This may have been the Owen Reardon refered to in the "Decisions Of Nineteenth Century Tasmanian Courts"
Rex. V. Reardon and Tydey.
I suppect that after receiving a parrdon he returned to Ireland..??
Copy of Pardon on File. (JR)
See attached copy of Pardon from George R.
Owen Reardon and William Tydey were arraigned for the wilful murder of John Street, in Glenarchy, at the farm called Abbottsfield, and in the month of July 1823. There were other counts in the indictment, by which each prisoner was charged as an accessary before the fact; but these being of course contingent on the first two, which imputed murder, we shall merely premise that the purport of their several allegations in brief was, that the deceased had met his death by being thrown down and receiving certain bruises; or, by being thrown, and having a chimney maliciously pulled down upon him. The prisoners pleaded - Not Guilty.
His Majesty's Attorney-General (J.T. Gellibrand, Esq.) then rose, and opened his case for the prosecution, in a manner at once temperate, perspicuous, and dignified: He regretted that circumstantial evidence was nearly all by which the case before the Court could be supported; but he felt constrained to say, that, under its especial circumstances, such evidence, at least in his opinion, was adequate to justify it. - The Gentleman of the Jury, however, would, he knew, consider nought as confirmed, which was even but slightly dubious; -- they would repose no more confidence in any evidence than their discretion might decree to be applicable; and if he failed to exemplify beyond a doubt, that the prisoners were criminal, no person present could hear them acquitted with sincerer satisfaction than himself.
Witnesses were then called; the first of whom, James Pratt, swore, that he knew the prisoners, and had often conversed with them about Street's death. On one occasion, after the prisoners had quarrelled, witness mentioned to Tydey, that the deceased was reported to have met his death by foul means, and (in answer to a question) that he, Tydey, was named as the murderer. By whom? Asked he - by Reardon, replied the witness - when Tydey observed, that Reardon must be a very bad man, for he had advised the murder! adding, that Reardon could do him no harm, as he had not been present when it was done. - That Tydey owned to have struck the deceased the day before he died, and that Reardon asked witness several times, ``If he would think there was any harm in killing a stock-keeper to avoid 100 lashes or the settlement?" at the same time stating, as his own opinion, ``that there was no harm in doing so." It also was deposed, that when witness first told Reardon he was accused of having urged the murder he denied it, and apparently would fain have persuaded witness to go before the district constable, and state what Tydey had confessed; but that on a subsequent occasion, he said to witness, ``you had better say nothing about it, as Tydey will of course deny the crime, and his No may go as far as your Yes!"
James Alexander swore, that Tydey had ground an axe for him, and praised it as the best he had seen; that he proposed to exchange a lighter one for it, which was agreed on by witness, who enquired, ``If that was the axe with which he had murdered Street?" when the prisoner, Tydey answered ``Yes! yes, by God!". Witness on the following day, accused Reardon, whose visage instantly became pallid, and who appeared in great embarrassment, while he begged witness not to say any thing about what Tydey might have said, for all the world, although he, Reardon, was perfectly innocent.
Several other persons were afterwards called, who deposed as to a variety of facts, tending to criminate Reardon; in particular that just before the murder, when Street had received considerable injury from both the prisoners, and after Tydey had struck him on the back of his head with an axe, Reardon observed to Tydey, ``now you'll be hanged in earnest, or sent to the settlement, [the prisoner meaning the penal Establishment at Macquarie Harbour,] as our master will be here to-day; the best thing we can do therefore is to kill him (Street) at once!" - that they then left their work to do so; but, on their road to the hut, Tydey said Reardon, ``I can go no further; my head aches so!" Reardon then clenched his fist in Tydey's fact, and said, ``you cowardly rascal, if you ever say a word I'll have you hang'd!" Reardon then went to the hut. - Tydey afterwards went round it to find him, and about this period the deceased was found in a bruised condition, lying diagonally in the fire-place, partly enveloped with the stones, bricks, and rubbish of the fallen chimney, and quite dead.
Tydey received a good character from the district constable, who had known him for years; and Reardon called one witness, who failed to prove any fact that could avail him.
The Chief Justice then most humanely suffered the Coroner's verdict on the deceased; which it may be remembered was accidental death, to be read on the prisoners behalf, and, with suitable remarks on all the circumstances, submitted them to the Jury, who, after a short consultation, found both prisoners - Guilty.[2]
Notes
[1] For a full account of this case with evidence, see Historical Records of Australia, series III, The Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Sydney, 1921, vol. 4, pp. 167, 175-97.
[2] Both prisoners were sentenced to death: Hobart Town Gazette, 6 August 1824.
Arrived in same ship as Owen and Johanna The Sir WF Williams 1856
Age 20
Black hair brown eyes, good teeth. mediun stature
Roman Catholic
Education Read and write
Native place - County Cork
Trade - Farm Labourer
Arrived on same ship as owen and Johanna
DEATH: Deaths Tasmania 1900 - 1914
DEATH: Reference Number 0588
DEATH: Deaths Tasmania 1900 - 1914
DEATH: Ref Number 0656
DEATH: Deaths Tasmania 1900 - 1914
DEATH: Reference Number 1164
Spelling in Tasmanian Records Archive is flinn
Was Transported to Tasmania on the "Hyderabad" in 1850.
Mary and the Children arrived on the "Sir. W. F. Williams" in 1856 as assisted migranta.
DEATH: Deaths Tasmania 1900 - 1914
DEATH: Reference Number 0660