§ MR. HEALYasked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Is it the fact that the Craughwell prisoners, charged with the murder of Doherty in November 1881, have now been over two years in gaol without trial, that two men have already been convicted of the crime, and can he give any instance in England or Ireland where prisoners committed for trial 1765 for murder have been kept over two years in gaol untried?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. WALKER)Five persons, arrested for the murder of Doherty, were returned for trial for the Summer Assizes of 1883. There have been several trials in the case and several adjournments, which were rendered necessary by the nature of it. The first two adjournments took place at the Summer and Winter Assizes, 1883, for the purpose of procuring the attendance of a witness who had gone to America, and whom the prisoners' advisers, as well as the Crown, were desirous of having in attendance, but whom it was ultimately found impossible to get to return. The prisoners could only be tried separately; and Muldowney, the first of the prisoners, was put on his trial in the spring of 1884, when the jury disagreed, and the cases were then adjourned. At the ensuing Summer Assizes and an adjourned Assize in August, 1884, three trials took place, with the result that two of the prisoners were convicted, and the prisoners' advisers thereupon applied for postponement, which the Crown did not oppose. One of the remaining prisoners was placed on trial at the Winter Assizes last December, when the jury disagreed. It will thus be seen that there have been five trials in the case. I may add that the learned Attorney General is now considering whether, having regard to the number of trials, to the two convictions for murder which have taken place, and to the recent disagreement of the jury, the charge against the remaining prisoners should be further pressed.