Lords Justices to Newcastle. Report of Lord Justices Conolly, Middleton and Shannon...

Lords Justices to Newcastle. Report of Lord Justices Conolly, Middleton and Shannon on Timothy McCarthy's petition for reward of his services for convicting traitors. McCarthy was promised pardon and reward from the duke of Grafton, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, for giving evidence on oath regarding the treasonable activities of the Pretender and his men, known as the Wild Geese. Some of the Pretender's men were executed on McCarthy's evidence. However, Sir John Leger, a judge, reports that McCarthy's real aim was to obtain money from the government and to take it from persons accused, not to prosecute. This was attested by Walter Steeres, who had infiltrated McCarthy's group to gain intelligence of their designs. Steeres also claimed that he and McCarthy had conspired to take away the life and fortune of Mr Julian McCarthy. The late lords justices discharged McCarthy and gave him twenty pounds to return to his own country. Dated at Dublin Castle.