HC Deb 03 September 1886 vol 308 cc1176-7
MR. GILHOOLY (Cork, W.)

asked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, If a bill of indictment against a man named Denis Murphy, for shooting at Mr. William Cotter, with intent to kill, was sent before the Grand Jury of the county Cork at the recent Court of Assize held in the city of Cork; if Murphy had been returned for trial from the Bantry Petty Sessions, at which the resident magistrates adjudicated; if Mr. Cotter positively swore before the grand jury that Murphy fired at him; if another witness swore that he heard Murphy state he intended shooting Mr. Cotter; whether Sergeant Binns made an information to the effect that Murphy admitted having fired the shot from a revolver at the instigation of his brother; if Constable Binns found a revolver at Murphy's house; whether, notwithstanding all this proof against Murphy, the grand jury ignored the bill against him; and, what action the Government intend taking in the matter?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. HOLMES) (Dublin University)

A bill of indictment against Denis Murphy for firing at William Cotter with intent to kill was laid before the County Cork Grand Jury at the last Assizes, and was ignored. Murphy had been returned for trial on this charge from Bantry Petty Sessions, and among the depositions was one by Sergeant Binns, in which he swore that Murphy when asked in his own house gave him a revolver, and afterwards on the way to the barracks told him that he had fired the shot against the road or ditch, by direction of his brother Timothy, to frighten Cotter. I do not know, and I am precluded from inquiring, what occurred before the Grand Jury; but having read the depositions, I can conceive that the Grand Jury had good grounds for ignoring the bill. Under these circumstances, I do not intend to take any further action in the matter.

DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)

inquired whether any Resident Magistrates were sitting at the Petty Sessions at Bantry?

MR. HOLMES

replied that he believed there was one Resident Magistrate there on the occasion of the man being committed.

MR. GILHOOLY

There were two.

MR. HOLMES

Oh! it is quite possible.

MR. O'HEA (Donegal, W.)

asked whether any of the magistrates who adjudicated at the Bantry Petty Sessions were members of the Grand Jury?

MR. HOLMES

I cannot say.