§ MR. P. O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to a report in the Freeman's Journal of the 11th 1637 instant, in which it is alleged that the Rev. Fathers O'Doherty, Callan, and Shiel, of Carrickmacross and Donaghmoyne, in the County of Monaghan, were shadowed by four police constables on several Sundays and holy days, recently, while attending the chapels of Corcreagh, Corduff, and Donaghmoyne, for the purpose of celebrating Mass and discharging the other functions of their sacred office; that Fathers Callan and O'Dwyer were on several occasions shadowed by police to the houses of persons whom they were called to attend to in serious illness; whether this report is correct; and, if so, has he any objection to state the grounds and the authority upon which this police shadowing is carried on; and will he order it to be discontinued?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Constabulary Authorities report that it is the case that the rev. gentlemen referred to have been watched by the police in so far as it was necessary to prevent them from holding meetings of the National League, which has been suppressed in that district as an unlawful association, in consequence of the boycotting and intimidation practised by it there. Two of these rev. gentlemen openly in chapel advised their congregations to defy the law in this respect, one of them asking for subscriptions for the purpose, and directing his hearers, if the policemen asked them any questions, to tell them a bundle of lies; that to do so was no sin—not even a venial one. On one occasion when the police were following Mr. O'Doherty he entered a house where a sick person was. The police at once passed on for about a distance of a quarter of a mile, where they remained. The police observation of these rev. gentlemen will, of course, cease immediately upon their ceasing from their attempts to defy the law.
§ MR. P. O'BRIENWill the right hon. Gentleman name any day in last month when these gentlemen attended an illegal meeting. Is it not the fact that they were watched in consequence of the boycotting of a railway company, and seeing that they have triumphed, as the people always will, is there any reason for watching them now?
§ [No answer was given.]
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state the number of 1638 persons "shadowed" in Ireland, and the number "watched" by the police, and the number of policemen engaged in these operations? I have also to ask the right hon. Gentleman if it would be possible to grant a Return, giving the names and addresses of the persons "shadowed" or "watched" by the police in Ireland, and the causes therefor, for each year since 1884; and, if not, can he give the numbers respectively in each year?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am informed that it would be impossible to state accurately the number of persons watched by the police from time to time, and the number of the latter who discharge this along with their other duties, as the necessity varies from day to day. It would be impracticable, but even if practicable inexpedient in the public interest, to give a nominal Return of the nature indicated in the second question. But I am informed that, speaking generally, the present number of suspects in Ireland is believed to be very inconsiderable, as compared with the earlier years under the administration of the right hon. Gentleman opposite.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWill the right hon. Gentleman state who or what the suspects were. But the point of my question was, How many persons are now shadowed in Ireland?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think I have answered the question of the hon. Member.
§ MR T. M. HEALYI suppose I could not have made my point clear. I want a distinct answer as to the number-of persons now shadowed in Ireland.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have told the hon. and learned Gentleman that it is impossible for mc to give the information asked for.
§ MR T. M. HEALYDoes the inability of the right hon. Gentleman to provide the information arise out of his reluctance to give it, or from the number being so large that it is beyond computation?
§ MR A. J. BALFOURNo, it is not beyond the powers of computation. It arises largely from the fact that the necessities vary from day to day.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYCan the right hon. Gentleman give the House the number shadowed on any particular day?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI will consider that question, but I am afraid that no accurate inference could be drawn from it.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYThen to-morrow I will ask the right hon. Gentleman to give the number for a week.
§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary whether it is true that Mr. James O'Brien, of Killeagh, was arrested at Youghal Fair, last Monday, by a common policeman in plain clothes, who was occupied in closely "shadowing" Mr. O'Brien; and if he can explain why Mr. Redmond, R.M., was specially telegraphed for to investigate the charge of this gentleman accused of obstructing his "shadow"? I would further ask whether it is a fact that Mr. O'Brien was kept in a black hole, in a filthy unsanitary condition, for several hours, during which the Prison Authorities treated him with the utmost cruelty?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo, Sir; I should think the matter alleged in the further question is not a fact. The Constabulary Authorities report that O'Brien was arrested by a constable in uniform on a charge of wilfully obstructing a constable on detective duty in plain clothes. The charge being brought under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act the attendance of a Resident Magistrate was necessary.
§ DR. TANNERWas the constable who arrested Mr. O'Brien "shadowing" him in an offensive way, and is it the fact that the only charge laid against Mr. O'Brien was that he followed the constable in question?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI know nothing about the second part of the question. With regard to the first part the policeman who followed Mr. O'Brien was in uniform.
§ MR. J. O'CONNOR (Tipperary, S.)Is it the fact that when Mr. O'Brien was brought before a Magistrate he asked to see a solicitor and a friend, and that both requests were denied, as also was an offer which he made to find bail in £1,000 to answer any charge that might be made against him? Further, is it the fact that Mr. O'Brien was insulted by the policeman and beaten, that when taken to prison he was stripped naked, and that his clothes, which were taken from him under the plea that it was 1640 necessary to search him, were not returned to him for 24 hours?
§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)Why was Mr. O'Brien arrested at all instead of being summoned in the ordinary way?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI must ask for notice of these questions.
§ DR. TANNERI will put a question on the Paper to-morrow about the scandalous and blackguardly behaviour——
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Member must observe Parliamentary propriety in his questions.
DR. KENNYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that last year, when the two hon. Members for Clare (Mr. Cox and Mr. Jordan) attended at Ennis in response to a summons sent to them by the Registrar of the Clare Infirmary, of which institution they are Governors, to take part in the election of a physician to the infirmary, they were shadowed by the police during their entire stay in Ennis, and that during the entire time the election above mentioned was proceeding a police guard was stationed in the immediate vicinity of the infirmary, and whether he can state by whose direction the police acted in the manner above described?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Constabulary Authorities report that the hon. Members in question were watched by a policeman, who had a reason to suppose that they were going to hold an illegal meeting. No police guard was stationed at or near the infirmary.
§ MR. SEXTONWas there any "shadowing" by the police at the last fair at Dungarvan, County Watorford, as there had been at every previous fair in the same place for some time past, and have any instructions to restrain or restrict the practice of "shadowing" been lately issued on the part of the Government to any officials in Ireland?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe authorities report that the police had instructions to watch for any boycotting, but no boycotting was attempted. No instructions have lately been issued to restrain or restrict the practice called "shadowing."