§ MR. O'KELLY (Roscommon, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is true that the house of a man named M'Nulty, of French Park, County Roscommon, was broken into by Police Sergeant Watson and policemen acting under him; whether M'Nulty's pockets were emptied by the police sergeant, and he himself assaulted, arrested, and imprisoned; whether Police Sergeant Watson had any legal warrant for these acts, or whether he was acting under the verbal directions of the honourable Mr. French, J.P., brother to Lord de Freyne; whether M'Nulty was prosecuted by the Crown for alleged participation in the Plan of Campaign on the estate of Lord de Freyne, and returned for trial by two stipendiary magistrates; whether, when the case was brought under the attention of Her Majesty's Attorney General before the Assizes, he directed the prosecution to be abandoned; whether civil proceedings have since been issued against the honourable Mr. French and Police Sergeant Watson by M'Nulty, and notice served on them both; whether Police Sergeant Watson has been removed to another station; and, whether he has 704 any objection to state where Police Sergeant Watson is now stationed?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)These questions have already been answered by the Attorney General for Ireland, and I have nothing to add to what my right hon. and learned Friend has said. I am not aware whether any civil proceedings have been instituted against Mr. French. But if that is the fact it will afford good reason for declining to make any further communication on the subject. Sergeant Watson has returned to his station at Athlone, from which he has lately been temporarily absent on duty.