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In January 1846 nearly every newspaper in the country carried multiple articles concerning starvation and “outrages,” which included threats, attacks and murders. One article that was included was a mysterious death in Ballyhobuck, Glenmore that one newspaper listed in their murder column. The deceased that garnered such attention was John Crosby (c. 1796-1846) a saddler by trade, from Dublin, who was approximately 50 years of age and working in the Glenmore area for the previous four years. On Sunday the 25^th of January 1846, John Crosby was last seen alive by a constable near the Mile Post. His corpse was found the following morning on the High Road, the former main road between Waterford and New Ross, in Ballyhobuck, Glenmore.

The account below was taken primarily from the Kilkenny Journal & Leinster Commercial & Literary Advertiser (Wed. 28 January 1846, p. 4). Extra or differing facts reported in other newspapers and explanations are contained in square brackets.

The Deceased John Crosby (c. 1796-1848)

On Wednesday, the 21^st, Mr. Izod held an inquest at Ballyhobuck, near Glanmore (sic) on the body of a man named John Crosby, a saddler by trade, from Dublin, and about 50 years of age. [Mr. Izod the Coroner of County Kilkenny, upon arriving at the scene on Wednesday the 21^st of January, “a jury was sworn on the spot” and while a post mortem was being performed, by Dr. James Boyd, the deceased was identified. The deceased was described as a quiet man and not known to have a quarrel with anyone. (Waterford Mail, Sat. 24 Jan. 1846, p. 2)].

Deceased was occasionally employed by the farmers in that neighbourhood, and, about 4 o’clock in the evening of the previous Sunday, was seen by a policeman near the Mile Post. From his appearance, the policeman conceived him to be drunk, but on entering into a conversation with him discovered that such was not the case, but that he seemed weak.

The Scene

About three miles onward, on the old Waterford and Ross Road [today called the High Road], at Ballyhobuck, he was subsequently discovered dead, and lying by the ditch. Six or seven yards from the body, there was a stream of blood on the centre of the road, which is very rough and having a quick descent. At the commencement of the run of blood there were stones fixed in the road, which might have inflicted the injuries apparent on the head of deceased, had he fallen thereon sideways with considerable force, to effect which he should have been running at the time.

The Deceased’s Injuries

There was a puncture wound on the head, baring the skull, which was fractured, with extravasation of blood underneath, causing death. [Extravasation refers to the leakage of fluids]. [There were marks of violence upon the body, consisting of several wounds on the hand and arm, all on the right side. The principal wound that caused his death was one likely to be produced by the blow of a blunt instrument inflicted with force—that it and all the other wounds might have occurred from a fall with great force whilst running, and that he might have been able to get up and walk afterwards to the ditch (Waterford Mail, Sat. 24 Jan. 1846, p. 2).

No food had been in the stomach for six hours before death, nor was there any trace of intoxicating liquor; consequently the man, from weakness, was not supposed to be likely to run so as to endanger life. The medical witness also stated that a blow of a stick or blunt instrument, would have inflicted the injury received.

 A noise, as of persons in anger, had been heard near where the body lay, at about the time the deceased may have been passing there. He might also, it seemed, have recovered sufficiently to move from the spot where he had first fallen, to where he was subsequently found. [There was no noise heard the evening before by anyone in the neighbourhood, except the voices of a few men about 9 o’clock as if passing by quietly (Waterford Mail, Sat. 24 Jan. 1846, p. 2)].

The Verdict

The respectable jury found that “death from the effect of a blow or injury to the head.” [After evidence was summed up the jury returned a verdict “that Crosby’s death was occasioned by a wound on the right side of the head, but whether the blow was effected by design or accident they could not determine (Waterford Mail, Sat. 24 Jan. 1846, p. 2)].

Evidence Viewed Today

One hundred and seventy-eight years have passed and modern forensics might have been able to shed light on this death if sketches of the injuries had been recorded and kept. In fact the death of John Crosby occurred about four decades before the world was introduced to the fictional Sherlock Holmes. Although fictional Sherlock Holmes helped shape forensics and he would have been searching for trace evidence in the deceased’s wounds. There is little doubt that a man weak from not eating could fall on a roadway and injure himself, however it is unlikely that such a collapse would lead to such an extensive injury to the right side of the deceased’s head causing his skull to be exposed and fractured. 

Additionally, wounds to his right hand suggests that if he fell he was able to get his right hand out to break his fall. However, this would not account for the injuries to his right arm unless the injuries were on the lower arm. Although it was not discussed, at least not in the newspaper accounts, could the injuries to his right hand and arm have been what today are called defensive wounds? If so, the death was not an accident.

No time of death was established and probably could not have been established in 1846. We know the deceased was last seen alive at the Mile Post on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. and was found dead in the road on Monday morning.  Did he die while walking on Sunday afternoon or did he die late on Sunday or early Monday? Today it seems odd that no passerby found his corpse until Monday, but before automobiles on a cold winter’s night there were probably not a lot of people traveling along that road.

What do you think murder or an accident from being weak from hunger?

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh

For further information and maps of the High Road see our post of 14 December 2019.