HC Deb 11 August 1887 vol 319 cc61-3
MR. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieu tenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that six persons have suffered from the firing from the train by the Irish National Foresters, on Sunday last, along the line between Portrush and Ballymena; whether Archibald Beattie was shot in the thigh by a bullet, and James Campbell wounded in the hand; whether Mr. James Dowds, licentiate of the Ballymena Presbytery, has made the following statement: — The train came dashing along, and, when opposite us, I saw a hand stretched out of a first class carriage window, and immediately there was a loud report of a firearm, simultaneously with the report I felt wounded, and would have fallen to the ground had I not leaned up against the railings. …The bullet has not been extracted, and I have suffered great pain during the night. …We had a full view of the crowd from the moment the train approached…There was not a single stone or missile thrown from it at the passing train; and, whether a revolver was thrown from the train, and is in the possession of the Constabulary?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

Four persons are known to have been wounded. The Government have no information as to a revolver having been thrown from the train. The other circumstances, I understand, are as mentioned in the Question.

MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)

I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman, whether the circumstances referred to in this Question were subject to the provocation given to the National Foresters at Portrush, which provocation took the form of an attack made by a mob of men who came from Coleraine to Portrush for the purpose of making that attack on the excursionist party: whether this is the substance of the official Report given to the Government; and I would also ask, whether the excursionists gave notice to the police of the time of the excursion with a view to the preservation of the peace, and that no shots were fired from the train until large stones were thrown at the train, and people in the train were wounded?

MR. JOHNSTON

Before the right hon. Gentleman answers that Question, may I ask if he has received a communication from Mr. Robinson, the magistrate in charge at Portrush, stating that no interference took place with the excursionists on their arrival, and that it was only upon their return from Portrush, when shots were fired, that any attack was made; also, that no Orangemen were implicated in the disturbance, which was wholly caused by the conduct of the excursionists?

MR. SEXTON

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, whether the attack on the excursion party, although it did not take place on their arrival at Portrush, did take place on their return to Portrush, where the assailants had assembled in the meantime?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

It is quite true that shots appear to have been fired from the train on the return of the party. It is not true that there was any provocation which would justify such conduct. The firing from the train preceded the throwing of stones at the train; and altogether the conduct of the Foresters appears to have been a most reckless proceeding.

MR. JOHNSTON

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman had seen a statement to the effect that as the train approached a bridge a large number of women and children were waiting to see the excursionists pass; that a large number of whisky bottles and porter bottles were thrown from the train; that this enraged the people, and that stones were thrown; and that on the passing of the second train about 140 shots were fired from the train?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

said, he had explained that the shots were fired from the train before the stones were thrown at the train.

MR. SEXTON

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that three shots were fired by the mob at the Poresters before they returned the fire at all?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

As far as I know no shots were fired at any Foresters in any train.

MR. SEXTON

There were.