Results of the Social Revolution in Ireland UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES RESULTS "SOCIAL KEVOLUTION" IRELAND: INCREASE OF CRIME; FACTS AND FIGURES - 1,88.. , . DUBLIN: HODGES, FIGGIS & CO., 104, GKAFTON-STKEET. 1882. DUBLIN : PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, BY PONSONBY AND WELDRICK. cc CD HV " I think facts and figures speak for themselves; and if they do not, I cannot think there is any use in a Judge speaking. The Judge can only speak from the facts, and if the facts are not eloquent I do not think that any observations I should make would be of any avail." Vide BARON DOWSE'S Charge to Grand Jury of the county Limerick. Agrarian Outrages committed in Ireland which were reported to Inspector-General of Royal Irish Constabulary. 1880. 1881. Total, . 2,590 4,439 Agrarian Outrages for first Three Months 1880, 1881, 1882. QZ *c MONTH. 1880. 1881. 1882. January, 114 448 479 February, . 97 170 407 March, . . 83 151 531 Total, . 294 769 1417 These figures are taken from Returns presented to the House of Commons, 1882. A 2 433353 EXTRACTS FROM CHARGES HEK MAJESTY'S JUDGES OF ASSIZE, LEINSTER. [LONGFORD, March th.~] LORD JUSTICE DEASY, addressing the Grand Jury, said that " He was sorry to say that the condition of. their county did not seem to have improved since he was here last year. A good deal of business had to be done at these Assizes, and some of it of a very serious nature. The Police Eeport pre- sented to him since he came to the town showed that there were ninety-eight cases reported by the constabulary, as against seventy-five in the corresponding period of last year. Of these there were three cases of firing at the person, nine of arson, thirteen cases of injuries to property, five of forcible posses- sion, and six of stealing cattle. . Of course that record only appeared in the Police Eeport, and in but a few of them were the Crown able to bring evidence before them" ( 6 ) [Lc-UTH, March 7th.~] MR. JUSTICE LAWSON, in his Charge to the Grand Jury, said " . . In looking over the Beport I find there is a considerable increase, as might naturally be expected, in the number of a certain class of offences, committed with a view to preventing people from paying their rents. No persons have been made amenable for these offences." [WESTMEATH, March 8th."] MR. JUSTICE FITZGERALD, addressing the Grand Jury, said " . . I have a report from the County Inspector, which gives a perfect view of the state of the county since the last Summer Assizes, and the list is by no means a gratifying one. As contrasted with the corresponding period of 1881, it is exactly double or rather not exactly, because the total num- ber of cases reported for the corresponding period of last year was forty-four, and they are for the period we are dealing with eighty-six, so that they are very nearly double in num- ber, and they certainly are not at all of a lesser character. The list commences with the crime of murder. It is a case we all know of well, the murder of a young woman, a daughter of Mrs. Crohan. I can only characterize it as one of the most audacious murders that ever was carried out. Next on the list we have no less than twenty-five cases of threatening to murder, and on looking into these we find that they are no sham offences, but real threatening notices, threatening to murder. Then there are three cases of firing at the person, and sixteen cases of assembling with arms, seizures of arms, &c. In addition to the twenty-five notices threatening to murder, there are twenty-eight cases of ordi- ( 7 ) nary threatening letters. Then there are three cases well- established of firing into dwelling-houses, carrying out pre- vious threatening notices that had been served upon the parties. Well, all these I do not deal with the case of murder so far as I can judge from the report, have one ten- dency and one direction, that is, to try and prevent parties by intimidation from meeting their engagements to pay their rents. Gentlemen, the enumeration of these cases is in itself enough to show that the condition of Westmeath is not satis- factory nay, more, that for the period with which we are dealing it has been and is in a most unsatisfactory condition. I thought I would be wrong to let it go to the public without calling attention to these facts that we have but two cases to be disposed of by the grand jury. That is one of the most remarkable features in the case it is a feature that leads one almost to despair of the future of the country. When I mention to you that there are eighty -six defined indictable offences reported to the constabulary, and capable of being proved, it is remarkable that in only two small cases one for cattle-stealing and another for a petty larceny has anyone been made amenable; in other words, that there is no evidence available by the authorities to establish the guilt of any of those parties." [KILKENNY, March 10M.] ME. JUSTICE HARRISON, having noticed in detail the cases to be submitted to the consideration of the Grand Jury, said " He was glad to say that the county was not so much involved in crime as other counties, but, according to the County Inspector's report, fifty cases had occurred since the last Assizes, and this was an increase on the previous year, the return showing only thirty -nine cases. He was sorry to say that a few of these cases are sending letters threatening to ( 8 ) ' murder, whilst there were twenty-six cases of ordinary threatening-letter writing, and no individual had been made amenable in any case. Then there was the posting of threatening notices, and it appeared from the police report that they all were attributable to the state of society to which he had referred. Men were threatened or intimidated for paying their rents, or for giving the