Antrim County, Ireland. Genealogy and History. Outrage or Police Reports, 1835 & 1836 ©Jane Lyons

The Chief Constables of the police force were required to write reports to their superiors on incidents in their localities. These reports are called 'Outrage Reports' and while not all are extant, some are and stored in the National Archives of Ireland. They are sorted, by year and by county. The following is a selection of reports for the year 1835/36 relating to County Antrim. The report as written and sent to the superior. The Chief Magistrate, reads each report and gave it a title or description in order that it could be listed in an index. He also marked his date of reading on the report. Only a few such dates are included here, but all are within a few days of the report being written by the Chief Constable. Some of these reports are easy to read while others are indecipherable or almost so usually because of the handwriting but sometimes because of the fact that the ink has faded in the intervening years. The indices to these Outrage reports are on the open shelves in the National Archives, Dublin, regardless of whether or not the original document has survived.

This page will be added to as reports are transcribed. Information as pertaining to a parish (civil) is being indexed by parish. The number before any report that you read, simply represents the positioning of the document in any bundle for any month. It is not part of any official index

Dec 1835 - Jany 1836 :

Parishes : Antrim - Loughguile - Miscellaneous - Ballintoy - Ahoghill - Newtown Crommelin

Antrim December 31st 1835

1. Waylaying

On the night of 24th inst. As a man named Chism, a Protestant living in the Parish and Barony of Antrim was returning from the market of this town he was overtaken by nine men who asked him his name and on answering they told him that it was a bad name to go to the (?C)haple, they then knocked him down saying he was an Orangeman also that they would make him to be more civil to his mothers side of the name – she being a Roman Catholic The parties are all unknown to Chism but one of the name of them a catholic. Chism has been confined to bed from the injury he dist….. and has not yet lodged information against them
J. Wright

Loughguile Ballymena
2. 23rd May 1836

Sir,
I have the honor to acquaint you that on the night of Saturday 21st Instant a man named Patrick Laverty who resided within a mile of Loughguile when returning from Ballymena, where he had been with a load of lime, received a wound in the neck supported by a bayonet from some person unknown of which wound he died the following day. Laverty was discovered at his own door about eleven o’clock at night, speechless, the horse having taken him home.
I regret that at present there is no clue to discover the Perpetrator of this violent outrage. You may rest assured that every exertion shall be made to bring them to justice.
I respectfully beg leave to suggest the propriety of offering a reward.
I have the honor to be
Sir,
Your obedient Humble Servant
J. Dyas.
Resident Magistrate.

Miscellaneous:

3. To: L (or S.) Drummond Esq.,
Dublin Castle.

Note on page: Reward of £50 to be offered JD. May 25th

4. Next (manuscript) not possible to read.

Ballymoney 14th Jany 1836
5. ?Bunning

On the night of the 10th instant the ……. Of Daniel McCohan, a Protestant from Ballintay (?Ballintoy)in the county of Antrim, Barony of Carry was set fire to and instantly consumed.
The fire was (?preserved) about eight p.m. had it taken place after McCohan’s family had retired to rest there is little doubt the whole concern would have been destroyed as it required great exertion to save the House, the turf stacks being immediately adjoining them. McCohan strongly suspects a neighbour of his for having committed this act as he had frequently threatened to injure him.
J.??ton C.C.
To: The Inspector General Dungannon.

12th Janry 1836
6. Assault which caused Death, Portglenone.

On the eveng of the 1st of Novr. 1835, John Murry, Catholic of Gilgorm, in the Parish of Ahoghill, Barony of Lower Toome, went to the house of Rebecca Bamber (Bainber?), Protestant of same place, and made use of most indecent, insinuating language and called her app……us names, on which she struck him on the head with a Crook – for which the factions appeared at the following Petty Sessions at Aghoghill, when Mssrs. Jones & O’Hara, Magistrates adjudged that as Murry had been the aggressor and brought the assault on himself, from his very improper conduct, he should be fined one shilling – it appears that subsequently the cut in his head became worse, altho’ at first it did not confine him to his house – and on the night of the 10th instant he died – Yesterday, the 11th Inst. And inquest was held by Peter Cucken Esq., Coroner and a verdict returned “that Murry came of his death in ‘consequence of a blow which was inflicted on his head by Rebecca Bamber, on the eveng. Of the 1st Novr. Last”
She has been committed by Mr. Cuikin –
Chev. L. Kemmis (Kennitt?)
Chief Constable
To the Inspector General Dungannon

8. Burglery, Portglenone 19th Jany 1836
On the night of the 15th or morning of the 16th Instant, a Flax Mill, the property of Joseph Dixon, Protestant of Cullybecky in the Parish of Ahoghill, and barony of Lower Toome, was broken into and robbed of flax to the value of Thirty Shillings –
No steps have been taken by the owner to ascertain who the perpetrators were and the circumstance has only come to my knowledge this afternoon.
Chev L. Kemmis or Kennett
Chief Constable

To the Inspr General at Dungannon

7. Assaults and Firing at the Police Ballymena 22nd Jany 1836

Constable ?Sprotten (?Sputten) stationed at Newtown Creevlin? Reports that on the night of the 20th inst., Thomas McCluney (or McClucy), Moses Anderson, Henry Killop and Danl McCay, able Protestants were attacked and assaulted on the way from this town of Newtown Cremmelin in the Parish of Newtown Cremmelin and Barony of Kilconay? By several persons some of whom had fire arms.
On Constable Sprotten hearing of this outrage he turned and with tow of his men and went in the direction where the men stated that they had been assaulted and fell in with some men on the road, who on being challenged by the Police fired two shots which the Police returned with two rounds each man. But the night being very dark the assailants all excaped (sic). It appears that those persons were assisting a ……. Of Mr. C…… named Delayey also a Protestant to carry off his crop and prevent it destined for ?Bench. I will make every exertion to find out the persons concerned in this outrage and report the particulars. I was from house in the upper part of the County since Thursday which prevented my reporting this outrage.
E.S. ?Fletcher
Sub inspector
Co. Antrim