At all times in our history the English have been quick and extreme in exacting vengeance for any violent, direct action taken against landlords.  Occasionally a select Committee of the Commons was set up to enquire into the circumstances.  Such a Committee in 1852 took evidence from local big-wigs, clergy and the Attorney General for Ireland in the case of the attack upon Meredith Chambre of Killeavey earlier that same year.  Chambre was shot and wounded, but made a full recovery.

The people were suffering extreme distress after the Great Hunger that was just then drawing to a close and harsh landlords were evicting many of the surviving cottiers and peasant farmers to amalgamate their holdings and convert them to pasture.  Questions germane to this were posed to witnesses.  One must accept that most were conscious that they would be seen as reflecting their community’s [or legal] position.  The Attorney General insisted that Chambre had never dispossessed his tenantry and indeed, had expended £600 a year on their employment.  The Rev Brown, Newtownhamilton Presbyterian Minister owned that Chambre had ‘served notice to quit on a number of tenants previous to his [attempted] murder.  He was.. a very high..  one of the highest setters of land in Armagh.’  This was a fairly extreme assessment from a leader of his community.  Father Lennon of Crossmaglen developed this further: ‘I have enquired and discovered that he did evict a great number of people, that he charged a very high rent and that he took sharp proceedings for its recovery.’  William Kirk, Protestant linen manufacturer from Keady claimed to have no personal knowledge of Chambre’s evictions but owned that the land was very highly rented.  A threatening letter from ‘General Avenger’ of Jonesborough was discovered, dated a month before the attack:

“ .. and there is Mr Chambrie, a beggarman, he had better keep close, for if he does not, he may have his coffin ready .. an idle-hearted rascal who prides himself in the downfall of his countrymen..”

About 5 p.m. on Tuesday 20 January 1852 Hunt and Meredith Chambre were returning to their residence, Hawthorn Hill in a side-car driven by David Cole, a servant.  As they climbed Drumintee Hill two shots were fired at them from behind a stone wall.  The first knocked off Meredith’s hat:  the second hit him in the neck and head.  One eye was almost put out of his head.  The two others quickly dismounted and ran for the shelter of the stone wall.  When Hunt saw that his brother was badly injured he ordered Cole to go to his assistance.  A local young man happened on the scene but refused to take the injured man to his nearby home.  Hunt ordered him so to do at pistol point. 

Acting on the word of an informer, the police quickly arrested Francis Berry of Adavoyle.  From the crime scene evidence was gathered that was later to help convict Berry.  This related to percussion caps found at the scene, a portion of torn newspaper – the match of which was found at his home – and distinctive stud marks in his footprints that matched Berry’s  boots. At Newry Bridewell, Barry made the following statement:

‘Well I will tell the truth whether I shall die or not.  I was one.. and two more men from Cross or Glassdrummond.  Said two men asked if I would show the mark, and I replied I would, but I would not go near as this man, Mr Chambre would know me.  We waited.  When we heard the car coming, the two men went on and took their places.  I made the best of my speed home.  I went better than two fields when I heard two shots.  I don’t know the men’s names but I would know them if I would see them.’

The Crown considered it particularly important to get a conviction and employed the most able counsel of the day in Ireland, the Attorney General [yes, the same!] the Solicitor General and high-ranking barristers.  A number of other people, including a John McGuinness, were arrested but never charged.

Berry was found guilty of the attempted murder of Meredith Chambre and sentenced to death by hanging.  The execution took place at Armagh Jail on 14 August 1852.  Before his death he spoke to the crowds assembled to witness the execution:

‘Pray for me for I was a great sinner.  If you Roman Catholics were advised by your clergy, you would not see this sight today.  Lord have mercy on my soul.’

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