HC Deb 17 April 1888 vol 324 cc1496-7
MR. CLANCY (Dublin Co., N.)

I beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland a Question of which I have given him private Notice. It is, Whether his attention has been directed to the following extract from a statement made by an untried prisoner in Galway Gaol:— I was driven the whole distance from Loughrea to Galway, 18 miles, and arrived at the gaol about 8 o'clock on Saturday night. On my arrival I delivered up everything that I thought they would want to take from me, including a crucifix and medal joined together by a chain. I was ushered into a small cell, seven feet by five, was stripped naked by two warders and searched. They found a medal of the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart, and an Agnus Dei in my waistcoat pocket, which they were about to take away from me; but I remonstrated with them, and asked them did not they know what they represented? The Governor, who was present at the time, said he did not know what they were; but ordered them to be handed back to me. The Governor then left. I then proceeded to put on my clothes, and found that my suspenders had been taken away from me. My frieze overcoat had also been taken from outside the cell. I asked for the coat, and was told that I could not get it. I then rushed outside for the coat, and succeeded in getting hold of it, and was in the act of putting it on, and had my arms partly into the sleeves, when I was seized violently by both warders. However, I succeeded in getting my arms into the coat—

MR. SPEAKER

I do not know what private Notice the hon. Member has given to the Chief Secretary for Ireland; but it is obviously impossible that he can answer a detailed Question of this kind without full Notice; and, therefore, the hon. Member had better put it upon the Paper in the ordinary way.

MR. CLANCY

Very well, Mr. Speaker. I will then ask, whether the attention of the Chief Secretary has been directed to this subject, and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the truth of the allegations; whether, if he finds them to be true, he will take suitable action to punish the authors of such illegalities, and prevent their recurrence in future; and, whether he considers the perpetration of such illegalities necessary for the maintenance of the unity of the Unionist Party?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

The first Notice I had of the Question was on entering the House this afternoon.

MR. CLANCY

Then I beg to give Notice that I will ask this Question tomorrow at the sitting of the House.