§ MR. O'KELLY (Roscommon, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mrs. Crane, of Fairymount, County Roscommon, who was in a delicate state of health, having a baby only a few weeks old, was arrested at 1 o'clock in the morning, and brought to Castle-rea; and if he can explain why her request to be allowed to go into Castlerea next morning, and have her husband accompany her, was refused by the police?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe statement contained in the first part of the question appears to be correct, but no complaint was made of the woman being in a delicate state of health. The allegation contained in the last paragraph is not correct.
§ In reply to Mr. SEXTON (Belfast, W.),
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid: I have not before me a full list of the persons against whom summonses have been issued before warrants were issued against them. I have, however, evidence to show that there was a conspiracy to evade giving evidence. The whole justification for arrest is that the persons arrested show a desire to evade the police.
§ MR. SEXTONCould not the arrest have been made before bed time or in the morning, and not in the middle of the night?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIf the woman had been arrested before bedtime she would have been kept in custody all night. That inconvenience was avoided.