In a peculiar turn of events at Limerick Junction, a gentleman hailing from County Cork, with purported connections to substantial agricultural and financial interests in the region, found himself entangled in a legal matter. The incident, which transpired on the 24th of this month, involved accusations of theft concerning a watch chain and medal belonging to Mr J. J. O’Hea, a commercial traveller.
The accused, identified as Robert Hennessy Irwin, an engineer by profession, faced a charge of stealing the aforementioned items from Mr O’Hea’s possession in the porter’s room at Limerick Junction platform. The proceedings took place before Major Colley in a court held in Tipperary. Irwin, currently in custody, had been remanded for eight days prior to the investigation.
According to evidence presented in court, Mr O’Hea, who admitted to having consumed some alcoholic beverages on the occasion, was warming himself by the fire in the porter’s room. The accused, Irwin, engaged in a conversation with him about the weather. During this interaction, Mr O’Hea felt a hand on his waistcoat and later discovered the theft of a watch chain and medal valued at one shilling. These items were promptly found in Irwin’s possession upon his arrest by a plain-clothes policeman.
As the case unfolded, additional unidentified gold chains were discovered in Irwin’s possession during a subsequent search at the police station. Mr Moriarty, the legal representative, acknowledged the unfortunate nature of the incident, emphasizing that the accused was a gentleman of independent means, closely connected with the late general of the army and a brother-in-law to Col. Woods of Mallow, a Justice of the Peace. Irwin was also noted to have dealings with Messrs. Carroll, well-known stockbrokers in Cork.
Mr Julian Carroll, representing Messrs. J. H. Carroll and Co., attested to Irwin’s honesty and straightforward dealings with their firm, emphasizing that the accused had always been aboveboard in his financial transactions. Additionally, Miss Kate Kinsaw of Queenstown, engaged to Irwin, testified that he was under the influence of alcohol upon returning from Dublin, where he had met some friends and partaken in revelry.
Major Colley expressed doubt regarding the matter, noting the difficulty in proving that an individual was heavily intoxicated. Despite this, he chose to grant the defendant the benefit of the doubt, leading to Irwin’s discharge from custody. The Major emphasized that, due to the lack of evidence supporting the claim of severe inebriation, the court could not proceed with the charges.
This incident sheds light on the intricacies of legal proceedings, the importance of presenting tangible evidence, and the complexities surrounding allegations of theft. The accused, Mr Robert Hennessy Irwin, having faced a moment of legal scrutiny, has been cleared of the charges, leaving the community with a tale that intertwines elements of personal conduct, social standing, and the pursuit of justice.
Dublin Daily Express – Saturday 01 November 1913
