§ MR. BIGGARasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If the girl Maria Roche, who made a charge of intimidation against Michael Egan, and whose charge was proved before Mr. Keys, Divisional Magistrate, Dublin, to be utterly false, is the same person who was the chief witness against Thomas Behan, convicted of arson at last Winter Assizes before Mr. Justice O'Brien; and, if it is the intention of the Crown to institute a prosecution for perjury against Roche?
§ MR. TREVELYANI am informed that when the charge against Michael Egan of intimidating Maria Roche was heard before Mr. Keys, it was clearly and satisfactorily proved that she had been intimidated by someone. This was not questioned. Egan's defence was an alibi; and the magistrate held that, in the face of the many witnesses deposing to the alibi, he could not convict on the testimony of the girl alone, and believed that she was mistaken as to Egan's identity. The object of the intimidation 1170 was to prevent her from giving evidence against Thomas Behan, who was charged with arson, and subsequently convicted. She did give evidence, but was not the chief witness in the case. Another little girl gave precisely the same evidence as her. No intention whatever is entertained of prosecuting her for perjury.