HC Deb 20 June 1888 vol 327 cc780-1
MR. JOHN MORLEY (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)

I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary for Ireland (Mr. A. J. Balfour) a Question of which I have given him private Notice—that is, Whether it is true that the Court of Exchequer in Dublin to-day discharged the prisoners from Killeagh, and whether they have discharged them on the ground that there was absolutely no evidence of conspiracy?

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

It is quite true, as the right hon. Gentleman has stated, that the Court of Exchequer has discharged the prisoners; but it is not, however, accurate to say that they have been discharged on the ground that there was absolutely no evidence of conspiracy. On the contrary, there was the clearest evidence that there was conspiracy punishable at Common Law, but it was held that there was not sufficient evidence of that particular kind of conspiracy that was necessary under the Act.

MR. COMMINS (Roscommon, S.)

I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary, if at the Crimes Court now sitting at Castlerea the Crown agents had persistently refused to produce the depositions taken against the persons returned for trial and charged with conspiracy, notwithstanding the provisions of the first section of the Crimes Act; and, whether they had done so by the direction of the right hon. Gentleman?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

If the hon. Gentleman puts a Question on the Paper I will inquire into the matter.