to be friend to Mr. Reynolds, he fhould be friend to his brother; that we should contrive to charge the piltols with powder, Alfhot might pals between them, and the public fhould know nothing of this, and the affair might thus be fet uled. Q Was there any further converfation about this business? A. Yes. After this was agreed upon we returned to the room, where we left the reft drinking. After a short space of time, for fear of any mittake, i called out Mr. Ned Keon again, to Temind bit of our agreement. I asked him if he had a perfect recollection of it, he said he had, and the whole of the agreement was again r peated. Q Do you know who repeated it? A. I cannot tell whether it was repeated b Mr. Edward Keon or myfelf; but I am sure i was repeated by one of us. QDid the prifoner know any thing of thi agreement? A. He did, Q. How do you know that? A. I, fhortly after my return with Mr. Ed. ward Keon, went to the door of the house, accompanied by Mr. Edward Keon, and Mr. Robert Keon with him.-I thereupon told him that we had fettled it in fuch a manner, as that nothing could happen to either of them, as they were both to fire with powder. Q What did the prifoner say? A. He at first objected, and refused to comply; but he afterwards faid to me “do as you please." Q. When did you next fee Mr. Keon? Q. What was it? A. I acquainted him with the agreement. the deceafed's mind thereby? Q What impreffion did you wish to make on Robert Keon was convinced that no injury could A. I wished to imprefs him with an idea that be fuftained by the meeting. Q Did Mr. Reynolds give any directions to -you, and what were they? piftols myself with powder, and not to trull it to A. He defired me to be careful to charge the them. Q. Whom did he mean by them? A. He meant either Robert or Edward Keon. Q. In whofe company? A. In the company of Mr. Reynolds ? A. One cafe between us, which my fervans carried unloaded. Q Where were you to meet Mr. Keon ? A. I thought. it had been on the hill of Shee- Q Did you fee the prifoner there? are not now on their trials.-What did you thea do? A. I leaped into where I faw them in the field. Q What did Mr. Reynolds do? as I understood.-My mare had farted at the report of the fhot, and I loft my reins, but I never law Mr. Reynolds ftir or speak after. Q. Did you fee Mr. Reynolds after, fo as to fee where he was wounded? A. Yes. The wound was over the eye, and the ball was extracted at the back of his head. A. I cannot fay whether they had any other this ? weapon or not. Q. Had Mr. Reynolds any weapon? A. I am certain he had no weapon but a small whip, unless he had it concealed. Q. Could he have any concealed weapon unknown to you? A. I am fure he had no concealed weapon, Q Had you any weapon? A. None but a whip. Q Did you do any thing in confequence of all A. I exclaimed, have murdered the gentleman, you villain," or fomewhat of horror, at the act. you Q. What happened thereon? A. My fervant ftruck at my horfe, and bid me ride away as faft I could, elfe I should be murdered. Q. Did you take his advice? Q. Did any thing pals between you and Mr. and a man galloping after me. Robert Keon? A. Yes. Q. What was it? A. poke to Mr. Robert Keon, and begged he would behave politely to Mr. Keynolds, as I had inftructed M.. Reynolds to do fo to him. Q. What answer did Mr. Keon give you 2 A. He faid he would act as he ought. Q. What followed this? A. Mr. Robert Keun went up towards Mr. 1 Reynolds, and I rode forward to Mr. Edward Keon, feeing fuch a preparation, to ask him the Frealon for it, and to learn if any change had taken Good mor place. I heard Mr. Reynolds fay, Tsow, Mr. Keon ;" and I heard Mr. Robert Keon fay fomething in return, and I think it bea gan with either the word rafcal or Scoundrel; but I cannot positively lay whether the fhot or the expreffion made me turn about; but when I turned, I faw M. Reynolds with his hand to his hat, eiI ther lifting it from, or to his head, the blood Ta gushing from his head, and he instantly falra ling. Q. Did you fee. Reynolds fall? Q. Did his hat fall in his hand ? A. I cannot tell whether it did or not? Q In what fituation was Mr. Robert Keon? A. He was inclined forward, his hand stretched on forward, and a pistol in it. Q. Did you lee any fioke? A. I cannot recolle&t whether I did or not. a' Q. What distance was Mr. Keon from Mr. He Reynolds ? A. As they stood from me it appeared to be we about two or three yards, but I understood from L others it was nearer. Na Q. Was there any other person near Mr. Keon The befides Mr. Reynolds ? A. Yes, my fervant was fo near, that if he hmiffed Mr. Reynolds, he muft (a. I believe) have killed either the hoife which my fervant rode, or et my fervant. .t QWh is that fervant's name? A. Lake Teruan. A. I did. But as I was getting away, I saw Mr. Ambrofe Keon with a piftol in each hand, I called to my fervant for one of my pistols, and he told me they could be of no use to me, as they were not charged. I took one of my piftols from him, and the man who rode after me defifted from his purfuit, and rode back. Craft-examined by the Prime Serjeant. Q. What is the practice, Mr. Plunket, on thele occafions as to charging the piftols? A. I apprehend that it is ufual to charge them on the ground. QWas there not an agreement that Mr. Keon was to be affaulted? A. No there was no fuch agreement. Q Did you not hear of, or insist upon it, that Mr. Reynolds muft ftrike Mr. Keon? A. I never did hear or infilt upon fuch a ching. Q. Were you a spectator of what had happened in the intermediate time after you had paffed Mr. Keon? A. No: lave hearing the fhot or word. Q. How much farther on was Mr. Edward Keon? A. He was about fifteen yards farther on tham Mr. Robert Keon. QIo what fituation were Mr. Keon and Mr. Reynolds with regard to you? A. Mr. Robert Kean was nearer to me than Mr. Reynolds, and Mr. Keon had his back towards me. Q. Did you, or did you not, deliver Mr. Robert Keon a meffage ? Q Did Mr. Reynolds do any thing after this? in our next. |