John Ruxton, of Dunleer, second Witness for the Crown, produced and sworn, examined as follows by Mr Saurin: –
Q. Do you recollect the 26th of December, 1792?
A. I do very well.
Q. Where were you that day?
A. I dined and slept at Sir Patrick Bellew’s, at Barmeath.
Q. Did you see Mr Francis Bellew there?
A. I saw him several times in the day, and saw him at dinner.
Q. Do you recollect anything of guns being cleaned in the house that day?
A. I do; some short time before dinner I heard some squibs or shots fired in the yard; an old servant-maid of the house came to the door of the room where I was and said they would frighten Mrs Donelan (who I knew was then in a particular situation) out of her life by their firing; I immediately went down stairs to the servants’ hall; I saw Mr Francis Belew coming from another out-office towards the hall, he went in to the hall just before me; I found Sir Patrick Bellew’s sportsman and another servant cleaning guns; I asked them (rather hastily) why they would be so inconsiderate as to be firing shots in the manner they had about the house, as they knew Mrs Donelan’s situation and would frighten her very much; they answered they were cleaning and preparing the guns, having received directions from Sir Patrick Bellew so to do, he being determined if attacked not to give up his arms, as others had done; Mr Francis Bellew, who was there, said nearly the same thing and I heard Sir Patrick Bellew in my presence in the course of that day and the evening frequently say that he would defend himself if attacked.
Q. Did you see anything done with the guns afterwards?
A. Nothing, except that I saw them brought from the servants’ hall into the house.
Q. Did Mr Francis Bellew dine that day at Barmeath?
A. He did.
Q. Do you recollect whether he quitted the room soon after dinner?
A. He got up from table shortly after dinner and staid away some short time and came back and said he heard some shots firing towards Dunleer.
Q. Did he go out of the room more than once?
A. He went out two or three times, staid away but a short time and came back; I had curiosity on his mentioning he heard shots fired to go once to the door myself and I heard some shots firing.
Q. Did you see him at home during the greater part of the evening?
A. I saw him at home generally during that evening.
Q. How far is the Cross of Grange from Barmeath?
A. Including the avenue from the house to the gate, I believe it is a little more than half a mile.
Q. Then a person could go there in a short time?
A. Certainly.
Cross Examined by Mr William Bellew.
Q. You mentioned that you were at Barmeath on the 26th December, 1792?
A. I was.
Q. Had you seen Mr Francis Bellew frequently that day?
A. I had, we had both been out hunting in the morning.
Q. Did you collect from any conversation with him any thing that could induce you to suppose he would join or support the Defenders?
A. I did not by any means.
Q. You mentioned something concerning guns being cleaned that day in the house, and that you were told it was done by the directions of Sir Patrick Bellew, as he was determined to defend himself, if attacked and wished to be prepared?
A. I did.
Q. Now do you believe that there was any other reason for cleaning the guns, and from what you have seen and heard, do you think the reason assigned to you was the true one?
A. I believe there was no other reason, and that the answer given to me was the truth.
Q. Did you hear or see anything in Barmeath, or from Mr Francis Bellew on that day, that could induce you to believe any thing was intended, beyond merely cleaning the guns for the purpose mentioned?
A. Nothing.
Q. You mentioned that Mr Francis Bellew got up from table shortly after dinner, and was away for a short time?
A. I did.
Q. You have frequently been at Barmeath, in the course of your profession, and from what you know of the general time of dining in that house, at what hour do you suppose the family went to dinner that day?
A. I should suppose from the general hour of dining, it was about half past six.
Q. Did Mr Francis Bellew remain at table until the ladies had quitted the room?
A. He did, he remained to take two or three glasses of wine after they had quitted the room.
Q. Supposing it to be about half past six when the family sat down to dinner, from your knowledge of the time which in that house is usually spent at dinner, what do you suppose it to be when the ladies quitted the room?
A. I should suppose it to be about half past eight.
Q. From what you know from having sometimes dined at Barmeath, was it usual with Mr Francis Bellew to sit as long at table after dinner as the rest of the family?
A. He usually got up from table after two or three glasses of wine, after the ladies left the room.
Q. You mentioned that he went out of the room and returned again two or three times, did he when he returned appear as if he had been riding?
A. Not at all.
Q. Had he changed his dress or put on boots?
A. No, he had dressed as usual for dinner, had put on shoes, and when he had returned having left the room, was in his shoes and stockings and in every respect dressed as whilst at dinner.
Q. You say he was but a short time away before he returned to the room and said he heard shots firing?
A. He was away but a short time.
Q. Was it not in the middle of winter, and the roads were probably pretty dirty?
A. It was on the 26th December.
Q. Do you think if he had been out riding in his shoes and stockings or otherwise, you would not from some mark or appearance about his dress or person, have perceived it?
A. I think I should, and from everything I saw, I have not any idea that he had been riding.
Q. You mentioned that it was something more than half a mile from the Cross of Grange to the house of Barmeath now, if he had rode that distance as fast as he possibly could, do you think at the time of the year it then was, it would have put his horse and himself in a violent sweat, or make them as described by the witness who has just been examined.
A. I don’t think it is possible it should.
To be continued …