In a courtroom drama that has captured the attention of the nation, William Scanlan faces his third trial for the murder of his sister-in-law, Bridget Gayer, in Charleville, Co. Cork, on July 12, 1909. The trial, which commenced today at the Munster Winter Assizes before Mr Justice Kenny, promises to revisit the haunting details of a crime that has left an indelible mark on the community.
Scanlan, who has maintained his plea of not guilty, appeared in court as the proceedings unfolded, displaying no visible signs of the physical toll exacted by the protracted legal ordeal. The case, marked by its complexity and the high stakes involved, has previously ended in two hung juries, leaving the question of Scanlan’s culpability unresolved.
The prosecution, led by The Attorney General, Sergeant Moriarty, K.C., and Mr P. Lynch, K.C., argued that the evidence against Scanlan is complete and compelling. In a meticulous review of the case, The Attorney General characterized the crime as one of great deliberation and cruelty, describing it as “murder merciless and cowardly.” He emphasized the gravity of the situation, highlighting the potential impact on public perception should the jury not reach a verdict in favour of justice.
The circumstances of the murder paint a grim picture. Scanlan, a native of Co. Limerick, had returned to Feenagh, a village straddling the border of Cork and Limerick, after serving a decade in the American Army. There, he established a small grocery and provision business. The victim, Bridget Gayer, was a member of a local family with whom Scanlan had intricate ties—having married one of the Gayer daughters in 1907.
Tensions had arisen in the Gayer family when Scanlan expressed his desire to marry Bridget. Her mother objected, citing her youth as the primary concern. On the fateful day in 1909, both Scanlan and Bridget were seen in Charleville, with witnesses attesting to their presence on the road outside town and later entering a field near the churchyard. Bridget, tragically, did not return home that night, prompting a frantic search by her parents.
It wasn’t until July 15 that Bridget’s lifeless body was discovered in a field, concealed under branches and partially decomposed. The cause of death was revealed to be strangulation, accompanied by several revolver wounds. Scanlan attempted to establish an alibi by claiming he had ridden to Cahirmee, a nearby town hosting a fair, but the prosecution asserted that he had not ventured beyond Buttevant.
The Attorney General, in laying out the case, urged the jury to consider the overwhelming clarity of the evidence presented and emphasized the need for a righteous verdict. The trial, expected to unfold over many days, marks a critical juncture in a case that has tested the criminal justice system’s ability to resolve a deeply unsettling crime.
As the legal proceedings continue, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on Charleville, where the quest for justice and closure unfolds within the hallowed halls of the Munster Winter Assizes. The outcome of this trial will not only determine Scanlan’s fate but will also shape the collective memory of a community haunted by the echoes of a crime committed over a century ago.
Dublin Daily Express – Tuesday 06 December 1910
