§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if Monsieur Maurice Bourgeois, travelling with a French diplomatic passport, a correspondent of "Le Temps," was arrested with the hon. Member for St. Patrick's, Dublin (Countess Markievicz), and, in spite of his strenuous protests and production of his documents, was thrown into a filthy prison cell, given a blanket full of lice, and refused permission to communicate with his Consul until the next day?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODAt 11.30 p.m. on 26th September last a motor-car conveying a lady and Monsieur Maurice Bourgeois was stopped by the police. The driver of the car had no permit to drive, and the owner of the car states that the car was removed from his garage without his consent. The occupants of the car were detained for inquiries, in the course of which it was found that the lady had given a false name and address, and that she was the Member for St. Patrick's Division, Dublin, namely, the Countess Markievicz. She was wanted by the police and was arrested. The case against her will be tried this week. In the circumstances it was necessary to detain her companion, Monsieur Bourgeois, until his identity was clearly established, and he was released at 11 o'clock next morning. He did not ask to see the French Consul. He was accommodated in a clean cell at the Bridewell, and provided with clean rugs. Monsieur Bourgeois, a few days before his arrest, visited the Castle and was given every facility, expressing his appreciation of the courtesy shown to him. When his identity was established, we apologised for having inconvenienced him, and he left apparently satisfied that the inconvenience was unavoidable.