The Times
London, Middlesex, England
Mar 21, 1818

     SHOCKING MURDERS - LIMERICK, March 14 - The bodies of J. Dillane, a respectable farmer, his sister, the widow Costelloe, and her daughter, were found murdered on the lands of Knockfenish, barony of Upper Connelloe, in this county, on Monday last. It appears that these unfortunate persons were at the market of Newcastle on Saturday se'nnight, and after disposing of some pigs, were returning home, waylaid, and murdered; and from that time though diligent search made, no clue could possibly be had to ascertain their fate, until Monday last, when they were found as thus described, in an unfrequented part of a mountain road. It is clear that robbery was not the object of the murders, as all the money which the deceased persons received at the market was found on them. The motive of so dreadful an outrage can only be ascribed to revenge, as it is said that the widow Costelloe, at our last assizes, very properly prosecuted two persons for cow-stealing, who were convicted. Since writing the above, we have learned that an inquest was held on the bodies by S. Harding, Esq. coroner, when a verdict of wilful murder was returned against persons unknown. The necks of the unfortunate sufferers were broken and their bodies not only had the appearance of violence, but parts of them were mutilated.--Limerick Chronicle.