use of their cars or re- freshment to the police ; and this system of intimidation was greatly to be deplored, as the people who were the object of it could not have policemen always at their elbows to protect them. There were four cases in which dwelling-houses had been fired into, but fortunately no one was injured. There was one case of cattle mutilation, in which a cow had a large portion of its tail cut off." [KING'S COUNTY, March Wth.'] CHIEF JUSTICE MORRIS, addressing the Grand Jury, said " I learn from the list furnished to me by the Crown Solicitor that bills in ten cases are to be submitted for your consideration. They consist of four cases of assault, three of larceny, one of posting a notice, one of arson, and one of firing at. . . . Since the last Summer Assize no less than one hundred and eighty-four serious cases are reported to me on the list furnished to me by your County Inspector, a gentleman with whom I have been long and favourably acquainted. That list contains no less than eighty-three cases of threatening letters, ranging over every species of business that it is almost possible to conceive threatening to murder, threats of violence, threats of various kinds connected with the various relations of life that must exist in a large and busy community. Gentlemen, sometimes persons of great courage one of whom I do not profess to be, having merely ( 9 ) ordinary, fair courage persons of great courage sometimes suggest that they do not mind threatening letters at all. Well, possibly, when these threatening letters are not seen to be ac- companied by any effects, a person may to a certain extent pos- sibly arrive at such a conclusion, but when I find that since the last Assize no less than seven persons have been fired at with, apparently, intent to murder, at various times and in various places when two of the persons so fired at are members, if not of your grand jury, at least of other grand juries when in four cases out of seven the person fired at was more or less wounded in three cases they escaped altogether when I add as a commentary upon these threatening letters that there have been forty-six cases of burning houses, four of hay and other property; that there have been various cases of other malicious injuries to property, and of firing into houses with intent to intimidate when all these are remembered, I can only sum up this melancholy list by stating that it amounts to one hundred and eighty-four cases." % [QUEEN'S COUNTY, March 13.] MR. JUSTICE FITZGERALD, in addressing the Grand Jury, said " I have just been furnished with the Crown Solicitor's list of the cases to go before you. Those cases are about twenty in number, some of them of a serious character; but I have also, in addition to the Crown Solicitor's list, a report furnished by the County Inspector; and the first thing that strikes one on the face of that is that, while for the 'same period of last year as that we are now dealing with, the num- ber- of cases reported teas twenty-one : there are now for the same period sixty-two; but we must not be alarmed at that very considerable increase, for twenty-six of that increase are to be attributed to the ordinary class of threatening notices threatening parties if they paid their rent . . . . On the whole, the report is not satisfactory it indicates a condition of lawlessness and disorder, and a disre- gard for the laws relating to life and property, prevailing in this county, where I least expected it. I have not been here for the last eight years ; hut when I last visited this town, the Queen's County was remarkable for the peace and order that prevailed in it Then there were two or three cases of threatening letters, of the worst character, to which he would recommend their special attention. They were all of that nature that went to the foundation of peace and order in society ; and he was afraid that, if efforts were not made to put an end to this abominable system of posting notices threatening individuals, a grievous injury would be done to society." [KILDARE, March MR. JUSTICE FITZGERALD addressed the Grand Jury as follows : " As the grand inquest of the county, your duties as a criminal tribunal will be very light. There are only ten bills to be sent to you, none of them of any magnitude, and in only one case will you require any assistance from me. . . . . But in addition to the Crown Solicitor's list, which is very satisfactory, I have a document before me which, though it contains some elements of a gratifying character, does not represent the state of this county, upon the whole, to be at all satisfactory. I refer to a summary taken from the elabo- rate report I have before me of the County Inspector, which gives officially and with authority a complete list of all out- rages reported to the constabulary on creditable evidence to have been committed since last Assizes. The number altoge- ther, and I am sorry to say that I shall have to refer to some in ( 11 ) detail, is one hundred and twenty-five. For the corresponding period of last year the number was only eighty-eight, so you see there has been a very substantial increase an increase wliich is largely, though not entirely, under the head of threatening notices . ' . . '. . There are four threats to murder one man is threatened if he does not dismiss a herd, another if he lets land in a particular way ; but the greatest number of these are threats in conse- quence of the payment of rent. They appear, as I said, to enter into every relation of life ; and as long as that system continues it cannot be said of any county that it is in a satis- factory condition. It represents a great spirit of lawlessness and outrage, and an effort upon the part of a section of the community, of the lowest character, to take the government of the whole community into their hands. . . ." MUNSTER. [CLARE, March < 7th.