A shocking tale of an alleged police plot has recently come to light in Canada, revealing a remarkable story of injustice and tragedy. The incident revolves around the confession of a dying burglar, who admitted to perpetrating the infamous Kilbane murder in County Limerick, Ireland, back in August 1902.

The Kilbane murder was a perplexing and mysterious case. Two labourers, Sullivan and Clifford, were found with their throats brutally slashed after sleeping together one fateful night. The wounds on the victims were distinct, with one being inflicted from right to left, and the other from left to right. As investigations ensued, one of the men was found dead, while the other, upon recovery, was charged with the heinous crime. However, despite three trials, the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision, resulting in the man’s deportation to a Crown Colony as the Crown couldn’t secure a conviction.

Now, a dying burglar’s confession in Canada has cast a shadow of doubt on the conviction. He confessed to being the true perpetrator of the Kilbane murder, claiming that the man accused and deported was entirely innocent. The confession has also shed light on another case – the murder of a farmer named Donovan, for which an innocent man named Twiss was hanged in Cork a few years ago.

Twiss had vehemently protested his innocence on two occasions before being executed. Alderman Meade, who served as the Mayor of Cork during the execution, has expressed his firm belief that an innocent man was unjustly hanged. In an interview, he recalled a meeting in Dublin where he accused a constabulary official of knowing Twiss’s innocence and attempting to manipulate him into implicating a well-known Cork citizen as an accomplice. The official purportedly offered a reward of £100 and a free pardon in exchange for Twiss’s false testimony, an offer that Twiss vehemently rejected.

Alderman Meade’s courageous revelation about the alleged police plot was met with threats of legal action from the official in question. However, the official never pursued the case further, seemingly aware that the Government possessed compelling evidence attesting to Twiss’s innocence. Despite some circumstantial evidence against Twiss, Alderman Meade firmly believes that the Government had stronger evidence proving his innocence, yet he was tragically executed for a crime he did not commit. This revelation has reignited discussions surrounding the questionable practices of law enforcement and the urgent need for justice in such cases.

Derby Daily Telegraph – Tuesday 07 March 1905