Title

The late murderer of Mary Ann Clarke - [John Ahern, drawn by Charles Rodius].

Author

Maitland Mercury.

Source

Maitland Mercury (Maitland, NSW)

Details

14 June 1845, page 3, columns 1,2.

Publication date

14 June 1845

Type

News

Language

English

Country of context

Australia

Full text

THE LATE MURDER OF MARY ANN CLARKE.—INQUEST ON THE BODY.
(From our Correspondent.)

This morning (Thursday) hundreds of individuals who had been disappointed of getting a view of John Ahern, the supposed murderer, on his arrival by the steamer from Maitland on Tuesday evening, in consequence of his being removed there from to Goat Island, by the order of the Chief Commissioner of Police, crowded the police office yard and its vicinity at an early hour, the adjourned inquest on the body of the unfortunate girl, Mary Ann Clarke, having been appointed to be held in the western court of the building, this day.

At twenty minutes to eleven a.m. the jury assembled, and the prisoner, who had been conducted under a strong escort of police, to protect him from anticipated violence from the mob, was placed before them. His appearance was anything but prepossessing, being a man of cadaverous countenance, deeply pockpitted, and strongly marked with an expression of determined hardihood, apparently callous to all outward impressions. He is a native of Fermoy, in the county of Cork, Ireland, of 41 years of age, 5 feet 5 inches in height, and square built. It appeared, from a certificate of freedom, found on his person, that he was tried at Waterford, in the year 1828, for shoplifting, and transported for seven years to this colony. Mr. Rhodius, the artist, was in attendance, and took a sketch of the prisoner as he stood at the bar. …

[The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser, 14 June 1845, p.3, col.1,2.]
 

Last Updated

26 Aug 2022