The Times
London, Middlesex, England
Feb. 6, 1818

MURDER AT PATRICK'S-WELL

     Tuesday morning, Jan. 27, at three o'clock, a party of men exceeding 20, well armed, knocked at the door of Mr. Christopher Sparling, a respectable householder of the village of Patrick's-well in this county (Limerick), and demanded a poor stranger, who had taken up his lodging there in the capacity of a schoolmaster. The demand was resolutely refused, on which the ruffians broke in the windows, entered the house; they then committed every description of violence, broke the furniture, beat Sparling, his man-servant, and the schoolmaster, in the most cruel manner, and even the females did not escape their brutality. A young man, named Samuel Cross, who had been on a visit at Sparling's, in endeavouring to keep the door of the room where he slept was shot through the head, of which he instantly died. Several magistrates, with Major General O'Loghlin, attended at Patrick's Well, where depositions were received, which we trust may lead us to the apprehension of the perpetrators.
     Cross was an inhabitant of this city, between 20 and 21 years of age; his body was last night brought to his afflicted parents in William-street, where they lately commenced business. The wounds which Mr. Sparling has received are of an alarming nature. He made a most determined resistance, and finding that a yeomanry musket, which he had did not go off, he beat two of his assailants with the stock of it, in such a manner that they were taken out of his house by their comrades, and blood traced on the road they went for a considerable distance.
     The night of the above outrage, several notices of an illegal tendency were posted on farmers' doors in the neighbourhood of Patrick's Well.--Limerick Chronicle