§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)asked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, now that the elder Walker (who murdered a policeman and soldier in Belfast, and shot a second policeman) has only been convicted of manslaughter by a Belfast jury, Can he state was the report correct that Judge Lawson on the former trial told the Tyrone jury, which disagreed, that they were bound to convict Walker of murder, and that he would not accept a verdict of manslaughter; or can he say what exactly took place on this subject, and what language the learned Judge used?
§ MR. W. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)asked whether, in view of the imputation which had been cast upon Protestant jurors, the result of this trial was not sufficient to show that those imputations were unfounded?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. HOLMES) (Dublin University)Judge Lawson charged the jury that if they believed the evidence, they would be bound to convict the prisoner for murder. The Judge did not say that he would not accept a verdict of manslaughter, because that point was never raised, as the jury did not agree, and stated that there was no probability of their coming to an agreement. With reference to the Question of my hon. Friend (Mr. Johnston), the result of the trial has been already published in the newspapers.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)In consequence of the answer of the right hon. and learned Gentleman, I beg to give Notice that I shall, at the earliest moment, call attention to the scandalous conduct of the Crown in reference to the trial of these two men.
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. and learned Gentleman is well aware that that term would not be permitted in a Motion or Question.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to give Notice that, at the earliest moment, I 1620 shall call attention to the conduct of the Government in relation to the trial of these two men, and shall charge them with deliberately conniving at the escape of these two murderers from justice