§ MR. W. J. CORBETasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Thomas Thorpe, who 65 pleaded guilty to the charge of writing threatening letters to the Lord Lieutenant at Green Street on the 5th December last, and was sentenced by Lord Chief Justice May, underwent any term of imprisonment consequent on that sentence; whether he is the person who charged Conroy and Hayes or Hynes, in 1882, with writing threatening letters to the postmaster at Avoca, for which they suffered nine months' imprisonment; whether he is the person who charged Fahey and Doyle with attempting to murder, by lowering him with a rope from the bridge into the Avoca River; whether he was charged with perjury and charge withdrawn, on the representation of Sub-Inspector Loch, of Wicklow, that the police were investigating the matter, and if they saw any grounds for doing so would take up the case; and, whether any, and what, steps have been taken by Sub-Inspector Loch in the matter?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, for the offence of writing threatening letters Thomas Thorpe was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, to date from his committal. That sentence he underwent. He has now, I understand, left the country. He was only one of several witnesses who gave evidence against Conroy and Hayes. I have answered Questions relating to the charge of perjury against Thorpe on previous occasions. The police considered that the law was sufficiently vindicated, and took no further action with regard to the alleged perjury. I may add that the man Lynch, whom the hon. Member referred to in a Question lately, and in regard to whom I stated that he had been sentenced to six months' imprisonment, I have since been informed that the sentence was only six weeks.