§ MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY (Longford, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it has come to his knowledge that on the 13th of September last a man named Cornelius Cosgrave died in the constabulary barrack at Edgeworthstown, in the county of Longford, from congestion of the brain; that he had been taken up the previous day in a state of coma, from which he never recovered, and placed with prisoners arrested for drunkenness for seven hours in the strong room; whether it is the fact that, at the inquest which followed, the jury empannelled in the case expressed themselves in strong terms on the unsanitary condition of the lock-up, and its unsuitability for such a purpose; whether their observations were confirmed and deposed to by the local sanitary officer, and whether, in their verdict, the jury directed the attention of the authorities to the matter, "in order to have it remedied;" whether the defective state of the strong room was brought under the notice of the grand jury of the county, of which the landlord of the premises is a member, at the last assizes; whether steps have been or will be taken to improve the condition of the barrack at Edgeworthstown; and, whether instructions will be given to the constabulary to take care that cases of comatose persons have proper medical attendance?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne), in reply, said, that Cornelius Cosgrave died at Edgeworthstown on the 13th of 1779 September last from congestion of the brain, brought on by cold and exposure previous to arrest, and accelerated by excessive drinking. He was placed with other prisoners, where he remained six hours and a-half, and where he was visited frequently. He was attended by a doctor during the night, and a second medical man was called in next morning. The Coroner's Jury attached no blame to the Constabulary. On the contrary, they stated that they discharged their duty well. In the course of his evidence the sanitary officer spoke of the unsanitary condition of the barrack, which the jury endorsed. The matter was brought before the Grand Jury, of which Mr. Barron, the landlord, is a member. Steps had since been taken to remedy the matter complained of.
§ MR. SEXTON (Sligo, S.)asked, whether a Predecessor of the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Trevelyan) had not promised to issue instructions to the Constabulary regarding the imprisonment of persons in police cells; and whether the instructions had been issued as promised?
§ MR. JOHN MORLEYwas unable to say.