§ MR. O'SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that six persons were arrested in Charleville, in October last, under the Coercion Act, on the same grounds of suspicion; and, whether it is true that three of those prisoners have been discharged from prison within the last month; and, if so, was it because those three men were returned Americans they were discharged, 1400 while the other three, who always lived in the district, are still detained in prison?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, it was not true that any prisoners had been released on the grounds stated in the Question; that Patrick O'Brien, Edward Synan, and Denis 0'Conor had been released, but it was news to him that the two first-named were Americans; Denis O'Conor certainly was one. The Resident Magistrate had expressed the opinion that there was no necessity to detain O'Brien any longer. Synan was released because his wife was in a delicate state of health, her mother had recently died, and his friends offered to guarantee his good behaviour, and he was only too glad to expedite the return of O'Conor to America.
§ MR. O'SULLIVANasked if there was any offence charged against the three remaining prisoners which was not charged against the three who had been liberated?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, the question the Executive had to consider before liberating the other prisoners was—would the district be made worse by their release?