HC Deb 10 September 1886 vol 309 cc26-7
MR. TUITE (Westmeath, N.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord. Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been directed to the following statement made by Constable Fitzgerald with reference to the witnesses in the case of the Barbavilla prisoners since the trials:— On a morning immediately after young M'Keon was brought from Clonmel to witness's depôt, business brought me at an early hour from another part of the city towards the depôt. I came up to old M'Keon and Head Constable Lynch, who were standing about ten or fifteen yards from the depôt. We spoke to each other, and the conversation turned on the Barbavilla case. Lynch said Pat (meaning M'Keon, then present) was trying to help him with it. He then said he had M'Keon's son there, but could get nothing out of him. Old M'Keon then said, 'When I have a talk with him it will be all right,' or, 'Let me have a talk with him and it will be all right.' I asked Lynch if he meant to do so, when he clearly gave me to understand that he did. In fact, old M'Keon said he had come up from Castlepollard expressly for the purpose with him (Lynch). In a very few minutes after this I saw both father and son together in a room in the upper part of the building. MAURICE FITZGERALD, Sergeant. Whether, at the trials, Judge Lawson made use of the following observation:— 'To insinuate,' said he, 'that the M'Keons had interviews while in the hands of the police, is to insinuate that the very sources of justice are polluted, and he scouted the insinuation as an impossibility;' whether Constable Fitzgerald is at present in the Constabulary force, and bears a most exemplary character; and, whether, having regard to the above facts, he will cause a sworn inquiry into the means by which the convictions were obtained?

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

(who replied) said, he had been asked by the right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary for Ireland to answer this Question, as it was on a subject with which he had been already acquainted. He had to say that, although he had most carefully read all the Papers connected with this matter last year, yet, considering the nature of the subject, he would not like to answer the Question without having had an opportunity of refreshing his memory by going over the Papers again. If the hon. Member put down the Question for Tuesday, most likely he would be able to answer it then.

MR. TUITE

said, the Votes for the salaries of the right hon. Gentleman and the Lord Lieutenant would then be disposed of, and he might not have an opportunity of impugning their action.