§ Mr. SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention had been called to the fact that notices were recently 813W posted up at Shelagh Chapel, county Louth, stating that Dr. O'Brien was deprived of his living by Mrs. Burns, Rassan, and James Kieran, Courtbane, and that these persons should be shunned as Carey and Duffey would be; whether he is aware that Carey was a Crown witness in the Phoenix Park murder cases, and Duffy a Ribbonman and informer in the Crossmaglen conspiracy case of 1882; and whether, seeing that Mrs. Burns and Kieran appeared on subpoena in the Louth election petition, giving evidence against Dr. O'Brien, who was reported by the election judges, he will say if any steps have been taken to trace the authors of this notice; and, seeing that it is an incitement to crime and calculated to intimidate witnesses from giving truthful evidence on oath, he will state what steps he intends to take in the matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe police authorities inform me I hat notices to the effect mentioned in the question were posted at or near Shelagh Chapel. I understand that the notices have had no ill effect upon those against whom they were directed. The police have been unable to ascertain who wrote or posted the notices, and they have been instructed to afford all necessary protection to the persons to whom the notices referred.