§ MR. SLOANTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, if he can state the nature of the offence preferred by the Crown against Patrick Murphy, in March 1898, in which Sergeant Sheridan was the principal witness; and will he say whether Murphy pleaded guilty.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed that the charge preferred by the Crown against Patrick Murphy was that of maliciously maiming an ass. Murphy eventually pleaded guilty at the assizes, but it is only right to add that, at the prior magisterial investigation, he strongly asserted his innocence, and that when arraigned before the court of assize he first pleaded not guilty, but finally pleaded guilty upon the advice of his friends, who suggested to him that the evidence against him, which was principally that of Sheridan, was very strong, and that if he should plead guilty he would probably get off with a lighter sentence.