MR. SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If his attention has been called to a report in the "Dublin Daily Express" of Friday last, of a case tried at the Westmeath Assizes before Lord Chief Justice May, on the 6th instant, in which a letter was produced from the defendant, Sir John Ennis, to the plaintiff, a local tradesman named Gough, reminding him that the county judge who in the first instance would try the case was "his (the defendant's) friend Mr. Elrington," and that "we must show you what chance a tradesman has amongst the gentry," who has a reputation of being fond of law; whether the case was decided in Sir John Ennis's favour by the county chairman thus referred to by him, but that decision reversed on appeal before Lord Chief Justice May; and, whether Sir John Ennis is a justice of the peace for Westmeath and King's Counties, and a justice of the peace and a deputy lieutenant for Dublin?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERSir, my attention was called to this matter by the Notice given by the hon. and learned Gentleman, and I at once communicated with the Lord Chief Justice and Mr. Elrington. From the information I have since received, it appears that additional evidence—including the letter from Sir John Ennis referred to in the hon. and learned Gentleman's Question —was produced upon the appeal which was not forthcoming at the first trial, and the different results which followed are apparently attributable to that. In justice to Mr. Elrington, who is a valuable public servant, I must ask the indulgence of the House to allow me to read a short extract from his letter to myself, in which he says—
I trust I maybe permitted to state, in conclusion, that I have not the honour of knowing Sir John Ennis, even by appearance; that I have never seen him to my knowledge, and that I have never had any communication with him in any form whatever.I have also received a communication made on behalf of Sir John Ennis entirely confirming this statement of Mr. Elrington. There is undoubtedly an inconsistency between these statements and a portion of Sir John Ennis's original letter quoted by the hon. and 1397 learned Gentleman, which I can only account for by the fact that Sir John Ennis is a gentleman of advanced ago and failing health. Although he is, I understand, prevented by these infirmities from taking any further active part in public matters, Sir John Ennis still holds the various positions referred to in the last paragraph of the Question; in addition to which he has served the office of Sheriff for two counties, and, also, as many hon. Gentlemen opposite, among whom he sat, may remember, occupied for some years a seat in this House.