~] Mr. JUSTICE BARRY, who presided in the Crown Court, addressing the Grand Jury, said " On that the first occasion on which he had the honour of presiding in that Court, he regretted indeed that he was very far from being in a position to offer them anything approaching congratulation on the condition of their county. It was impossible not to see that there extensively prevailed a spirit of insubordination and lawnessness, manifesting it- self in crime and outrage, which was deeply to be deplored. The labours of the grand jury would be indeed light at that Assizes. Under different circumstances that would be a source of congratulation ; but at present, he regretted to say, it was rather the reverse, because, unfortunately, as he had heard ( 12 ) an eminent member of the Bar express it yesterday, there was no absence of crime, but there was an absence of criminals being made amenable The number of cases reported by the police at the last Assizes was one hundred and twenty-seven, but he regretted to say on the present occasion the number had reached three hundred and twenty-six. Now, of course they must do a little more than compare the two sets of figures merely, because the last Assize was held in July, and the one hundred and twenty-seven cases covered a period of four months, the previous Assizes having been held in March, whereas the present return covered the period from last sum- mer up to the present month of March, or eight months. Even supposing that offences were to increase in a direct ratio with the length of time over which they were spread, that would leave the number for the eight months at two hundred and fifty- four, whereas the number returned for the present Assizes was three hundred and fifty-six. They would perceive what a deplorable state of things that revealed. Looking at the class of crime in which the increase had taken place, he regretted to say that it seemed to him that the increase appeared to en- tirety consist of what was popularly known as agrarian cases, or of a class of offences which partook of an agrarian cha- racter, if the mode of the offence might not itself be con- sidered as entirely agrarian. Among those cases he found the crime of murder, and one case of murder had occurred within the last few days. It was a case where a party of men entered the house of a farmer named Moroney, placed a gun up to his thigh, and discharged the contents of the deadly weapon in such a manner as to shatter the leg. It was a terrible thing to conceive that such an outrage should be committed in any country professing to be civi- lized " Then, among the other cases reported were returns of arson, malicious injuries, maiming cattle, and tendering un- lawful oaths ; there were thirty-five cases of firing into dwel- ( 13 ) Hugs, and one hundred and fifty-three cases of sending threatening letters and posting threatening notices through the county. It appeared to him that the system of posting threatening notices broadcast through the county was a system of enormous intimidation, and he did not know a more hei- nous offence than that. It was an offence to which the law assigned a very severe punishment, and it would be the duty of those who had the administration of the law to carry out those sentences. When cases of intimidation, which seemed to be the general description of various classes of crimes amounted to twenty- four, and there were also reported cases of demanding arms, boycotting, and obstruction of the high- wayall these offences showed a deplorable and unsatisfactory state of things. He himself was of a sanguine turn of mind, especially when his native county was concerned, and he could not believe that a better time was not in store; but it was impossible for him to address them (the jury) in any language of hopefulness or congratulation." x [TIPPERARY, NORTH RIDING, March 7ih.~] LORD JUSTICE FITZ GIBBON, addressed the Grand Jury to the effect that the Crown book 6n the pre- sent occasion contained but six entries, and added . . . If the business to be disposed of could be regarded as a sufficient indication of the condition of the county, it would appear to be one of almost unbroken peace, one of unparalleled social security. Unfortunately, the returns which the County Inspector had laid before them presented a very different picture. He had no means of estimating the state of the county, but he compared this re- port, as it was his duty to compare it, with the past state of the county. His Lordship here enumerated the offences set ( 14 ) forth in the County Inspector's returns. There were one hundred and fifty-nine this Assizes, against seventy-five this time last year. The return contained a variety of offences, all of which indicated a bad state of the county." [TIPPERARY, SOUTH RIDING, March \kth~]. LORD JUSTICE FITZ GIBBON, having referred to the increase of crime in the North Riding, pro- ceeded as follows " I am sorry to he obliged to call your attention to the Official Eeturn which the constabulary have placed before me, showing the condition of the county as regards its general peace and order during the past few months I deeply regret to say that in your South Biding, not only are the numbers larger, but the proportion also is greater. Against one hundred and six specially reported offences this time twelvemonths, I now find upon the returns no less than two hun- dred and thirty, making for the county of Tipperary, over the period covered by those returns viz., from last Assizes, three hundred and eighty-nine cases reported, as against one hundred and eighty-one for the similar period of last year. Endeavour- ing to classify these offences, I find that the cases of wilful injury to property, the wilful and