§ MR. BLANE (Armagh, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Sergeant John Grimley arrested a man named John Keany, on the 19th March last, on the charge of drunkenness, and kept him confined in the lockup for fully eight hours; whether, on the charge being investigated at Blacklion Petty Sessions (County Cavan), on the 18th instant, before Messrs. W. C. Bracken and Phibs Nixon, J. P.'s, five witnesses, including the constable who assisted at the arrest and the barrack orderly, swore that Keany was perfectly sober, and had no appearance of drink on him at the time of his arrest; whether, notwithstanding this evidence for the defence, the presiding magistrates marked in the case "no rule;" whether this sergeant has been removed from the district; and, if so, for what reason; whether a Report complaining of his conduct on the occasion of his making the arrest referred to was sent by a respectable man named M'Keon, stationmaster on the Sligo, Leitrim, and Northern Counties Railway; and, will the Government institute an inquiry into the case?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said: The facts are substantially as stated in the Question. The magistrates considered that Keany must have been more or less under the influence of drink, having regard to the quantity which it was admitted he had taken; and they were of opinion that the sergeant fully believed such to be the case when he made the arrest. In view of the contradictory evidence given, they decided upon marking "no rule." The sergeant has been transferred in the interest of the Public Service, but in no way connected with this case. M'Keon did complain to the district officer, who thought it proper to wait for the sworn evidence in the case, and when it was marked "no rule," he considered further steps unnecessary.