§ MR. COX (Clare, E.), asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the recent attempted dynamite outrage at the residence of Mr. T. Rice Henn (County Court Judge, Galway), Paradise, Kildysart, was discovered by Sergeant Walsh and a sub-constable who accompanied him; whether Mr. Rice 874 Henn is under police protection; and, if not, what was the object of the visit of the police to Paradise; whether Mr. Carey, District Inspector Royal Irish Constabulary, was one of the guests at Paradise that night; whether, on some nights previously, Mr. Carey found Sergeant Walsh and his companion in a public house when they should have been on patrol duty; whether, in consequence of this, Sergeant Walsh and this sub-constable were under notice of removal from Ballynacally Police Station when the outrage was discovered; whether a steward in the employment of Mr. Henn was under notice of dismissal at the same time; and, what was the nature of the report of the County Inspector as to the source of the outrage? The hon. Gentleman further asked, Whether the attention of the right hon. Gentleman had been directed to the language of Mr. Justice O'Brien, in addressing the County Clare Grand Jury at the Assizes yesterday? When referring to this case he said—
Whatever may be the true and real complexion of that occurrence, it does not hear out the existence of a motive of an agrarian crime.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)My attention has not been directed, to the Judge's language, and I cannot say if it has been correctly reported. The statements in the question are partially correct, but they are inaccurate in some important particulars. Mr. Henn was not under police protection. The police were patrolling near his house in the ordinary course of their duty, as they frequently do. The constable who discovered the dynamite was not under notice of removal, as alleged, or in any way connected with the circumstances which led to Sergeant Walsh being in that position. The County Inspector reports that attempts are being made in the district to fasten the guilt of this attempted outrage upon Sergeant Walsh, who has lately, in the discharge of protection duty, become unpopular with some sections of the people. But the County Inspector states that there is no ground for believing this charge, and that he has absolutely accounted for the actions during the evening of Sergeant Walsh, who was also accused. Of course every possible inquiry is still being made.