Mrs Gamble gets dreadful news

As a result of what Mrs Gamble told them (that her older daughter had not returned the previous evening from the dance) they searched the nearby fields. At 10.30 while searching in a stubble field he saw a police dog stop at a certain point in the field.

 There were two cart tracks running along the end of the field from the gap to the Old (Upper) Damolly Road. Witness saw what appeared to be four patches of blood each about the size of a saucer and about a foot apart forming a square about 136 yards from the gap. In the cart tracks there appeared to be two sets of finger marks pointing downwards. He also saw two imprints of a left human foot about six feet apart. Thirty-six yards from the gap he found a handkerchief covered in (what appeared to be) blood and a button. 

It was some time before the body of Pearl was found some distance away at Weir’s Rocks.

Joseph Weir a farmer of Cloughenramer Newry testified that his uncle with whom he resided was the owner of the second field on the right coming down the Old Damolly Road. In January of this year the field was in stubble.

Thomas W Henning (57) a farmer of Cloughenramer Newry said he had known McGladdery since he was a week old. He had often seen him at Weir’s Rocks when McGladdery was young. He had seen him quite a number of years ago there at night with a torchlight and he was after rabbits.

……. more later …….