§ MR. BIGGARasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, on or about 21st July, Constable Young, of Ballyhaise, accompanied with a number of other policemen without producing any warrant, entered during the night, on the pretence of searching for arms, the houses of 953 James McCabe, Widow Ellen Reilly, Widow Ellen Corcoran, in the townland of Cullatra, parish of Drung, county Cavan, also of Pat Smyth, Cornegal, same parish; whether these policemen went into the sleeping apartments of the females of the different families; and, whether, for the time to come, he will punish any police who enter houses, on the pretence of searching for arms, without having legal warrant to do so?
§ MR. TREVELYANConstable Young, accompanied by three sub-constables, entered the houses of the persons referred to in this Question, not under any pretence of searching for arms, but under warrant issued by the Resident Magistrate on the information of a summons-server to the effect that he had been assaulted and intimidated by a party of five men when serving summonses for poor rates. The police did not enter the sleeping apartments of the females. The police were in search of the perpetrators of this outrage. There was no pretence of searching for arms, and they had a legal warrant for their action.