malicious destruction of property, including wilful burnings, killing and maiming of cattle, and other wanton descriptions of destruction, the number of cases has risen from thirteen to forty-eight. . . . The next class of offences I have to classify are those of intimidation by acts of violence. There are three cases of firing at the person with the intent to murder. There a large number of cases of break- ing into dwellings by night. There are other cases of the same sort, and the number is now sixty-three against twenty 15 ) this time twelvemonths. Lastly, there are those cases of inti- midation by threats, threatening notices, threatening letters _ the number has risen from thirty-five to ninety. In these cases the number is two hundred and one, out of three hundred and thirty, the total reported cases on this list, as against one hun- dred and six this time twelvemonths ..... " In this county the following important Reso- lution was passed by the Grand Jury before sepa- rating : EESOLVED That the Grand Jury wish to draw the attention of Her Majesty Government to the alarming in- crease of the so-called boycotting in the South Biding of the county Tipperary, whereby men of all classes are affected and obstructed in their legitimate business, isolated, and deprived of the very necessaries of life. The Grand Jury respectively suggest the necessity of making boycotting a malicious injury, giving the sufferer the usual claims for compensation, or stamping it out by such other measures as Her Majesty's Government may deem fit. They would further suggest that the cost of the extra police in disturbed districts should be placed on smaller areas than counties, and also that compensation be given for injury to the person." [LIMERICK, March BARON DOWSE, addressing the Grand Jury, said ; ' The number of bills to go before them on the present occasion would be very small, and with, perhaps, one or two exceptions, he did not think it necessary to give the many spe- cial directions with reference to them. . . . He wished that with the fifteen or sixteen bills to be disposed of the business of the Assizes would end, and, in point of fact, the business of ( 16 ) the Assizes would end with the consideration cf those bills ; but he was sorry to say that the condition of the county of Limerick was very different from what any person would imagine by the very small list which was laid before him by the Crown Solicitor. He had laid before him the sum- mary of the criminal offences since the last Assizes up to the present time. Leaving out of consideration the Winter As- sizes altogether, he found that three hundred and fifteen criminal offences had been specially reported to the police. That was worse than at that time twelvemonths, when the number of offences was two hundred and forty-four He thought facts and figures spoke for themselves, and, if they did not, he could not think there was any use in a Judge speaking. The Judge could only speak from the facts ; and if the facts were not eloquent, he did not think that any observations he would make would be of any avail. " He found that while there were only twenty-seven cases of ordinary crime, the three hundred and fifteen consist of cases indicative of the present unhappy condition of the country, yet only sixty-five persons were charged with offences He found from the County Inspector's report that out of the three hundred and fifteen cases there were two hundred and forty- six in which the offenders were not known, and that there were some three hundred persons who refused to give infor- mation to the police, or make any deposition The condition of the county of Limerick was very unsatis- factory as compared with last year, and last year it was very unsatisfactory also." [KERRY, March MR. JUSTICE BARRY, addressing the Grand Jury, said " Turning from the list of the Crown Solicitor, which, I regret to say, generally speaking through- out the country, conveys but a slight idea of the real condi- tion of affairs turning from that to the return of your active and intelligent County Inspector, I see before me a very for- midable document indeed . . / regret to tell you that it discloses a total of three hundred and seventy-nine offences, stated to be of an indict- able character, as having occurred in the county since the last Assizes ; and when we look at the list of which that number is composed, we find that class which is indicative of a dis- turbed, a lawless, and disorganized condition of the country. I find murder, letters threatening to murder, firing at the person, wounding, and stabbing, arson, injury to cattle, raids on houses, taking arms, and all that class of cases with which, unfortunately, we are in the history of this country too fami- liar." [CORK, March 20^.] BARON DOWSE, addressing the Grand Jury, said i " The number of bills to go before you at the present Assizes is very considerable. The bills will not be consider- able in point of numbers, but the offences are, many of them, of a very serious and aggravated description. . . . The bills amount to fifty-two in number, and are conversant with every sort of crime, and even with the ordinary sort of crime in a large county like Cork. I wish my duty ended there, ( 18 ) and that I was able to say that that comprised the bulk of the crime to be disposed of since the last Assizes. I have two reports before me one by the County Inspector for the East Riding, and the other by the County Inspector for the West Biding and I find that since the Summer Assizes for 1881 and we are now on the Spring Assizes of 1882 in the East Riding of Cork no less than three hundred and seventy-five offences were committed that were specially reported to the constabulary, and which are also described as indictable offences that is, offences generally