Just like today, the nineteenth century public loved a good scandal. Here is one taken from the Connaught Journal, 3 September 1832.

The peace of two families and the feelings of their relatives, who are highly respectable, have been painfully involved by the discovery of an intercourse said to have been subsisting for some time between a married lady residing at Castletown C- and a gentleman, a widower, the father of so many as ten children. On the night of Tuesday or morning of Wednesday last, about 1am, it was ascertained by the servants and other domestics of the husband, that the Lothario of the scene had obtained admission to the house, and ultimately to the private apartment of the lady; and in order to apprise their injured master of the circumstance, one of them mounted a ladder, and reached the window of his bedroom which was separate from that of his wife. On the fact being announced which so lamentably confirmed all his previous suspicions, the husband directed the servant on the ladder to take five or six others with him, and to return to the house by the kitchen entrance, and then stealing softly up stairs, to range themselves on the landing place close to the room where the lady slept. This done, the husband himself passed to his wife’s chamber and assigned to her some fictitious reason for calling for a candle, the room being large and the night dark. She furnished him with one not lighted- not, however, in the least degree suspecting the object he had in contemplation. It was forthwith handed to a servant, who in a moment brought the searching flame into the apartment and lo! there stood before the enraged husband (who was now surrounded by his household) the rival of his marital rights and privileges, together with the faithless fair one and both in such a situation as proved them to have just risen from rest! A very frightful scene ensued. Weapons were in every hand, and these were exercised upon the person of the gentleman with unmerciful violence. By the first blow, it is said, his skull was dreadfully fractured with a pitchfork. One story goes to say, but we know it to be untrue, that scythes were used. We have reason to believe that the sole purpose of the husband in assembling his servants was, that they should be witnesses of his wife’s infidelity, this being essential to his ulterior remedy of suing for a divorce. However, when the discovery was made, their rage was uncontroulable, and every part of the unfortunate man’s body was shockingly disfigured by wounds. The cries of the sufferer were appalling, as were the shrieks of the lady, who, terrified by the impression that it was designed to have the life of her paramour, exclaimed against it, and sunk to the ground. But, notwithstanding the crowd about him, he effected his escape, a thing deemed wonderful. It is said, perhaps not truly, that he twice snapped pistols at the husband and his party, happily without effect. This fact, as we learn, was stated to the respectable and worthy magistrate before whom depositions were taken next morning. Early on Thursday, the lady was removed from the scene of her shame and her husband’s roof, in all likelihood, forever. She is a fine woman, of remarkably sprightly manners, and is described as being very handsome. She is about 28 years of age. It is most distressing to ourselves to be the medium of publishing such facts as these: … we cannot sufficiently apologise for being the communicature of such an occurrence. But its calamitous consequences afford a moral and show to what the criminal indulgence of our passions may unhappily lead us.

Ah yes, it was vital for the public’s morals to read such tale! Katie Barclay is a research fellow in Irish Studies, Queen’s University, Belfast.