§ MR. WILLIAM CORBETasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland why, having held over the warrant for Father Farrelly's arrest for five weeks without any attempt to execute it, although he was available at any time, it was thought necessary to break into his house; could he cite any authority for such a proceeding; and why, having taken the extreme coarse of breaking into Father Farrelly's house, was he allowed to go voluntarily to prison unaccompanied by a police escort?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURAs has already been more than once stated, the police broke into Father Farrelly's house because they had information that led them to believe he was there. As has also been stated, I am advised that the proceeding was, under the circumstances, legal. As regards the last paragraph, I have to state that Father Farrelly was accompanied by two policemen in plain clothes. It was impossible to collect a large escort, and it appears that a small escort would have run serious danger of attack had they been in uniform.
§ MR. SEXTONI must press for a fuller answer. I want to know why the rev. gentleman, having written on the 21st January to say that he was ready for arrest, was not arrested; and why the police broke into his house in the early morning for the purpose of arresting him, although they afterwards allowed him to go to Wexford Gaol without any police escort whatever? What is the legal authority that enabled 1570 the police to break into Father Farrelly's house in order to arrest a gentleman who was charged with incitement?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI apprehend that the warrant would constitute sufficient legal authority.