disposed of before a jury at Assizes or at Quarter Sessions. Those offences are almost of every sort and description known to the criminal law. Unfortunately out of the large number of three hundred and seventy-five indictable offences committed since the Summer Assizes, six are such as could be considered as ordinary crimes. Now, just to give you an idea of what those crimes are, I may say that they include forty-five cases of threatening to murder, thirty-two cases of arson and wilful burnings, and two cases of murder " I now come to the West Riding of county Cork, and I find that in the West Riding there is a remarkable circum- stance namely, that the number of offences committed since last Summer Assises is three hundred and seventy-two, within three of the entire number of offences said to have been committed in the other district of the county, and they are very much of the same class of offences one hundred and eight of threatening notices ; twenty-seven assaults upon dwelling-houses ; seizing arms and levying contributions, thirty, and thirty-five letters threatening to murder. . . I do not think that any person listening to me here can face those figures with any other heart than a sad one. I pray that a time may come when those who succeed me, or perhaps myself, if it is my duty to come here again, may be able to congratulate you on the state of the county. I, however, am now only able to do the reverse." ( 19 ) CONNAUGHT. [LEITRIM, March lth.~\ THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE, proceeding to address the Grand Jury, said "Mr. Foreman and gentlemen of the grand jury, the cases that will go before you are not numerous, nor are they, in themselves, of a serious character. At the same time I re- gret that I cannot conscientiously offer you my unreserved congratulations on the condition of your county, for there is evidence to be found both on the calendar and on the reports submitted to me, tdat secret societies exist, and illegal com- binations are in force, to deter men, by fear and by terror, from the discharge of their honest obligations" [SLIGO, March 10$.] JUDGE ORMSBY, addressing the Grand Jury, said. "Their duties would be light, as there were only fourteen cases to go before them, one of which was of a serious charac- ter a case of homicide. There were several cases of riot, two cases of perjury, and some cases of assault of the ordi- nary character. " The calendar did not unfortunately represent the actual condition of the country. He found, upon looking over the Constabulary Returns, that since the last Assizes there was an increase in the number of outrages, compared with the same period last year. At the last Assizes ninety-seven was the number of outrages reported, whereas it was this year one hundred and thirty-eight.'' B2 ( 20 ) [RoscoMMON, March IftthJ] The LOED CHIEF JUSTICE, addressing the Grand Jury, said " The cases which come before you are not numerous, nor are they of a serious character. . . Now, gentlemen, although the calendar of crime to come before you is neither numerous nor serious, I am sorry to say that to suppose it indicates at all the state of this country, or rather of this county, would be an entirely fallacious view of the case. It appears from the official returns which come before me, that at the Assizes this time last year the number of crimes reported was only thirty, whereas at this Assizes, for the corresponding period, the number of crimes which are "reported is eighty -four. Amongst these there is one horrible case of murder. An unfortunate man called Brennan, sitting at his fire at night, was shot dead by a shot coming from the outside of the house. And what was his offence ? It was that his brother was supposed to have paid his rent. I do not think that anything can be more frightfully horrible than that a quiet, respectable man, sitting at his fire at night, should be shot dead because his brother was supposed to have paid his rent. It indicates a state of feeling which cannot be too strongly deprecated. Another man was fired at and wounded on a Sunday, and what was his offence ? It was that he had been collecting seed-rate. He was in the legal discharge of his duty collect- ing seed-rate, and therefore he was to be assassinated. Facts like these speak for themselves. What must be the state of feeling among the lower orders when two men are to be assassinated for reasons such as those ? Well, in addition, there is a fearful return of midnight assaults on dwelling- houses, and of intimidation, because this person or that person had attempted to pay his rent, or had supplied some person with provisions. Then there are an enormous number of threatening letters of a similar character, and there are a ( 21 ) vast number of cases of burning property stacks of corn and hay, &c. How are these accounted for ? Simply that per- sons were supposed to have done some act, perfectly innocent and perfectly legal, but unpalatable to others who were asso- ciated together for the purpose of preventing persons from acting as they were legally entitled to do. There are a vast number of other cases midnight assaults on houses, armed parties at night dragging persons out of their beds and en- deavouring to administer unlawful oaths for the purpose of preventing them from exercising their lawful rights. As I said, the number of cases of that kind in this county amounts to eighty-four, and the most melancholy part of the case is the utter impossibility of obtaining evidence to bring the perpetrators to justice. The calendar that comes before you is of a very trifling description, but the returns that come before me are of a very serious and alarming character. The fewness of the cases to come before you show the extent of the evilj and present a strong indication of