HC Deb 26 April 1883 vol 278 cc1134-5
MR. O'BRIEN

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Mr. William Welch, who marks the jury panels for the Crown at the Green Street Commissions, is or was until recently connected with the Leinster Street Conservative Association; whether in the latter capacity it was his business, for the purposes of the revision sessions, to make himself acquainted with the religion and politics of the persons summoned to serve as jurors at these commissions; and, whether it is by the advice of this gentleman, or by the aid of a jury panel marked by him, that Catholic and Liberal jurors are persistently ordered by the Crown to stand by?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sir, it is the Crown Solicitor who himself marks the panel, and not Mr. William Welch. As to the steps which the Crown Solicitor, for the purpose of the proper discharge of his duty, is obliged to take in order to obtain confidential information, the matter is one as to which I must decline to make any statement in the House. As regards the last paragraph of the hon. Gentleman's Question, I have to state that it is not the fact that Catholic and Liberal jurors are persistently ordered to stand by. For instance, on the jury which convicted Brady there were, at least, four Catholic gentlemen.

MR. O'DONNELL

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, with regard to his statement as to the composition of juries, whether it is true that at the last trial of Timothy Kelly there wore upwards of 40 challenges by the Crown, and on the trial of Fagan 54; and will the right hon. Gentleman tell the House why the Government prefers that kind of trial by jury to the trial by Commission of Judges authorized by the House?

MR. O'BRIEN

Referring to my Question, whatever may be the duties of Mr. Welch at Green Street—[Cries of "Order!"]—a very important part of my Question has not been answered. I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is or is not a fact that Mr. Welch is connected with the Leinster Street Conservative Association of Dublin?

MR. TREVELYAN

I consider I have answered the Question of the hon. Member satisfactorily.