HC Deb 15 June 1893 vol 13 cc1069-70
MR. DANE

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is he aware that, early upon the morning of Monday, the 29th May last, a party of masked moonlighters visited the house of Peter Corrigan, in the town-land of Ballintempo, near Belcoo, in the County of Fermanagh, handed Mrs. Corrigan a book, and ordered her to swear that she would compel Peter Corrigan, her husband, to give up a farm he had taken, the former tenant of which had been evicted for non-payment of rent; is he aware that Mrs. Corrigan was boycotted and assaulted in the markets of Belcoo and Blacklion, and that a man named M'Grory was recently convicted at Letterburn Petty Sessions, and sentenced by the local Justices to two months' imprisonment with hard labour for assaulting her; also that an attempt was made to boycott Peter Corrigan at the Euniskillen Butter Market, upon the 10th instant, and only prevented by the presence of a number of policemen; and have any, and, if so, what, steps been taken to afford protection to these people?

* MR. JORDAN (Meath, S.)

Before the right hon. Gentleman answers that question, I will ask him if he is aware that there is no market at Belcoo; whether he knows that no butter market was held in the town of Euniskillen on the 10th instant, and does he consider it part of his duty to prevent Mrs. Corrigan intimidating her husband, Peter Corrigan?

MR. J. MORLEY

I am informed that on the 29th May Mrs. Corrigan alleged that the occurrence referred to in the first and second paragraphs took place; but the matter having been fully and carefully investigated by the Local Police Authorities, they arrived at the conclusion that the woman's story was undoubtedly false. As regards paragraph 3, I understand that the man M'Grory was convicted of assault on Mrs. Corrigan, and sentenced to one month's imprisonment at Petty Sessions on the 19th May. Margaret M'Grory was also convicted on the same occasion and fined the sum of £1. No attempt was made to boycott Corrigan in the Enniskillen Butter Market, as alleged in the fourth paragraph. Any protection which it may be necessary to afford the Corrigans will be given by the police.