Hello everyone, An item from the Derry Journal, February 27 1893
Extraordinary Outrage near Donemana: The House of Catherine Fawcett Levelled and Burned On the night of the 21st instant, two men attacked the house of CATHERINE FAWCETT in the townland of Aghafad, about four miles from Donemana, with crowbars, and levelled it to the ground, the woman and her family having scarcely time to get out before the roof fell in, although she had begged them for God’s sake to stop and leave them until morning, as one of her children was very ill, but after consulting a third party they returned and finished their fiendish work. The unfortunate woman and her family of small children had to remain on the roadside until morning, when they were taken into a neighbour’s house. During the time they remained on the road they were compelled by the intense and bitter cold to light a fire on the roadside with the woodwork from the burned dwelling. Sergeant MURPHY of Donemana, having been apprised of the matter, proceeded to the scene and arrested GEORGE HOUGHEY [HUGHEY], who lives in the vicinity, and he was afterwards identified by Catherine Fawcett’s daughter as one of the men concerned in the outrage. He was brought to Donemana, where the depositions having been taken, he was remanded to Derry Jail for eight days. District Inspector PEARSON and Head-Constable ROBINSON, from Strabane, visited the place on Wednesday, and took some casts of footprints found in the vicinity. During the time the unfortunate family were on the road they had the mortification of seeing the roof, which had fallen in, taking fire, and before anything could be done to stop it every vestige of wood and thatch were burned, nothing being left except the blackened walls. The woman Fawcett came to reside in the cabin about sixteen years ago. The mother and sick child were removed to the workhouse on Wednesday last. The child lies in a precarious state A tragedy for a poor family who had lost their home and were reduced to seeking shelter in the workhouse. Life in the old days could be very tough. Regards, Len Swindley, Melbourne, Australia Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10
_______________________________________________ CoTyroneList mailing list [email protected] http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/cotyronelist_cotyroneireland.com
