The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-19 00:00:00

CORK.

Yesterday, when the committee met, the first wit-
ness called was
Mr. Bryan Galway, who said that he was a local crown
solicitor for the west riding of the county of Cork. He
acted as deputy-sheriff at the Harper's-lane polling-booth at
the last election. It is a large open market, of about half en
acre in extent, with two entrances. Oa the nomination day
he was not at the court-house, but in the town. There was
no manifestation of excitement. A stranger passing through
the town would not know there was an election going on.
The nomination took place on • Friday, and the same re-
mark applies to the two succeeding days. There were police,
infantry, and dragoons at the booth when whew got there
on the morning of the polling day, and they remained
there, he thinks, till the booths closed. The polling began
at eight o'clock, and the voters for each side came up and
polled regularly, without any hindrance. There was a large
mob of women in the market-place, and they had green
boughs in their hands. There was no appearance of riot,
except you would call shouting and cheering a riot. Saw
no one assaulted or :my stones thrown. No such expression
was used in the booth as " We'll have no protestant prayer-
books here." If any one stated there had been any such
expression used, he stated what is decidedly incorrect. If
such an expression had been used, he would have consi-
dered it his duty to have the person using it removed or
committed. Witness had been connected with elections
in the city and county of Cork for the last 27 years, and
there was no more excitement at the last election than he
had seen at former elections.
Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeaat Kinglake.—He heard a
great deal of noise, such as shouting and cheering by the
women, but did not hear a word about " Stockport
murderers," or any such expressions..,When any of Colonel
Chatterton's voters came up he did not hear any hostile ex-
pressions used towards them. Did not hear a single com-
plaint during the elections of persons being obstructed com-
ing to vote ; but he heard after the election was over that
some persons had been interfered with. There two or three
Roman catholic priests in and out of the booth during the
day.
Re-examined—Those Roman catholic priests were merely
there as spectators, like any one else : they did not inter-
fere with the voters in any way.
Mr. Philip O'Connell examined—Witness is a solicitor at
Cork, and was an inspector in the freemen's booth, No. 3,
on behalf of the sitting members. The booth was in the
City Court-house. There is a bench and the sheriff's box,
and a table in the centre, on which it is the practice to place
witnesses at the amines and sessions. Young Mr. Fitsimon,
nephew of Mr. Fittimon, the petitioner, was inspector in
the same booth for Colonel Chatterton. He is a very young
man, and he was so personally abusive towards witness at
the early part of the morning, that witness had to desist
from polling till the senior inspector came. There was no
motive whatever in placing the voters on the table ; it was
done indiee ii.anately as regarded both parties. 'They were
cheering and making a noise on both sides. There was
not the slightest obstruction to voters during the whole
day, nor v-as att.." any complaint made to him during the
day .oters being obstructed.
,ss-examined : A man named M'Enery came late in
th day and voted for Colonel Chatterton. He had promised
ia vote for the other side, and when be came on the table
and voted for Chatterton, there was groaning, and he be-
came very much excited. It did not occur that Major West-
ropp refused to go on the table and went away without
voting. No such thing took place. Could not tell to how
many persons he administered the bribery oath. The
bribery and personation oaths were administered together,
generally to voters of all classes in life, to save time. There
was groaning and shouting at Colonel Chatteron's voters,
but he heard only one man shout " Bloody Stockport mur-
derers." There was then a cheer on Colonel Chatterton's
side, for Stockport, and the men cried out, " Oh, the mur-
darer. !"

Mr. Eugene Sullivan examined—Witness said he had
been in an extensive way of business in Cork. On the poll-
ing day he went with Mr. Meagher, a respectable citizen of
Cork, in a vehicle, to the Custom-house ward, to ascertain
the state of the polling, and then, in succession, to the other
polling-places. They had done their inspection about a
quarter put one o'clock, and they added up the poll-books,
and found the liberal candidates to be in a very large ma-
jority. Witness, in going through the city, had two of his
sons with him, one about seven, the other about nine years
of age, and, after taking them to the Court-house to show
them the polling, he dismissed them to go home, which he
would not have done if there had been any disturbance
in the streets. Re saw no rioting or disturbance in the
streets, nothing beyond shouting, and cheering, and groan-
ing as different voters passed along. The women shook
their green boughs in the faces of the dragoons, and
caused their hones to prance, and that caused a deal of
shouting among the crowd. He Raw Captain White riding
with the magistrate at the head of the troops; but he law
no necessity for the military to guard him. The ap-
proaches to the different polling places were free from what
could be called a crowd. Any voter could have access to
the booths to rote.
By the committee—When the women shook their green
boughs at the uragoons' hnres and made them prance, the
dragoons we re laughing, and neither they nor the people
seemed to have their tampers ruffled.
I The Rev. Thomas &sue', Roman catholic priest,

