HC Deb 03 December 1888 vol 331 cc849-50
MR. LANE (Cork Co., E.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that two Government reporters attended the Midleton inquest; by whose orders did they attend; and, whether he will lay a transcript of the Government reporters' notes upon the Table of the House before taking the Irish Police Vote, in order that the House may judge of the accuracy of the statements made on the subject by the Cork newspaper?

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN)(who replied) said (Dublin University)

The reply to the inquiry in the first paragraph is in the affirmative. They attended by direction of the Attorney General, I am unable to adopt the course suggested in the last paragraph, as in the present stage of the case it would not be proper to discuss it in this House.

Subsequently,

MR. LANE

said; I wish to ask the Chief Secretary the following Question, of which I gave him private Notice through the post on Saturday:—Whether he is aware that Constable Swindell, who was arrested for the murder of Patrick Ahern, at Midleton, has been released from prison; and, if so, under what circumstances?

MR. MADDEN (who replied)

said, that he was informed that Constable Swindell had, in accordance with an order of the Court of Queen's Bench, been admitted to bail in his own recognizances.

MR. LANE

also asked the following Question, of which he had given similar Notice, Whether the Chief Secretary is aware that District Inspector Creagh, of Midleton, was severely censured by the Coroner's Jury held in the case of Patrick Ahern, for ordering an unjustifiable attack on the people assembled at Midleton on the 1st of November last; and, also, whether it was a fact that District Inspector Creagh appeared to prosecute a number of persons at Midleton under the Coercion Act last Friday who were witnesses of the assault committed by the police on the 1st of November, when Patrick Ahern was killed, and that all these persons were sent to prison by two Resident Magistrates?

MR. MADDEN (who replied) said

It is a fact that District Inspector Creagh did appear at Midleton on Friday last to prosecute a number of persons under the Crimes Act, and that all of them were sent to prison. It is not known whether they were witnesses or not.

MR. LANE

Is it not a fact that seven or eight persons who were witnesses at the inquest have been sent to gaol with hard labour?

MR. MADDEN

I have no information on that point.

MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)

Was not District Inspector Creagh perfectly well aware that these people were witnesses?

MR. MADDEN

said, he was unable to answer.