The preliminary hearing of the accused Robert Andrew McGladdery was heard in early April 1961 and the Newry Reporter of that week contained details of the evidence. I quote liberally from that.

‘Yesterday after a hearing lasting seven days in which fifty seven witnesses were called for the Crown, Robert Andrew McGladdery (aged 24 years) was returned for trial on a charge of murdering 19-year-old Pearl Gamble of Upper Damolly on January 28^th 1961 …’

Much of that day’s evidence centred on whether, at that stage, the lawyer for the Crown Mr Babington might have leave from the RM to treat Mrs McGladdery, mother of the accused as a ‘hostile witness’, though she was named as his own witness. His argument was that she had given two contradictory statements. Leave was not given. It would entail the cross-examination of a witness which was the preserve of a trial proper, if one should be held. This was merely a preliminary hearing and it would be up to 6-8 months before the trial, if any, might commence.

He got to make his point nevertheless.

Interviewed by police soon after the grisly murder, Mrs McGladdery had testified that her son Robert had been ‘getting out of bed’ when she returned from work in Damolly Mill at 11.20 on that fatal Saturday morning. [It was in the very early hours {2.20 -2.50 am} of Saturday 28 January 1961 that Pearl Gamble met her death. This was concluded not just from forensic evidence (to follow) but from the testimony of the two friends who had offered her a lift and dropped her off just yards from her home at about or within that time frame]. In a later statement Mrs McGladdery testified instead that her son had been ‘sitting on the bed’ on her entrance.

It was not a moot point. Earlier on that morning, others had seen Robert up and about.

‘Vera Ashe (17˝) of 45 Daisy Hill Gardens Newry, manageress of Damolly Mill Canteen testified that she passed McGladdery’s house on her way to work each morning. On Saturday morning 28^th January 1961 (the fatal morning) she left Newry as usual on the 8 o’clock bus and walked past McGladdery’s house between five past and ten past eight. She saw Robert McGladdery looking out through the window. He pulled back the curtains and seemed to be looking out to see who was passing. He made a movement with his arm – he could have been pulling on clothing or pulling back the curtain. She used to live near McGladdery and had known him as long as she could remember.’

Later another acquaintance of McGladdery named McGuigan testified that ..

‘I have never seen him up before ten o’clock in the morning. I had to rap him up many times after ten o’clock’.

Though his mother (the only other resident in his house) worked in the Mill, McGladdery himself was numbered among the long-term unemployed. He did, however take in shoes and boots for repair to his own home. A file that might be used in shoe-repair was allegedly used in the stabbing of Pearl.

 

.... more later .........