Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary whether he was aware that recently a shot was fired near the house of Captain Maxwell, at the Bridge, Croom; whether any damage was done; whether any arrests were made; and what precautions the police were taking to prevent such incidents in the future.
§ Mr. BIRRELLOn the 20th January last a shot was fired near the house of Captain Maxwell. Some pellets of small shot lodged in the hall door and door jamb, but no other damage was done. No arrests have been made. The police are paying all necessary attention to the matter.
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo.
§ Mr. LUNDONWill the right hon. Gentleman make further inquiries into the matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe police are endeavouring to ascertain in order to make arrests if possible.
Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary whether he was aware that recently the residence of Lieutenant D. A. R. Kirwan, R.N., Bawnmore, Galway, was fired into; how many shots were fired; what reason was assigned for the incident; what arrests were made; and what precautions the police were taking to prevent such incidents in the future?
§ Mr. BIRRELLOn the 12th February a number of shots, probably seven or 1494 eight, were fired into the residence of Lieutenant Kirwan. No reason can be assigned, as Lieutenant Kirwan is very popular. No arrests have been made. The police are taking all necessary precautions in the matter.
§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIGHave the police given any reason for the apparent difficulty in tracing the perpetrators of this crime?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo; they have given me no information on that point.
§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIGHas the right hon. Gentleman ever been informed that it is the terrorism that exists in this neighbourhood which prevents people from giving evidence?
§ Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, early in the morning of the 18th October, 1910, the house of three old ladies named Curley, who live near Trim, county Meath, and twenty-seven tons of hay, seven tons of straw, and thirty barrels of oats were maliciously burned, the lives of the ladies being endangered; and that on their return home, on the night previous to county court Judge Curran awarding them £128 compensation, a further ten tons of hay were maliciously burned; whether any reason can be assigned for these occurrences; whether any arrests have been made; and what precautions the police have taken to prevent them in future and to protect these ladies' lives?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI understand that the county court judge awarded £128 compensation for the malicious burning of hay, straw, and oats belonging to these ladies, and that a second burning took place on the night following the day on which compensation was granted, and not on the night previous. The motive is a matter of opinion. No arrests have been made. The police will pay all necessary attention to the matter.
§ Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that recently eleven shots were fired into the house of a farmer named Collins, residing at Lisheenaralla, about two miles from Oranmore and seven from Galway, the windows of the house being smashed and some of the splinters striking a little girl standing in the kitchen, cutting her about the face; whether this farmer was fired at a few months ago, and on a former occasion his horse was shot dead in the cart in 1495 which he was driving while on his way home; whether any reason can be assigned for this series of outrages; whether any arrests have been made; and what precautions the police are taking to prevent them in future and to protect the man's life?
§ Mr. BIRRELLOn 18th January last a number of shots, presumably about eight, were fired at the house of John Collins. Twenty-eight grains of shot entered the window of the kitchen, and some of the splintered glass lodged in the hair of Mrs. Collins, her son, and a girl who were sitting at the fire. No one was injured A son of John Collins was fired at on 30th September last, and on 10th June last, while he was driving home with a horse and cart. The horse was shot in the head, and died soon afterwards. No arrests have been made. It is not usual in such cases to assign reasons which can only be a matter of conjecture. All necessary steps have been taken for the protection of the Collins' family.
§ Captain CRAIGHas any arrest been made in connection with the shooting of the man who was driving home in his horse and trap?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo, sir.
§ Mr. JOHN WALSHasked whether, on the 29th of January last, a shot was fired at a train in which the Members of Parliament for South, South-East, and West Cork, who were returning from a monster meeting held at Skibbereen, under the auspices of the All-for-Ireland League, were travelling; that the shot smashed the glass in the window of a first-class carriage in which a reporter of the "Cork Examiner" and a reporter of the "Cork Free Press" were seated; and that the panels and photographic views in the carriage were riddled with shot; and whether, seeing that it was stated publicly in the Skibbereen court-house that the miscreant who fired the shot was well known to the police, he will state what steps, if any, have been taken to bring him to justice?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI understand that a shot was fired at the train as stated in the question. The police immediately investigated the matter, but have obtained no evidence to justify a prosecution. A solicitor, defending a prisoner in another case, stated publicly in Skibbereen Courthouse that the person who fired the shot 1496 at the train was well known to the police, but the District Inspector informs me that there was no foundation for this assertion.