an unsound and disorganized state of society. These are the very grievous statements that I feel it my duty to make to you. It is not for me to suggest a remedy, but this I do say, that a remedy of some kind must be found ; for if crime of this kind is to be perpetrated with impunity it will spread rapidly, and the end will be that these counties in the South and West of Ireland will become uninhabitable. We have the good fortune, gentlemen, to live under a free Constitution, but it is idle to say that it is a subject for congratulation that our liberties are free from oppression from above if we are to be subject to tyrannical oppression from below. I trust, gentlemen, that remedies will be found by which these crying evils may be put a stop to. It is not for me to suggest what those remedies should be. It is for those who rule this country and are responsible for the administration of affairs . to dis- cocer and administer the remedy for a state of things which is a disgrace to any civilized community" ( 22 ) [MAYO, March In this county the Grand Jury adopted the fol- lowing Resolution : " That we request the attention of Her Majesty's Govern- ment to the necessity of taking measures for the restoration and permanent maintenance of law and order in Ireland, and strongly recommend for this object the re-enactment, as a portion of the permanent law of the country, of the provi- sions of the Peace Preservation Act, as they existed before the Act was weakened at its last renewal." " The power given to grand juries to present for compensation for murder and maiming, to be raised off those districts which they believe to be most rightly charged therefor, and the levying of the cost of special police stations off small districts in which crime and outrage are prevalent, instead of charging whole baronies, nine-tenths of which may be peaceable and orderly, have been proved by experience to be most effective in repressing crime, and we believe that they would be equally successful in the future." [GALWAY, March THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE, in his Charge to the Grand Jury, commenting on the Constabulary Returns, said " ..... Some cases of murder, of a cruel and cowardly character, had also been committed in this county. In one case an old man who had acted as a herd was taken out of his bed at night, and was in the most cruel way put to death. This old man's son was also taken out and murdered ; and it was supposed that these men were murdered simply because they acted as herds, and because, perhaps, some people in the neighbourhood had been deprived of pasture. ( 23 Some policemen had also been shot, one in the open street, and one near the police barracks, simply because they had been energetic in the discharge of their duty. This was a state of things which it was shocking to contemplate, and one of the worst features in connexion with crime of this cha- racter was the impossibility almost of its detection. Out of 360 cases presented on these reports only 30 cases were returned for trial. It was lamentable that such a state of things should exist." ULSTER. The following extracts from the Judges' Charges to the Grand Juries of Cavan and Deiry counties respectively situate in the southern and northern extremities of Ulster, prove that in this hitherto peaceful province crime is on the increase. [CAVAN, March l\th.~] BARON FITZ GERALD, in his Charge to the Grand Jury, said that "... The number of specially reported crimes in the Constabulary Returns since last Assizes was one hundred and fifty-eight. That number, as contrasted with the returns at a similar period of last year, showed a considerable increase the numbers then were one hundred and twenty-Jive. One of the most unpleasant things connected with this return was that a number of persons, the offenders in about one hun- dred cases, had not been made amenable ; and amongst the cases in which the persons had not been made amenable were some which indicated a lawless condition of the county. ( 24 ) [DERRY, March 23rd.] BARON FITZGERALD, addressing the Grand Jury, said " The number of distinct cases in which bills are to be sent before you is twenty-five. . . . The return of speci- ally reported crimes by the constabulary includes forty-nine cases. That number, an increase I am sorry to say, com- pared with the corresponding period of last year, is very considerable, because it is the number of forty -nine com- pared with fifteen a very considerable difference. When I tell you that in more than one-half of these forty -nine no person has been arrested or made amenable, and that there are thirteen of which the character is always doubtful that is, of threatening letters that the great majority of the others, in which no person has been made amenable, are cases of malicious destruction of property you will not be surprised ; but it is unsatisfactory as to the state of the county so far, and more particularly as some of them appear to be connected with an agitation with which this country has for some time been troubled, and which we all deplore." IEELAND SINCE THE ASSIZES. " The condition of Ireland shows signs of improvement." QUEEN'S SPEECH, February 7, 1882. "The present condition of things is a disgrace to any civilized community." THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF IRELAND at EOSCOMMON, March 16, 1882. The following is a list of some of the outrages which have occurred in Ireland during the last month, as reported in the Dublin Evening Mail of March 18 and April 8 : MARCH 13. The house of a farmer named O'Connell broken into. O'Connell himself shot and badly wounded: bis wife and daughter dragged out of bed and clubbed with the butt end of a gun. A party of armed men wbo were about to enter the house of a farmer suspected of