§ MR. O'KELLYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that Sub-Constable Finney, stationed in the iron hut at Derreenavoggy, near Keadne, reported on the night of the 18th of April that he had been fired at by five men on the public road, and that he had returned the fire; whether it did not afterwards appear that this statement was unfounded, and that instead of being attacked, the sub-constable had waylaid and threatened to shoot five persons; whether on the night in question Sub-Constable Finney had not asked a man named Muldoon to take his (Finney's) revolver, and fire a shot at him; whether, subsequently, he did not stop two men, named Patrick Walsh and John Regan, and, without provocation, present his revolver and threaten to shoot them; whether Messrs. Muldoon, Walsh, and Regan, summoned Sub-Constable Finney before the Keadne Petty Sessions; and, whether, a few-days before the trial day, the Crown entered charges against Finney; whether it was suddenly discovered, on the day preceding the trial, that Finney was insane; and, why the opinion of the local dispensary doctor was not taken as to alleged insanity of Sub-Constable Finney?
§ MR. TREVELYANI find that Sub-Constable Finney did make the statement attributed to him in the Question of the hon. Member, and that subsequent inquiry led to the impression that there was no foundation for his statement. The other facts also appear to be correctly stated in the Question; but 1684 before the sub-constable's conduct could be inquired into it was found necessary to place him in an asylum as a dangerous lunatic. The question why the opinion of the local dispensary doctor was not taken on the case has been referred to the district for report.