Matthew Hourigan

In 1847, Matthew Hourigan assaulted and killed Henry Caldicott, a ticket-o- leave man who was visiting Ipswich on a holiday. Hourigan appeared in Court in Sydney on 30 December 1847 and he was sentenced to five years working on a road gang, three years in chains.

The Moreton Bay Courier reported on 13 November 1847:

The town has just been thrown into a state of excitement by the murder of a ticket-of-leave holder, named Henry Caldicott. The unfortunate man shortly after receiving his ticket, about twelve months back, went to work as a butcher for Mr. White of the Logan; and the boiling down season being over, he came to Limestone to pass a few days, no doubt little dreaming of a fatal termination of his visit. Like most of his class, he continued constantly drinking, and while in this state he either spoke to or at another ticket-of-leave man, named Mat Horrigan, an Irishman, who immediately commenced pelting him with brickbats and bones, one of which having struck him on the left side of the head, caused his death in about ten minutes, notwithstanding all the efforts employed by Dr. Dorsey. Horrigan, on committing the dastardly assault, decamped, but, through the vigilance of the police, life had not departed from his victim five minutes, ere he was in the hands of the constable.

 

The Moreton Bay Courier reported on 20 November 1847:

William Slack, a lad twelve years of age, on being questioned as to his knowledge of the responsibilities of an oath, gave satisfactory answers, and was then examined: That is the man (pointing to the deceased) who was struck by this man (pointing to the prisoner.)  It was near the door of the butcher's shop; I was near the door of the butcher's shop; I was standing near the place, when prisoner hit deceased with a bone which he picked up. Deceased after receiving the blow, went a short distance, and fell down; I think deceased was outside the fence when the prisoner struck him; but I am not sure. I know the bone produced in court; it was the same with which the prisoner hit the deceased, as I went afterwards and picket it up, while the people came round the deceased.

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