HC Deb 27 June 1904 vol 136 cc1259-60
MR. JOSEPH DEVLIN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to a case in the High Court of Justice in Ireland, in which Mr. William Coote, J.P., of Clogher, county Tyrone, was the defendant, the charge being one of conspiracy to boycott a national school, and to intimidate the manager who had appointed a Roman Catholic mistress in manual instruction; whether on the case going to trial Coote compromised the action by paying the sum of £275 on account of the plaintiff's expenses, thus admitting his guilt, and signing a document agreeing not to repeat his conduct; and if the attention of the Lord Chancellor has been or will be called to his action.

MR. WYNDHAM

I have seen a newspaper report of this case. Both parties to the action are Presbyterians, and the manager of the school belongs to the same religious persuasion. The case was settled on terms which counsel for the plaintiff stated would commend themselves to every right-thinking person. The parties mutually agreed that all controversy should cease and good will take its place, and the defendant paid a sum of £75 (not £275) in respect of the plaintiff's costs. This being so, no useful object would be served by referring the matter to the Lord Chancellor.