Thomas Hartley Montgomery
Thomas Hartley Montgomery | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1842 |
| Died | 26 August 1873 (aged 30–31) Omagh Gaol, County Tyrone, Ireland |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Spouse |
Annie Bell (m. 1870) |
| Police career | |
| Country |  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
| Branch |  Royal Irish Constabulary |
| Rank | Sub-Inspector |
| Criminal charge | Murder |
| Penalty | Death penalty |
Sub-Inspector Thomas Hartley Montgomery (c. 1842 – 26 August 1873, Omagh, Ireland) was a senior official of the Royal Irish Constabulary.[1] He is the only police officer in Irish history to receive the death penalty for murder.[2]
Newtownstewart Murder
[edit]On 29 June 1871, Sub-Inspector Montgomery, who was chronically short of funds, assaulted William Glass, a clerk employed by the Northern Bank, with a hedge knife and stabbed him through the head with a filing spike.[3] Sub-Inspector Montgomery then stole £1,600 from the till. In the aftermath, Inspector Montgomery took charge of the investigation and briefly succeeded in deflecting suspicion from himself. However, Montgomery's subordinates ultimately learned of his financial difficulties and eyewitnesses identified him as having left the bank one hour before the body of William Glass was discovered. As a result, a County Tyrone coroner's inquest brought a verdict of willful murder against Sub-Inspector Montgomery.[3]
After two mistrials, the disgraced policeman was convicted of murder and hanged in the Omagh Gaol on the 26 August 1873.[4][3] His last words were "May Lord have mercy on my soul"[citation needed]
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The Newtownstewart Murder". The Perth Gazette and West Australian Times. 26 September 1873. p. 4. ISSN 1836-456X. OCLC 1058514305. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ Gráinséir, Seosamh (28 June 2019). "Irish Legal Heritage: The only policeman in Ireland to be sentenced to death". Irish Legal News. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "Murder stain saved when bank closes". Belfast Telegraph. 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ Fowler, Julian (3 November 2022). "Tyrone's history is in danger of being lost, heritage group warns". BBC News. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
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