1849 The Sproules are Rioting!

 This is another riot, but this time it is the Sproules who are doing the rioting! It appeared in the Tyrone Constitution of Friday 4 May 1849. 

Riot and Assault at Dromore

At the petty sessions held in this town, on Wednesday last, James Sproule, Anne Sproule, William Graham, William Smith, James McAleer, Francis Anthony, Archibald Alexander, George Coulter, Cormack Scallon, John Sproule and Hugh Sproule were called to answer the complaint of Hugh Bradley and Phil McCaghery for a riot and assault at Dromore on 26th April last by  presenting a gun and bayonet at complainants and obstructing them as bailiffs in the discharge of their duty. The three first mentioned parties James Sproule, Anne Sproule, and William Graham were also called on the complaint of Mr John Martin for assault at the same time and place while superintending the execution of a judge’s fiat on the part of Mr John Donnelly merchant of this town.

It appeared from the evidence of several witnesses that Mr Donnelly had some time previously obtained a judge’s fiat for the some of £10 against Mr James Sproule of Dromore and that Mr Martin on the part of Mr Donnelly went to have the fiat executed accompanied by the bailiffs mentioned. Mr Sproule on hearing that the fiat was about to be executed got into a hay loft, the ladder approaching to which was then taken away, and armed himself with several weapons, guns, bayonets, blunderbusses etc to resist any attempt that might be made for his arrest. William Graham, Francis Anthony, Archibald Alexander and some other parties also got into the loft with Sproule to protect him from arrest. Mr Martin and the bailiffs got into the yard through the house but finding the parties so well prepared to resist the seizure and being unwilling to risk the consequences of a conflict with such a number of armed men did not persist in executing the order.

They were given bail to appear for trial in the next session.

British Newspaper Archive, Tyrone Constitution - Friday 04 May 1849

Note:

The Sproule family here are the Grennan family that Jack Elder called 'Another Grennan' Family. The John Sproule mentioned is John (1785- 1858) who married Elizabeth Wallace (1784-1868) He is the father of this family and James and Hugh are his children. 

 Ann Sproule could be either the daughter or daughter-in-law of John. John Sproule had a daughter Ann. In addition, his son James Sproule, mentioned in the riot, was married to Ann Irwin of Magheracross, Fermanagh at this time. James Sproule went to New Zealand after Ann's death in 1852, and he died there in 1884.

The son Hugh Sproule was unmarried at this time. He married Mary Crozier in 1854 and they went to live in Jamberoo, New South Wales, Australia. Hugh died there in 1904.