§ Lord ROBERT CECIL(by Private Notice) asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can give the House any information with regard to the murder of the Lord Mayor of Cork, and particularly whether he can throw any light on the cause of the crime?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Macpherson)I regret very much that I have no further information to give the House than has appeared in the newspapers.
§ Mr. T. P. O'CONNORMay I ask whether it is correct that a number of soldiers, very shortly after the commission of this terrible crime, visited the house, and, in spite of the protest of the bereaved family, insisted on examining the whole premises; and whether that does not give rise to the suspicion that this was meant to destroy the evidence 24 of the crime?—(HON. MEMBERS; "Shame!" and "Withdraw!"]
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI feel sure that the country and the House will resent the last part of the hon. Gentleman's question. It is obvious that it is the duty of the Government to go to the scene of any deplorable murder of this kind, but I have no information as to whether the military went there at once or not. If they did, it is obviously a thing they should do. But, before I sit down, I should like to say again it is a monstrous suggestion that soldiers, who were merely obeying a duty, and acting under orders of superior officers, should be condemned in this way by an hon. Member in this House.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHIt was a police murder.
§ Mr. O'CONNORMay I ask if it is legitimate that any body of men should go into a household still suffering the horrible pangs of a murder committed within sight of the family, without that family having any option to admit them or not, or consulting legal opinion?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIt is the duty—the painful duty—on many occasions for those who are responsible for law to enter into scenes of this kind. It is very regrettable, but they have got to do it. If they had not done it, the accusation would then have been that because this man happened to be a Sinn Feiner, the Government in Ireland made no attempt to defect the murderers.
§ Mr. N. MACLEANCan the right hon. Gentleman say why, in this case, the military and not the police authorities were sent to find evidence of the crime?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe hon. Member must remember that a few hours before one of the most respected and gallant officers of the Cork police was murdered.
Mr. CHARLES PALMERWas it not possible that, if unarmed police had gone there, they would have been shot down like other unarmed police?
§ Mr. MacVEAGHCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is a fact that the military went there on the orders of the competent military authorities to search the house, and that they searched every room from top to bottom?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI cannot say under whose orders the soldiers went there. They went there, undoubtedly, under orders, I am not surprised that they searched the house. This is a very remarkable and deplorable murder, and it was the duty of the British Government to search every hole and corner of the house where the murder had taken place, in order to find out any sort of evidence which would help them to trace the murderers.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHIf you had searched the police barracks you would have got the evidence.