§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that, on Monday night. 25th October 2264W last, at 1.30 a.m., a party of uniformed men, who had come from Gormanstown in three lorries, forced their way into the house and business place of Mr. Joseph T. Dolan, of Ardee, Co. Louth, on the pretence of wanting an assistant of Mr. Dolan's; whether they made no attempt to question this assistant but, while the officer in charge of the party was speaking to Mr. Dolan, the rest of the party pillaged the shop, removing goods to the value of £300, including watches, electro ware, brandy, overcoats, boots, etc., while the officer himself took away with him an antique silver mace of the Corporation of Ardee, which Mr. Dolan had in his keeping; and what action he proposes to take in this matter?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODAccording to an official report which I have received in this matter Mr. Dolan's home was searched by a party of police from Gormanstown on the night in question, but the search was conducted in an orderly proper manner, and there is no ground for the suggestion that any article belonging to Mr. Dolan was taken away. I understand that a mace belonging to the Corportion of Ardee is missing. The officer in charge states that this article was examined and replaced in his presence, and as Mr. Dolan admits that its loss was not discovered until the following day I see no reason for connecting it with the visit of the police.