HC Deb 26 April 1883 vol 278 cc1136-8
MR. HARRINGTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether two of the three men executed in Galway Gaol on Dec. 15th, viz. Patrick Joyce and Patrick Casey, had made declarations admitting their own guilt and asserting the innocence of the third man Myles Joyce; whether these declarations were made in presence of Mr. Brady the resident magistrate who first had charge of this case, and were deemed by him of such importance that he transmitted them by special messenger to the Lord Lieutenant with an expression of his own belief in the innocence of Myles Joyce, and caused the telegraph office in Galway to be kept open all night to receive the expected commutation of this man's sentence; if he will state whether he had been consulted and agreed to the reply transmitted at one o'clock on the morning of the execution that the Law should take its course; and, whether he will have any objection that Copies of these declarations should be laid upon the Table of the House?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sir, the statements referred to were sent up to Dublin by order of the Lord Lieutenant, by whose order, also, the telegraph station at Galway was kept open until he had time to consider them. The statements did not say that Myles Joyce had no complicity in the murder. That complicity was distinctly proved, both by independent witnesses and by the approvers, and was not denied by the two other men who were executed. Mr. Brady gave no such opinion as is referred to in the Question. I must decline to answer the third paragraph of the Question. The Advisers of the Crown in the consideration of capital cases are never named; it is the Lord Lieutenant solely who is responsible. The Government cannot consent to lay on the Table of the House Papers relating to the consideration by the Crown of a capital sentence.

MR. HARRINGTON

Will the right hon. Gentleman say why the Government did not observe that rule in regard to Hynes?

MR. TREVELYAN

That was an absolutely exceptional case, Sir; inasmuch as the characters of 12 honest citizens were attacked and impugned. The Papers were, therefore, laid upon the Table of the House in order to clear their characters.

MR. HARRINGTON

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the man Myles Joyce did not, on the day he was executed, declare his innocence as he left the cell, and whether he was not actually declaring his innocence at the very moment when the executioner drew the bolt, and launched him into eternity?

MR. O'BRIEN

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether he considers the character of 12 special jurors in Dublin of more importance than the life of one Connaught peasant?

[No reply was given to these Questions.]