[kiterunner]

I am most intrigued by this case which comes up in various editions of the Irish Police Gazette or Hue and Cry from 1874 on "Last Chance to Read":

Donegal
Description of James Diver, native of Croagh, county Donegal, and James Harraghy, native of Donegal, who stand charged with having, on the 11th March 1874, in the barony of Banagh, parish of Inver, caused the death of Denis McGuire, by inoculation with small-pox matter:-
1. James Diver - Large thick lips, prominent teeth; gray eyes, long nose, dark complexion, long face, slight make, 5 feet 7 inches high, about 35 years of age, dark hair; wore a low hard felt hat, worn on back of head, dark coat and trowsers.
2. James Harraghy - Sharp nose, dark complexion, long thin face, slight make, 5 feet 7 inches high, about 46 years of age, dark hair turning gray; wore a low black felt hat, dark frieze frock coat, dark trowsers and vest.
Killybegs, March 24, 1874.

http://www.lastchancetoread.com/docs...e-and-cry.aspx

I wonder whether they were ever caught and tried? I can't find anything on the British Newspaper Archive or Irish Newspaper Archives, nor in the Irish prison records on FMP.

They're not connected to my tree, I'm just being nosy! Surely this was a rare case? You would have thought that if they were "inoculating" him, they weren't intending to kill him, wouldn't you?