§ MR. PARNELLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been directed to a Report in the "Freeman's Journal" of Tuesday 26th April, of the conduct of the Constabulary at Newcastle on the 24th April, when, as stated, the Constabulary was ordered to charge a number of boys who were following them whistling a tune; whether the Constabulary knocked down, kicked, and beat indiscriminately with the butts of their guns a number of persons including a little son of James B. Bell, who was knocked senseless on the road, and a young man named Massey, who had taken this child in his arms after he had been thus assaulted; whether a policeman knocked down with his rifle an old grey-headed man, and beat him till he was almost senseless, and left him lying in the street bleeding from the mouth; whether a respectable young man named David Kennedy, the managing clerk of Mr. James Cregan, merchant, was brutally beaten by the Police as he was leaving his employer's shop on his way home, being struck in the region of the heart, and made to vomit large quantities of blood; and, whether he will direct a searching inquiry into the occurrence?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, he had made particular inquiry about this matter, and he was of opinion that the local correspondent of The Freeman's Journal had given an account which was not correct. It really was a serious case of rioting. A dangerous and unprovoked assault was made on the police. The affair occurred on the 23rd and not on the 24th of April, and instead of being confined to a number of boys, it was a desperate riot by a large mob of men, who attacked and stoned the police, several of whom, including a sub-inspector, were injured by stones. The police had to charge the mob; but they did not do so until six of their number 1545 (nearly 30) were struck with stones. The sub-inspector had given a full and careful report of the case; and, therefore, no inquiry was called for.
§ MR. PARNELLWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last three parts of the Question?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, he was informed it was not true that the police knocked down, kicked, and beat people indiscriminately; that nothing whatever was known of the little boy Bell having been hurt, nor of a grey-headed man having been knocked down. Nothing was known of Kennedy having been hurt. He had been seen repeatedly since the occurrence walking about in his usual health.