§ MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY (for Mr. SEXTON)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been drawn to an account given in the "Belfast Morning News" of the 3rd instant, of an attack made by an Orange mob at Crumlin Road, Belfast, on a Catholic excursion party on the night of the 31st ult.; whether 255 this excursion party, consisting of about twenty ladies connected with the vesper choir and schools of the Holy Cross Retreat, and of a few young men, were suddenly and without provocation attacked while driving home along the Crumlin Road by a mob of about three hundred men and boys, with the result that eleven ladies were struck with stones, that one of them received a dangerous wound, that the clergyman in charge of the excursion was severely struck, and that worse was only prevented by a constable off duty, and in plain clothes, who came by chance upon the scene; whether, although the excursionists before leaving in the morning requested police protection on their return, and obtained a promise of it, and that the police station is within one hundred and fifty yards of the spot in question, no steps whatever were taken by head constable Howe, or anyone in charge of the police, even by stationing a constable at the dangerous point, to guard the peace and protect the excursionists against violence; what is the explanation of this; and, what steps will be taken by the Irish Executive to mark their sense of it, and to prevent a recurrence of such scenes?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, I regret that it is true that such an attack was made; but the terms in which it is described are somewhat exaggerated. One young lady was hit on the head and slightly injured. The clergyman also was struck, but not in any way injured. It is true that protection on the return journey had been asked for, and Head Constable Howe had accordingly arranged to place additional men on the streets; but, unfortunately, he did not expect the excursionists to return so punctually as they did, and the men were not sent out in time. The Head Constable admits his error on this occasion; but as he is highly spoken of as an energetic and hard-working man, not only by his own officers, but by the Rev. Mr. Anthony, the Roman Catholic clergyman who was in charge of this excursion, I think the caution which has been administered to him is sufficient notice to take of the matter. The Rev. Mr. Anthony expressed himself quite satisfied with the explanation given, and spoke highly of Head Constable Howe's attention to his duty during the past four years.
§ MR. O'KELLYHas any effort been made to arrest the men who attacked the procession?
§ MR. TREVELYANI will make inquiries on that point.