Murder of Joseph Anthony Leonard
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From Danny’s Files: The Rest of the Story of the Murder on Glenmore Hill
In one of his many notebooks, Danny Dowling (1927-2021) recorded contemporary newspaper accounts regarding the executions of three local men for murder in 1834. Patrick Meany, a native of Glenmore, had moved to Rosbercon and was convicted and executed for conspiring to kill his landlord Joseph Anthony Leonard, Esq. Please see our post of 9 February 2020 for the shocking details of how the murder was perpetrated and details of Philip Malone’s trial. Perhaps the biggest surprise Danny discovered and recorded in his notebook concerned Meany’s corpse after his execution. The place of the murder, and two of the executions arising from it, took place at the site of the murder just about a mile east of the N 25 Glenmore roundabout.
Danny found and recorded the following articles from the Waterford Mail newspaper.
Robert Malone (?-1834)
On Saturday the 26th of July 1834 at the Kilkenny County Assizes Robert Malone was convicted of the murder of Joseph Anthony Leonard, Esq. Robert Malone was sentenced to be hanged. The newspaper article noted, “It will be recollected that last Assizes his brother, Philip Malone, suffered for the same murder” (Waterford Mail, Mon. 28 July 1834).
After being found guilty and sentenced when Robert Malone was being taken from the court to the gaol “he exhibited great and disgusting levity. His execution took place in front of the gaol. Among the very great assemblage that witnessed his ignominious end, all seemed to think that he deserved his fate” (Waterford Mail, Wed. 30 July 1834.) [It is not clear why Robert Malone was executed outside the gaol in Kilkenny City after his brother Philip Malone was executed at the place of the murder on the Hill of Glenmore on the old mail coach road between Waterford and New Ross. Later Patrick Meany was also executed at the place of the murder.]
Patrick Meany (c. 1784-1834)
Patrick Meany was tried on Monday the 28th of July 1834 for conspiring to murder his landlord, Joseph Anthony Leonard, Esq. and inciting others to commit the murder. The jury was out for three hours and returned at 8 P.M. The jury returned a guilty verdict “The judge pronounced the culprit’s awful doom—to be hanged on Thursday.” The newspaper noted that Meany was the owner of the goods [cattle] Mr. Leonard had distrained (Waterford Mail, Wed. 30 July 1834).
The execution of Patrick Meany was set to take place on Tuesday the 12th of August at the scene of the murder (Waterford Mail, Sat. 2 Aug. 1834).
The Execution
“Another of the misguided persons concerned in the sanguinary murder of the late estimable Joseph Anthony Leonard, Esq. atoned for his share in the dreadful deed yesterday, at Shanbo (sic), the scene of the consummation, within three miles of New Ross, and 9 of this city. The malefactor upon this occasion was Patrick Meany…”
“An immense concourse of persons assembled yesterday to witness Meany’s ignominious departure from this world. A strong force of cavalry, infantry and police was also collected. The culprit—who seemed a man advanced at least to middle age—appeared to suffer very much from exhaustion, so much so that he was obliged to depute to his Reverend attendant the duty of addressing the immense multitude…”
“Although he expressed his contrition for having uttered denunciation against his prosecutor, he died without acknowledging the justice of the sentence or declaring his innocence. Soon afterwards the culprit was launched into eternity and the motely group of spectators separated. Five children we are informed, witnessed the execution of their guilty parent.”
Since the above was in type we received the following from a correspondent.
New Ross, August 12—Patrick Meany …was executed at the scene of the murder and where Philip Malone, one of the perpetrators of the murder, was executed on last St. Patrick’s Day. Meany was present at Philip Malone’s execution and also travelled to Kilkenny to attend the execution of Robert Malone during the last assizes.
“At half past eleven the cavalcade, consisting principally of the 9th Lancers, passed through New Ross. The unhappy individual who was the object of this mournful procession was seated in a chaise receiving religious consolation from his clergyman. He appeared to be fully sensible of his awful situation. If this could be a criterion to judge by he was fully resigned to meet his fate in a becoming and Christian like manner.”
At New Ross the 32nd Reserve and a large party of constabulary joined the cavalcade as did the Sheriff and Resident Magistrates. When they arrived at the fatal spot Meany descended from the chaise, accompanied by his Clergyman. He kneeled for some time in prayer at the foot of the gallows.
“The grim finisher of the law put the rope about his neck from behind. Meany turned suddenly round, and seemed to shrink from the trial he had to encounter. The Rev. Gentleman interposed his hand to shade his eyes. The man again looked agitated when his arms were being pinioned. When all was ready, he ascended the ladder with a firm step attended by the Rev. Gentleman, who first retired, and then returned again to strengthen the individual about to depart into eternity. He supported him by his back.”
“Meany now seemed weak, and the attentions of his spiritual adviser were continued to the last moment. His cap fell off, but it was quickly readjusted, and the fatal drop having been withdrawn, he died almost instantaneously.”
“Before ascending the gallows, the clergyman told the people that Meany felt sorry for having accused his prosecutor as he did in the Courthouse, that he willingly forgave all men and begged the prayers of all Christians” (Waterford Mail, Wed. 13 Aug. 1834).
The Wake & Burial of Patrick Meany
After having been suspended for some time, the body was taken away in an ass’s car by the family of the criminal, but it was afterwards removed to the Police Station at Rosbercon, to be conveyed back to Kilkenny (Waterford Mail, Wed. 13 Aug. 1834).
The body of Patrick Meany was waked on the night of his execution in the Rosbercon police barracks. His friends were admitted, and the body was interred the next day by the family, in the presence of the police (Waterford Mail, Mon. 18 Aug. 1834).
Generally, by the 19th century executions were public and carried out in front of gaols, and after 1868 executions were required to be held within the confines of the gaols. The corpse of an executed prisoner belonged to the State. Most were buried within the confines of the gaol in an unmarked grave in un-consecrated ground. From the time of Henry VIII authorities provided fresh executed prisoner corpses to doctors for training new doctors in anatomy. Due to religious and other beliefs families sought the bodies of their executed kin. The Meany family is the only family we have found so far that was allowed to wake and bury their father after his execution.
Thirteen years’ later convicted murderer Henry “Bounce” Walsh of Cat’s Rock, Glenmore asked the judge to give his body to his father and the request was refused. See our post of 16 August 2020 regarding the execution of Henry “Bounce” Walsh.
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh