§ MR. P. C. DOOGAN (Tyrone, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, has his attention been called to the proceedings at the inquest which was held in Cooks-town on 10th June last touching the death of a boy named Patrick Coleman; if he is aware that two medical gentlemen, having made a post mortem examination, testified that the injuries on the neck of the deceased were not self-inflicted, and although death resulted from strangulation, that it was not a case of suicide by hanging, and that accordingly the jury returned an open verdict; and, whether the Government will order further inquiry and investigation with a view to clear up the mystery of Coleman's death?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralMy attention has been directed to a report of the circumstances attending the death of this boy. The medical gentlemen who carried out the post 485 mortem examination did not state, as alleged, that the injuries on the neck of the deceased were not self-inflicted; their evidence showed that the boy came to his death by strangulation, though how caused they could not state. No further light had since been thrown on the cause of the lad's death, but the police are pursuing their inquiries and are giving the matter their special attention.