HC Deb 19 May 1884 vol 288 cc654-5
MR. BIGGAR

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that one of the magistrates on the Bench during the examination of the three men charged with treason-felony at Birmingham was Mr. John affray, proprietor of certain newspapers called The Birmingham Weekly fast, The Birmingham Daily Post, and The Birmingham Daily Mail, in all of which papers there have appeared articles and paragraphs prejudging the case for the defence; and. whether copies of the Daily Mail, describing unrefuted evidence against Egan as "damning," and expressing the opinion that— There would be nothing surprising in the announcement that pick and spade had dislodged some more sensational evidence against Egan, were actually circulated in court during the trial in which Mr. Jaffray acted as one of the judges?

SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT

, in reply, said, the Question referred to matters of which he had no knowledge. He knew nothing about the contents of the newspapers referred to, and even if he knew their contents he would be powerless to interfere. If it was desired to make any complaint against the conduct of a magistrate, that complaint ought to he addressed to the Lord Chancellor.

MR. BIGGAR

May I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman who represents the Lord Chancellor in this House?

SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT

I cannot answer that Question.