Just reading about Thomas Hartley Montgomery, the only Irish police office to receive the death penalty for murder (he was hanged in 1873) and it's like a 19thC Omagh-based version of #Bloodlands cotyroneireland.com/traumatic/newt…
He killed William Glass, a clerk at the Northern Bank in Newtownstewart, and then made off with £1,600. To cover his tracks, Montgomery took over the investigation into the murder.
It all looked to be going Sub-Inspector Montgomery's way until witnesses came forward to say that they'd seen Montgomery leaving the bank an hour before the body was found and his colleagues realised that M was in major financial difficulties.
Before Montgomery was hanged he was ministered to by 3 ministers (2 CoI and 1 Methodist) who said he was very repentant. Still, he was executed in Omagh Gaol on 26 August 1873.
Very much up for a Museum of Omagh! bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northe…
Very much up for a Museum of Omagh! bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northe…
Much to the displeasure of the press, and Mr Joseph Smythe of the coroner's court, the prison authorities only allowed 1 representative from each of the Irish, Scottish, and English press to attend the execution, instead of having it open to any representative of the press.
This regulation was 'made in consequence of some reporter having "interviewed" Montgomery after his conviction'.
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