§ MR. KENNYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he will state how many outrages of an agrarian character have been committed within a radius of seven miles of Miltown Malbay, County Clare, during the past three years; if he will state the number of men from that district at present under arrest charged with conspiracy to murder, &c.; if he will state the number of witnesses which have already come forward to give evidence against these men; whether one Francis Egan has already been twice committed to gaol for refusing to give evidence; if it is a fact that Egan has declared he has no evidence to give; and, if so, whether the Government could accept 226 any information from Egan, the trustworthiness of which would be thus so questionable; and, if there is no evidence to criminate any of the prisoners, they will be immedietaly discharged from custody?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, I am informed that the number of agrarian outrages committed within the time and radius specified is 32, and that 10 men have been arrested in the Miltown Malbay district on the charge of treason-felony and conspiracy to murder. Three witnesses have been examined. I have already, in reply to a former Question, stated the facts as to Egan. He was a witness who swore an information, and subsequently refused on two occasions to be sworn again, and was committed to prison. It is for the magistrate before whom the inquiry is held to decide as to the trustworthiness of the evidence adduced. The Government have no intention of interfering with the course of the inquiry.
§ MR. KENNYasked how it was, when only one murder was committed, that 10 men were still detained in custody on such a charge, when they could not possibly have taken part in it?
§ [No reply.]