examined—Witness is curate of St. Patrick's church, in
Cork; remembers meeting the man Desmond (who was
alleged to have died trout injuries received daring the elee-
tion)on the Sunday before the election, and he said he would
vote for Murphy and Pagan. On the same day, and very
shortly after Desmond had left him, he met Desmond... ife.
Witness told her what her husband said, and she readied
that he was a very violent man, and would think nothing of
giving her a blow that would kill her. She said he (witness)
might do some good with him if he would take him in 1 .nd,
in the way of persuading him to leave off drinking. WO ,ess
said he would do so, and then went away. Next dal ;the
polling day) he saw Desmond in company with a pe.e.3n
named Woods, a violent partisan of Colonel Chatterton.
Witness said something to remind Desmond of his pro-eise,
zras:hieh Woods desired witness not to interfere, sod
then said no more, but went into his own 1 -
Saes time in September witness received a message •hat
=
none were lying sick, and wanted to see him. Ito
his servant which was stated to he the more pre
ems, and the servant said a woman named M'Carth) was
the more pressing case of the two, and he went there nrst.
Ho afterwards went to the other sick person, who was
the man Desmond; and when witness got there, Destunnd
was dead. He upbraided Mrs. Desmond for not seen ing
for him earlier in the day, as the man was so danger...sly
ill, and she replied that slit dal not think he was de, :ice-
onsly ill; that his death was rather sudden. It is pert day
untrue that witness was ever present when a car wan r.pset
containing Colonel Chatterton's voters.
Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant King:eke—The 11ev.
Mr. Browne (who was expected as a witness) was er.
when witness saw him last; he had a hoarseness, nr,-: was
unable to do duty. He was walking about, but wi le:ss
thinks it would have injured hint to come here.
Mr. James said he was prepared with •medical certite;ate
to account for Mr. Browue's absence, which be subscou ally
put in as evidence.
Croaxexamination continued—lie had not called at Dee-
mood's h nese recently before tho election, nor did he call
there with the Rev. Mr. Browne, and remain outside. The
Sunday before the election he and Mr. Browne, and c. roan
named Hcfforman, did canvass for Fagan and Murphy;
they canvassed three persons. 'l hey did intend to Call JIM&
Desmond if they had not met him. Witness an.'. Mr.
Browne went out together, and llettermsn joined them
while they were Milking to Desmond. Witness never ad-
dressed the people in his chapel on the subject of the elec-
tion, nor did .Mr. Browne, as far as he knows. WILIICSII
took some voters—about six or seven—to the poll.
Re-examined by Mr. James—Never used any intl amt.*
with the voters beyond asking them a vote Neves used
any reproaches to Mrs. Desmond about her husband.J..e.te.
She never told him her husband's death was caused I y in-
juries he received during the election.

Ily the committee—lt is not usual in Cork to addre“ the
people in the chapels about election matters. It i ,:one
sometimes in the country chapels. Witness himsel: Lever
made a political address to his people in his chapel. I; o felt
interested for the success of Murphy and Fagan, it he
only got six or seven votes for ',them. Was abot t the
streets during the polling day, and saw no rioting or stones
thrown.
Another Roman Catholic clergyman was then called and
sworn, but as it was understood that his examination would
take a considerable time, and it being near tour o'cic:k, it
was determined to adjourn.
Mr. James made an application to the committee r to
sit on Saturday. He would undertake that the rem leder
of the evidence should be concluded by Friday ; and • tho
evidence was very voluminous, counsel would requ the
interval between Friday and Monday to go through t fur
the purpose of condensing the obeerrations as mu t as
possible which he would have to address to the corn .ttee
on the whole case. On Monday, then, he proposed to 4,itn
up, and the reply of Mr. Scrjeant Kinglake would con ludo
the inquiry, as far as counsel were concerned.
Mr. Serjeant Kinglake offered no objection this
arrangement, and it was agreed to, provided the SI seer
gives leave to the committee to adjourn to Monday.
The committee then adjourned to this morning.