§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Wexford, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the recent trial and conviction of George M'Garrigle on the charge of setting 18 fire, by means of a dynamite explosion, to the house of one Robert Marshall in Derry, on St. Patrick's Day 1885; whether he is aware that it was alleged at the time of the occurrence that this outrage was perpetrated by the Nationalists of Derry, in consequence of Robert Marshall being obnoxious to them; whether Marshall actually brought a claim for malicious injury before the Derry Grand Jury; whether a Crimes Act inquiry into all the circumstances of the case was several times demanded, and was refused by the authorities; whether, as a consequence, Marshall evaded all suspicion, and M'Garrigle, being released on bail, fled the Country, and was only brought to justice several months after; whether he is aware that upon the recent trial it was conclusively proved that M'Garrigle was the tool of Marshall, who bribed him to commit the outrage; whether he is aware that M'Garrigle was recommended to mercy by the jury, on the ground that "he was a tool of Marshall's," the learned judge who presided saying "there was no doubt about that;" whether Marshall has successfully evaded justice; and, whether the Government can give any information as to the number of cases recently in which outrages to property in Ireland, attributed to the people, have subsequently been proved, as in this case and the case of Mrs. Lucas in Cork, to have been perpetrated by the owners of the property themselves?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne), in reply, said, that the first eight paragraphs in the Question were correct statements of the facts. It was always believed by the authorities that Marshall had employed M'Garrigle to blow up the house with gunpowder, not dynamite. An inquiry under the Crimes Act was suggested at the time; but it was ultimately determined that no benefit could accrue from it. The Inspector General informed him that he was not aware of any recent cases, except this and the case of Mrs. Lucas mentioned in the House the other night, in which outrages to property were proved to be perpetrated by the owners of the property themselves.
§ MR. SEXTON (Sligo, S.)Does not his Excellency know of the case of the Orange member of the Corporation of Derry, who was sentenced to five years' penal servitude for burning his own house?
§ MR. JOHN MORLEYThe hon. Gentleman misapprehended what I said. I said the Inspector General was not aware——
§ MR. SEXTONHe ought to be aware.