Mr. DEPUTY SPEAKERacquainted the House that Mr. Speaker had received the following Letter relating to proceedings under "The Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, 1887," against certain Members of this House:—
§ Limerick,
§ 24th Nov. 1890.
§ Sir,
§ I have he honour to report for your information that, on the 18th Sept. 1890, Mr. John Dillon, M.P., and Mr. William O'Brien, M.P., were arrested on Warrants charging them, 1st, with taking part in a criminal conspiracy; 2ndly, with using intimidation; and 3rdly, with inciting to intimidation, as defined in the second section of the Criminal Law and Procedure 34 (Ireland) Act, 1887, and were on same date brought before me at Tipperary, when each of them was admitted to bail to appear at Tipperary Petty Sessions, on the 25th of same month, to answer to the said charges, which they accordingly did; but on the 10th October following, they failed to appear at the sitting of the Court, and have not since been made amenable.
§ I have also to inform you that Mr. Patrick O'Brien, M.P., was arrested on the 23rd September 1890, on a warrant charging him with similar offences, and was brought before me, at Tipperary Petty Sessions, on the 25th of same month, and was admitted to bail to answer to the said charges. I have to add that, at Clonmel, on the 19th instant, at an adjourned hearing of these charges, he was convicted by a Court duly constituted under the said Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, 1887, of taking part in a criminal conspiracy, as defined in the second section of the said Act, and was sentenced to be imprisoned in the County Gaol at Clonmel for a period of six months without hard labour, and was committed on the same date to the said gaol for the said period.
§ Mr. Thomas J. Condon, M.P., was also arrested on the 25th Sept. 1890, on a warrant charging him with similar offences, and was similarly admitted to bail on the same date. The charges against him were dismissed on the merits at Clonmel, on the 19th instant.
§ I have the honour to be,
§ Sir,
§ Your most obt. servant,
§ J. B. IRWIN, R.M.,
§ Chairman of the Court
§ The Right Honourable A. Peel, M.P.,
§ Speaker, House of Commons.