§ MR. O'DOWD (Sligo, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a meeting of the people of Ballymote, county Sligo, was attacked and dispersed by a force of policemen armed with batons on the night of the 17th inst., without previous warning; that three respectable men were arrested on the occasion and sentenced to three months' imprisonment each, in default of finding bail, by Mr. Crane, who held a special court in the police station at 11.35 p.m. the same night; and that these prisoners were denied the right to have witnesses examined: will he explain why Mr. Crane has been sent to Ballymote, seeing that there is another resident magistrate in charge of that district; and whether he is at liberty to hold midnight courts whenever he wishes to do so without consulting the other magistrates residing in the town.
§ MR. WYNDHAMAttempts were made to hold meetings at Ballymote on the nights of the 15th, 16th, and 17th inst. in close proximity to the houses of two men who have been held up to public odium. The police had reason to believe that the object of the meetings was to intimidate these men, and on each occasion the police warned the promoters beforehand that any such demonstration would be an unlawful assembly, calculated to lead to a breach of the peace, and that if persisted in the meeting would be dispersed. On each occasion the crowd was dispersed without recourse to the use 1343 of batons. Two individuals whose misconduct on the 17th inst. was conspicuous were arrested by the police and taken before the resident magistrate, who required them to give sureties for the peace and good behaviour for six months, or to go to prison, in default, for three months. One entered into sureties forthwith, and the other two days afterwards. In applications for binding to the peace it is competent to the magistrate to refuse to receive evidence to contradict the affidavits of the applicant, and it is also competent to the magistrate, at any time and at any place within his jurisdiction, upon sworn depositions, to determine whether a person brought before him should be required to give sureties for his peace and good behaviour. Mr. Crane has been sent to Ballymote because it was considered desirable to station a resident magistrate there. The resident magistrate of the district who is stationed at Sligo is absent on leave.
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDAre we to understand that what occurred was this: that at half-past eleven or twelve men alleged to have taken part in some disturbance were arrested and taken straight into the police barracks, that a court was there and then held at night and in private, that the men were tried without any opportunity of obtaining witnesses for the defence, that they were convicted, and that one was sent to prison for three months?
§ MR. WYNDHAMI am not learned in the law, and I do not know whether the word "tried" is a proper one.
§ MR. JOHN REDMOND"The Star Chamber."
§ MR. WYNDHAMI always understood that the process of taking a man before a magistrate did not mean that he is tried. It was quite competent for the magistrate to order the accused to find sureties.
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDI am asking as to what actually took place. Were the men taken from the streets and sentenced in private without an opportunity of calling evidence for their defence?
§ MR. WYNDHAMI demur to the use of the word "sentenced." The men were 1344 arrested and immediately taken before a magistrate.
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDAt midnight. The Star Chamber is not in it.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe men were arrested, and, instead of being placed under lock and key, they were ordered to give sureties to be of good behaviour.
§ MR. O'DOWDIS the right hon. Gentleman aware that one of the two men was a respectable shop assistant who had nothing to do with the impromptu meeting?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!.
§ MR. FLAVINIs this Mr. Crane the gentleman who was specially selected—
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The question on the Paper has been fully answered.
§ MR. FLAVINOn a point of order—
§ * MR. SPEAKERThere is no point of order. The question has been fully answered. If the hon. Member wants further information about Mr. Crane he must put the question down.
§ MR. FLAVINYou have not heard my point of order.
§ * MR. SPEAKERThe question has been fully answered.
§ MR. FLAVINWith due respect to you, Sir, the right hon. Gentleman has not answered it.