HC Deb 24 May 1897 vol 49 cc1143-4
MR. MACALEESE

I beg to ask the Attorney General for Ireland if the brothers Maguire, detained in prison for a very lengthened period on a charge of robbery from the person of a dead man named Triston, near Trillick, in the county Tyrone, can be assigned counsel to move in the superior courts for their liberation on bail, seeing they are reduced to the condition of paupers and are unable to provide legal assistance for themselves?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND

I have no power to provide the legal assistance suggested. I may mention that a sum of £97. 8s. 5½d. was found upon the Maguires when arrested. £50 of this, which was in American money, was on the 10th of July 1896 returned, and the balance £47. 8s. 5½d. retained by the authorities. The sum of £102. 2s. 1d. was paid by the Crown to the prisoners towards the expenses of their trial at the Winter Assizes in Belfast, and I am quite ready to direct that an adequate sum be returned to them out of the moneys in the hands of the authorities, to enable them to apply to be admitted on bail.