HC Deb 26 March 1886 vol 304 cc20-1
MR. WILLIAM O'BRIEN (Tyrone, S.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Was it reported to the police, that, on the night of 21st December last, a man disguised and with his face blackened visited the houses of John Armstrong, Jonathan Colbert, Thomas Armstrong, Samuel Somerville, John Macwhinny, and William M'Kenna, near Castlecaulfield, county Tyrone; is it the fact that the man had a book with him, from which he pretended to read, and in which he seemed to make entries; that he asked who lived in each house, and for whom he had voted at the late election; said he was from Dublin and had other boys with him; that he told them to pay no rent, or, if they did, they would not have long to live; whether, when he came to the house of M'Kenna, he said, "All right, you are a Nationalist," and, pointing to a school-house, which had been an Orange Lodge, said, "That must be removed;" was he hunted down and captured by two men named Bunnes and Armstrong, and did it transpire that he was an Orangeman named Robert Cuddy, junior; is it true that Cuddy and his lather were brought by the police before a local justice, Colonel Burgess, and discharged without a prosecution; and, was the case reported to the resident magistrate, and have any steps been taken to punish the author of this outrage; and, if not, who is responsible?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne)

, in reply, said, a Report was being prepared with reference to the circumstances, and was under consideration. He would ask the hon. Member to repeat the Question, so as to give him an opportunity of fully inquiring into it.