HC Deb 21 March 1889 vol 334 cc397-8
MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the date of Inspector Littlechild's visit to Dr. Gallagher and John Daly in Chatham Prison; and if the minutes of the interview between these prisoners and Mr. Soames or Pigott can be furnished to the solicitors for the defendants before the Special Commission?

MR. MATTHEWS

Chief Inspector Littlechild visited Daly in Chatham Prison on the 20th of February. He did not visit Gallagher. If the solicitor for any of the parties before the Special Commission will subpœna the Deputy Governor to produce his minutes of any interview at which he was present, no obstacle will be placed by the Government in the way of their production.

SIR W. HARCOURT

asked whether no evidence had been communicated except on supœna by official persons to the prosecutors in this case; and whether the other parties could not be allowed to see the documents relating to the interviews?

MR. MATTHEWS

said, that there would be no objection as far as he was concerned to a solicitor seeing the documents for the bonâ fide purposes of a trial, but the right hon. Gentleman would be aware that he must not set the precedent of divulging, merely for the purpose of inquiry, the details of interviews which took place between a prisoner and another person in the enforced presence of a warder.

MR. T. M. HEALY

asked if Inspector Andrews, an officer from Scotland Yard, visited America since the passing of the Special Commission Act; and if his business there was connected with the charges and allegations made before the Royal Commission?

MR. MATTHEWS

The answer to the first paragraph is in the affirmative; to the second in the negative.

MR. T. M. HEALY

Will the right hon. Gentlemen state whether Inspector Andrews saw Le Caron?

MR. MATTHEWS

I am not aware at all whether he did or not.