§ MR. J. O'CONNOR (Wicklow, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the sentence of 10 years penal servitude passed upon the Italian Anarchist, Polti, at the Central Criminal Court on the 4th instant; and whether, looking to the similarity of Polti's offence to that for which John Daly was condemned to penal servitude for life, and having regard to the fact that John Daly has now been over 10 years in prison, he will reconsider Daly's case with a view to his release?
§ MR. W. REDMOND (Clare, E.)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers, may I ask whether it is not a fact that, so far from Daly's offence being similar to that of Polti and his confederates, the latter were avowed Anarchists who did not disguise their intention to use explosives, while Daly, who was convicted of treason-felony, entirely repudiated any connection with dynamite offences, and alleged that the bombs found in his possession were planted on him. by the police, a statement borne out by the Chief Constable of Birmingham; and whether that fact is not an additional reason why Daly, who has already been in prison 10 years, should be released?
§ MR. ASQUITHI can only repeat what I have said on previous occasions— that the offence of which Daly was properly convicted was at least equal in gravity to that of the other persons referred to. Comparisons of this kind between criminal cases are apt to be misleading. The hon. Member selects for comparison with Daly's case the case of Polti, whose sentence was for 10 years, and passes over that of Polti's accomplice, Ferrara, whose sentence was for 20 years. These persons were convicted of offences committed under widely different circumstances, and both were sentenced 1284 by the same Judge, one of the most experienced criminal lawyers on the English Bench. Daly's case has been repeatedly under my consideration, and I regret that I cannot consistently with my public duty add anything to my previous statements on the subject.
§ MR. J. O'CONNORasked whether the Englishmen convicted at Walsall of conspiracy got sentences ranges from 5 to 10 years, and whether the right hon. Gentleman would take that fact into account in considering Daly's case?
§ MR. ASQUITHI am very familiar with that ease.
§ MR. W. REDMONDIs it in the interest of good government that English dynamitards and Italian anarchists should get 10 years, while Irishmen like Daly should be sent to prison for the whole term of their natural life?
§ MR. ASQUITHThat is a very argumentative question, which could not possibly be answered without careful analysis of the facts of widely different cases. I cannot enter into that in answer to a question. I have only to repeat what I have said on previous occasions— that, in my opinion, the time has not come at which it would be proper for the Government to advise any interference with Daly's sentence.
§ MR. W. REDMONDWas John Daly not convicted of treason-felony?
§ MR. ASQUITHHe was convicted of treason-felony.
§ MR. W. REDMONDIs that not a reason why his case should be carefully considered by the Government with a view to his release?
§ MR. J. O'CONNORI wish to ask another question, and I apologise to the right hon. Gentleman for troubling him.
§ MR. W. REDMONDI do not apologise for troubling him.
§ MR. J. O'CONNORIs it not a fact that every Irishman, except one, who was convicted in England of conspiracy or treason-felony within the last 10 years was sentenced to penal servitude for life?
§ MR. ASQUITHNo; that is not the case. Several of them got shorter sentences.
§ MR. W. REDMONDIs it not a fact that before the last General Election 1285 the Irish people were led to understand' that amnesty was to be extended to Daly and the other prisoners?
§ [No answer was given.]
§ ME. W. REDMONDI charge the Government with breach of faith in this matter. It is an outrage.