§ Mr. T. GRIFFITHSasked the Chief Secretary whether he has seen the statement of Miss Una Daly, of Limerick, that the furniture and property in her house was destroyed on 9th April by soldiers and police acting under orders, that 15 minutes' notice only was given, that £100 in gold was taken, that during the destruction insulting language was used, that when the destruction was already in progress an officer read a statement that the punishment was being inflicted on Miss Madge Daly because she did not give notice of an ambush in John Street on the previous day; whether he is. aware that Miss Madge Daly was in Dublin on the date in question, and that the house was over a mile from the scene of the ambush, with the river between; and what has been done with the £100 which was taken?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODMiss Daly's house is one of three referred to in my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy) on 20th April. The house was well known to be a haunt of the rebel forces. The statement that £100 was taken has been thoroughly investigated, but no evidence was adduced in proof of this allegation.
§ Mr. LUNNasked the Chief Secretary: whether he has received a Report on the destruction by Crown forces, near Skibbereen, on the 9th March, of four houses belonging to persons named Connolly, O'Sullivan, McCarthy, and Driscoll; whether this was an official reprisal; if so, for what offences; and on what principle these houses were selected?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI am informed by the Commander-in-Chief that the houses of Connolly, O'Sullivan and McCarthy were destroyed by order of the Military Governor. There is no record of the burning of a house in this district, belonging to any person named Driscoll, but if the hon. Member will furnish fuller particulars of this case further inquiry will be made. The Military Governor had reason to believe that Connolly, O'Sullivan and McCarthy, who are now fugitives from justice, were guilty of murdering two loyal farmers.
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§ Mr. LUNNasked the Chief Secretary whether the offices and printing machines of the newspapers "Kerryman" and "Liberator," at Tralee were destroyed by members of the Crown forces on the night of 19th April; whether this outrage is connected in any way with the threatening letter received in March by the editor of these papers from the Anti-Sinn Fein Society; whether shops and other houses were destroyed on the occasion; whether this destruction was officially authorised; and, if not, what steps have been taken to bring the perpetrators to justice?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODAs Tralee is in the martial law area, I asked the Commander-in-Chief for a Report on these allegations immediately they were brought to my notice. I regret that he has not yet been able to let me have that Report. As soon as I am in a position to do so, I will communicate with the hon. Member.
§ Mr. LUNNasked the Chief Secretary whether Mr. Thomas M'Grath, a farmer, was killed by a party of the Crown forces at Glandree, County Limerick, on 25th April; whether an inquiry has been held; and with what results?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe court of inquiry in lieu of inquest found that this man was killed by a bullet wound inflicted by a member of the Crown forces, who fired in the execution of his duty believing that the deceased had fired upon him and was endeavouring to escape. The court also expressed the opinion that the movements of the deceased before he was fired upon were such as to cause the utmost suspicion.