having paid bis rent, come upon by tbe police near Patrickswell, Limerick. ,, "Written notices extensively posted through Ennis, calling on the people to " boycott" tbe establish- ment of a grocer on account of bis grazing his stock on land from which another had been evicted. ,, The house of a land bailiff named Kennedy, situate at Viewmount, close to tbe Crusbeen Police Station, visited by a party of four men witb blackened faces and armed with revolvers. His son was taken outside, and after being threatened, five or six shots were fired over bis head, wben tbe party decamped. ( 26 ) MARCH 13. Two shots fired into the dwelling-house of a man named Flynn, residing near Mondeligo, county "Waterford. ,, The house of Timothy Callaghan, at Ballygarvan, county Cork, attacked by a party of men ; the windows and doors broken in with stones, and the whole place wrecked. ,, 14.' The house of "Widow M'Hugh, at Crosna, near Boyle, visited by two men, armed with revolvers, who placed her on her knees, fired two shots over her head, and battered her head with a spade. ,, Seventeen men entered the house of John Ward, a tenant farmer, at Cattan, county Leitrim, two of whom struck him on the head with their guns, while a third inflicted a severe wound with a blow of a pistol. ,, Widow Creegan, living in the same place, also visited, and forced to swear that she would take her son away from his master's employment. ,, Edward Kennedy dragged out of his bed at Crusheen, and marched to an old house some yards distant, where he was put on his knees and fired at, but not seriously hurt. ,, A farmer named Costello dragged out of his house at Listowel, shot, and seriously wounded. ,, Notices posted at Newport threatening anyone who pays his rent with " powder and ball." ,, All the labourers of Dr. Armitage, near Cashel, inti- midated not to work for him. ,, 15. The house of Mr. Daniel, J. P., five miles from Athlone, fired into. This is the second attempt on Mr. Daniel's life. The engine-driver of a goods train on its way from Buttevant to Mallow fired at. ,, Two men entered the house of a farmer named Speer- ing, residing near Adare, and forcibly took there- from a double-barrelled gun. ( 27 ) MAECH 15. Two rnen named Cassidy savagely beaten when re- turning from Mohill, for having paid their rent. Shots fired into the house of Patrick King, near Boyle, and threatening notices posted on his door, because he nominated Colonel King-Harman as a poor-law guardian. Three ploughs maliciously smashed on the lands of Margue, Castlebellingham. ,, 16. Mr. Carter, J.P., shot at his own gateway, near Bel- mullet, and dangerously wounded. ,, A herd's house, near Kells, visited; the herd himself fired at and wounded, and his sister also mal- treated. ,, At Kathmore, Kerry, a caretaker named Leary dragged out of his house and shot in the legs. ,, An evicted tenant in the same neighbourhood rein- stated, and made swear that he would hold forcible possession. A farmer named Molony, at Kilfenora, county Clare, attacked by a party of Moonlighters, who fired shots at the house. Four shots fired into the house of Mr. Richard Mer- rick, of Lisheen. 17. Party of Moonlighters visited a farmer who had paid his rent, near Nenagh, and extracted several of his teeth. ,, A no-rent manifesto, signed by "Captain Moonlight," posted on the gate of a clergyman at Kilrea, warning tenants who paid their rents that they would be visited by " Rory." A cart of flax, the property of a boycotted farmer, destroyed in Cavan market. ,, Notices posted in the neighbourhood of Boyle, threaten- ing with death any person who failed to vote for the Land League candidates at the poor-law elections. 18. Boycotting notices posted in Ennis, forbidding any further dealings with certain landlords in the district. ( 28 ) MARCH 18. Michael Loftus, a railway carrier who had given dis- pleasure in his neighbourhood hy carrying goods for "the authorities," forced to publish a printed recantation. A man named Cregan brought before the Mohill magistrates, charged with having fired into the house of a farmer named Ward. ,, Six revolver shots fired at the police and military at an eviction at Drumbeg, near Boyle. MARCH 20. Sub-Inspector Doherty and Miss Conry fired at, at Tubbercurry, and both severely wounded. ,, Mr. Crawford shot, on his way to church with his family, at Clonmellon, and very seriously injured. ,, Gibbons, a servant of Lord Ardilaun's, murdered near Clonbur. ,, The mother of the murdered man brutally beaten by her son's murderers. ,, Peter Andrews, murdered in Tighe-street, Dublin. ,, Serious riot at Dunmanway. Police obliged to charge the mob. Farmer O'Brien's house, at Fedamore, county Lime- rick, fired into. ,, A horse, the property of Denis Ryan, near Kilonan, in the same county, maliciously maimed. ,, A quantity of hay and straw, and some out-offices, belonging to a farmer named Kaye, at Ballybunion, set on fire and consumed. ,, A large crowd of men and girls, armed with sticks and forks, proceeded to the residence of an old woman who prosecuted some parties for attacking her house at Drumkeen, but were met by a police patrol. ,, No-rent notice extensively placarded through the townland of Geashill, Lord Digby's property. The farm-house and out-offices on a farm at Knockane, about five miles from Mallow, from which the tenant was evicted, completely burnt down. 21. Attempt made to blow up a house in Nelson- street, Dublin, in which some police detectives lived. ( 29 ) MAECH 22. Band of Moonlighters visited a number of farmers at Boyle. ,, Three men arrested at Ballincollig on a charge of at- tacking the house of the sexton of the church. ,, 22. The mail car between Limerick and Tulla attacked by armed men, and the driver beaten. ,, Sub-constable Godkin seriously injured from a blow of