§ Sir JOHN LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to an affidavit of County Inspector Roberts, read by counsel in the King's Bench Division, in a case of the King v. Patrick Cottor, Clare murder charge, in which he swore on oath that, owing to the attitude adopted by the supporters of the accused, it was necessary to afford police protection to such of the witnesses as had given damaging evidence for the prosecution, and that three of them were now resident in the house where the murdered woman had resided with her husband, a feeling of terror prevailed in the county Clare which would prevent the witnesses telling all they knew if the trial took place in that locality, and that jurors would also be liable to intimidation; and that, in consequence, the Court held that a fair trial could not be held in Clare, and changed the venue to the county Dublin; and whether any special steps were being taken to restore law and order in the county Clare?
§ Mr. BIRRELLMy attention has been called to the affidavit referred to. The 558 objection to give evidence referred to in the question, so far as it exists, is not the result of political or agrarian agitation or of terrorism created by any actual organisation, but results from a general aversion to support Crown prosecutions in such cases. There is a large extra force of police in the county, and special measures have been, and are being, taken for the prevention of outrages.
§ Mr. BIRRELLI cannot go into this question now. The murder was, of course, like all murders, a very terrible affair, but does not seem to have had any connection with anything of a specially political or agrarian character, and it does appear that in this locality there is a very considerable aversion on the part of witnesses, as well as a general feeling of the locality itself, against supporting Crown prosecutions on capital charges. I greatly regret that this feeling should exist, but it is hard to combat.