§ SIR F. BANBURYI beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether the police have yet ascertained how the assailants of the postman at Gortnahoctee on 19th March became aware that the letters of which they robbed him contained writs; and whether any arrests have been made in connection with this robbery.
§ MR. BIRRELLMy right hon. friend has asked me to answer this Question. The robbery in question took place on 18th March. Six letters were taken; three of them contained writs and the other three contained processes for rent. Copies of the processes had been posted up at Macroon Courthouse on 15th March. The letters containing the processes were posted on 16th March, and the next day being Sunday, the 18th was the first day on which they could be delivered. The postman's assailants had probably become aware that copies of the processes had been posted up at the Courthouse, and they may have inferred that the processes would be delivered by the next post, namely, on 18th March, the date of the offence. This is a possible explanation, but in the nature of the case the police can obtain no positive proof. No arrests have been made in connection with the robbery.