a bottle at Shinrone. ,, Several constables injured in an affray at Roscrea. Twelve head of cattle driven into the Shannon. ,, At Carrickbeg, Edmond Power charged with firing at a man of the same name. ,, 23. Joseph Doroney, a farmer near Golden, fired at and wounded in the leg. The house of a farmer near Frankford attacked, and the roof set fire to. ,, Another house in the same locality visited by Moon- lighters. ,, John Shanley, a farmer near Meelick, dragged out of bed, and half roasted before a fire. ,, A large quantity of hay and straw burned at Bally- bunion. ,, The same at Tarbert. ,, A man named Donohoe put under a rule of bail for twelve months for posting a boycotting notice. ,, A horse, the property of Miss Kelly, Old Longford, stabbed with a pitchfork. ,, 24. Band of Moonlighters visited the house of tenant far- mers in the neighbourhood of Boyle. ,, Boycotting notices extensively posted in Carrick-on- Shannon. ,, 25. A Moonlight gang surprised by the police whilst attacking the house of Jeremiah Ryan, at Drom- bane. One of the gang shot and seriously wounded. ,, Military riots in Galway. ,, The houses of several persons who failed to support the "popular" candidate as poor-law guardian in the Skull Union fired into. 433353 ( 30 ) MABCH 27. John Keane shot in a railway carriage, near Tralee, during a row in which a set was made on Lord Yentry's gamekeeper. A party of Moonlighters fired several shots into the house of a farmer named Donohoe, at Ballylong- ford. ,, The Rev. Thomas Feehan, Roman Catholic Curate, sent to jail for six months by magistrates at Rath- downey, for exciting discontent in the minds of Her Majesty's subjects. ,, Mr. John Ross Mahon's house at Ahascragh, county Galway, partially destroyed by an explosion of dynamite. ,, An explosive shell thrown into the House of Henry Lucas, at Letterkenny. ,, A farmer's stable, between Mallow and Cork, burned down, and a horse and cow burned with it. ,, The postmaster at Broomkeen severely beaten by a number of disguised men. ,, Thirty sheep, the property of Mr. Mulhall, Conserva- tive, stolen, to revenge his success at the poor- law elections. ,, 28. Joseph M'Mahon murdered in a public house in Dorset-street, Dublin. ,, Two men arrested on a charge of having fired into a farmer's house at Newtown, county Kilkenny. ,, Shots fired into the residence of a tenant farmer on Judge Flanagan's estate at Kilmihil. ,, A farm-house on Mr. Den. Keatinge's property, at Woodsgift, burned to the ground. ,, Five men arrested for illegal drilling at Ballyshannon. 29. Inflammatory placards, threatening members of Par- liament who supported the Cloture, posted in Dublin, Longford, Limerick, &c. ,, Near Clonislie, Queen's County, Michael Kane was struck on the head by a man named Conry, and died shortly afterwards. ,, A body of men paid a visit to Templederry (North Tipperary) in search of fire-arms. ( 31 ) MARCH 29. A fanner named Patrick Hallassey shot in the shoul- der by an armed party, who attacked his house near Kenmare. A farm-house burned down in Millstreet, on the pro- perty of Mr. Massey, near Macroom. ,, Near Athlone, shots fired into the house of a farmer named Dounican, who had paid his rent. ?> 30. Patrick Duggan, a farmer at Rathmore, shot in the legs. ,, A shot fired into the house of a car-driver at Cloghan. A fox-covert on Lord Gormanstown's property fired in twelve places. ,, 31. Mr. Arthur Herbert murdered on his way home from Castleisland Petty Sessions. ,, A plough and gate of a small landlord near Kilkelly smashed to atoms. APEIL 1 . John Doherty, a farmer, shot and seriously wounded near Carrigalere, Leitrim. ,, Bridget Glennor, while driving home in a donkey cart to Cooksborough, attacked by two men with blackened faces. Three shots were fired, one wounding the donkey. ,, A party of Moonlighters, armed and disguised, attacked the houses of two farmers at Cappa. ,, A raid made on a gamekeeper's lodge at Edenderry, and some arms and ammunition carried off by the Moonlighters. 3. Mrs. Henry Smythe murdered while returning from Collinstown Church with her brother-in-law, Mr. Barlow Smythe. ,, A farmer's house at Castlebar fired into, and the wife of the farmer severely wounded. ,, Limerick Police-station attempted to be blown up with dynamite. ,, The house of a farmer residing between Scanlan and Kiltoher attacked, and the farmer's cattle maimed. ,, Farmer Moore, at Moher, visited by an armed party, fired at but missed, and his dog killed. (. 32 ) . APRIL 3. A land bailiff at Boher threatened, and ordered not to take a farm from Mr. Gabbett, M.P: . ,, 4. Mr. Johnstone Parke fired at near Bunninadden. . 6.7 A large quantity of ammunition seized by the police in Berkeley-street, Dublin. ,, The anniversary of the murder of Constable Armstrong celebrated at Boyle. 6. Mr. Dominick O'Donnell fired at near Erris. , , John Sullivan, a farmer, unmercifully beaten at Mallow, and his skull fractured. ,, The Members for Donegal threatened with "Leitrim's Ghost." ,, Riot in Tipperary on seizure of cattle by sheriff. ,, 1. Mr. Hunt, Protestant curate of New Eoss, attacked 1 by a mob whilst reading the burial service over a Norwegian sailor. ,, Placards posted in and about Boyle, threatening with death any farmer who ] sends his cattle to graze on a farm of more than seventy acres. ,, Two Moonlighters arrested while attacking a house at Bally dehob. ,, The out-offices of Denis Lane, a farmer, near Castle- island, burned down. ,-, 8. A considerable quantity of arms and ammunition seized by police in Halston-street, Dublin. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY This book is DUE on the last date stamped below Form L-0 25m-2,'43(5 UNIVERSITY of CAJLJP" AT LOS ANGELES LIBRARY EV 6949 Results- I6R3 the "social revolution 1 * Ireland. DEMCO 2J4N HV 6949 I6R3