The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-01-29 00:00:00

THE IRISH STATE TRIALS.

DISCHARGE OF THE JURY.

The near approach of the closing scene of the State
trial raised the public interest to fever heat. On Tues-
day, the Queen's Bench was crowded in every part,
long before the Judges took their seats, fully half the
audience, as on the previous day, being ladies. The
hall was filled with citizens—eager to catch any rumour
indicating the tone of the Judge's charge frora which
they might augur the result—and with sympathizers
with the traversers, who hailed them with loud cheers
when they appeared, and who hailed equally vocifer-
ously the conclusion of the charge. Along the quays a
considerable number of persons were congregated, and
by them Mr. Parnell and his friends were warmly
received.
M. Justice Fitzgerald resumed his charge at a few
minttes after eleven o'clock. An hour and a half
sufficed for the completion of the task. The charge
had scarcely been completed, and the jury were still
in their seats, when the cheering in the hall announced
the arrival of Mr. Parnell. A moment after he en-
tered the court, and although the learned Judges
were still on the bench, loud applause greeted
the appearance of Mr. Parnell, who was the
only member of Parliament present, but all the
other traversers were in attendance. For several
hcrurs after the withdrawal of the jury the court re-
mained as crowded as ever. Every seat was occu-
pied, and every inch of standing room was made use
of. The stairs leading to the bench, usually sacred to
the ingress and egress of the judges, were invaded by
ladies; the stairs leading to the galleries; the sloping
passage in the centre of the bar seats' and the
steps leading to the jury box, were crowded ; and
while the verdict was being waited for there
seemed at times to be a probability that the
benches temporarily vacated by the jury would
be invaded. The hours that elapsed between
the retirement ,of the jury and their return
into court seemed to pass pleasantly enough.
The Judges being off the bench, there was less
restraint on conversation, which accordingly was
carried on with much animation in all parts of the
building. The monotony, seeming rather than real,
was relieved by the cheers which greeted Mr. Parnell
on each occasion of his return into court after a brief
absence; the hon. member's movements having given
his admirers in court several opportunities of thus
displaying their regard for him. As the afternoon
wore away, great crowds gathered around the precincts
of the Four Courts, and once more there was a display
of police force such as was witnessed only during the
first few days of the trial.
The jury had retired at half-past twelve o'clock, and
when five o'clock came, and there being no sign of the
jury coming into court, their lordships had them
called in.
On being asked whether they agreed, the foreman
said, "No, my lord."
Mr. Justice Fitzgerald : Are you likely, after
further censideration, to come to an agreement?
Foreman: I do not think we are.
Mr. Justice Fitzgerald: I must ask you to retire.
The jury having retired, the Judge addressing the
counsel on both sides said, that having regard to the
statement of the jury, he would be glad to hear their
suggestions.
Mr. M'Donogh said he would prefer that the jury
be locked up all night.
The Attorney-General left the matter in the hands
of the Court.
Mr. Justice Fitzgerald said, that considering the
duration of the trial, and the declaration of twelve
such intelligent and honest gentlemen that they were
not likely to agree, it appeared to him that the time
had come to exercise the discretion. Even the
appearance of coercing a verdict was a serious thing,
and it would be an extreme punishment to lock up the
jury for a night in this weather.
The Attorney-General proposed an adjournment
till nine or ten o'clock.
The jury were again sent for.
Mr. Justice Fitzgerald: Is there any prospect that
by continuing your deliberations you will arrive at a
decision?
Foreman: I think we are unanimously of opinion
that we will not.
A juror: There are ten for—(cheers and hisses).
Three of the jury were understood to say that they
would like to retire again.
The Court was then adjourned again for half an
hour.
At six o'clock the jury were called out again. When
Mr. Justice Fitzgerald asked their foreman if they had
yet agreed to ii verdict, the reply was in the negative.
His lordship then inquired whether there was any
probability of their agreeing if further time were given
to them for consideration. The foreman was of opinion
that there was no probability of their agreeing, but
that it might be 'better for them to have further
deliberation. It was then suggested that the Court
should adjourn until nine o'clock, when their lordships
would return. The foreman intimated that if their
lordships would remain in court until a quarter
to seven, the jury would then communicate with
the Bench as to whether there was any hope of
a final agreement between them. It being now half-
past six, their lordships acceded to this sugges-
tion. Just as the jury were about retiring again, the
foreman turned back and said he had been requested
by a fellow juror to ask for a definition of "intent."
Mr. Justice Fitzgerald explained, much as he had
done in his charge, the meaning of " intent" as set
for in the indictment. The jury then retired, and
Mr. M'Donogh asked the Court to recall them and
say that the question of intent was to be found in a
fact. Mr. Justice Fitzgerald replied that he would
not call back the jury on that point. If there was
any feature in the case of which there was not the
slightest doubt it was that intent was to impoverish
the landlords and to bring them to their knees. That
was expressed in every kind of the evidence. The
same rule applied to a civil case, and he might add
that if this had been a civil action he should un-
doubtedly have directed the jury to find for the plain-
The jury again returned to court at a quarter to
seven, when the foreman stated it was utterly impos-
sible for them to agree to a verdict no matter how long
they remained together.
Mr. Justice Fitzgerald said the Bench would not
excercise the power which it had of locking them up
for the night. They had now been six hours and a
half deliberating, and the Court thought the time had
come when they might be discharged. If they thought
there was any prospect of a unanimous verdict they
would further detain them, but there being none such
they were now discharged.
Owing to the strict police arrangements made,
there was no exhibition of feeling manifested in the
court, but when Mr Parnell appeared in the hall he
was loudly cheered. By the time the jury were dis-
charged the hall had been cleared by the police, the
gas being put out. There still remained, however, a
large crowd in the streets adjoining the Four Courts,
and on Mr. Parnell making his appearance he was
loudly cheered. He drove rapidly to• Morrison's Hotel,
where, while he was taking a hurried dinner, an im-
mense crowd assembled and cheered vigorously. At
a qgarter past seven o'clock he left the hotel and drove
on outeide car to the North Wall, and went on
board the Violet, the express steamer of the London
and North Western Railway Company, which,_punc-
tually at half-past seven, started for Holyhead. Bands
paraded the principal streets until a late hour.

On the result of the State trials becoming known in
Dungarvan on Tuesday evening, tke town was bril-
liantly illuminated, the local bands turned out and
paraded the streets, while enthusiastic cheers were
given for Mr. Parnell and the other traversers. The
illuminations were responded to from the surrounding
hills, which were all ablaze for a distance of twenty
miles. The rejoicings were not interfered with, and
all passed off quietly.

The first news of the result of the DUblin trials
reached the House of Commons in a telegram from
the solicitor for the traversers to Mr. Sexton, M.P.,
informing him that the jury were discharged, ten
being for a verdict of not guilty. The news, which
was waited for with anxiety, was posted up in the
library.