The Express.
London, England, 1868-02-21 00:00:00

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THE FINIAN OUTRAOII AT CIARICEN WELL.

ADJOURN= 13.0437.-(THIS DAY.)
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This morning the inquiry relative to the death
of two of the visa= of the explains at the House of
Detention was resumed by Dr. Lankester and • St.
Pancras jury at the vestry‘hall, St. Pancras.
The coroner, is opening the proosediugs, read the fol-
lowing letter, which he addressed to the Home Secretary,
and to which ke said he had as yet received no reply :
have been reenacted by • jury empanelled on the
17th day of December, 1867, sod adjourned to the 21st of
February, 1868, on view of the body of Martha Thompson
and Humphrey Brans, to apply to you for the production
of Patrick Mullany, now imprisoned on remand in
one of her Majesty', gaols. It appears that the said
Patrick Mulkey is not now detained on any
charge connected with the deaths of the above
pensms:end that his evidence is most important in con-
nection with the cause of the said deaths, which the said
jury on oath are bound to investigate. Should you direct
the said prisoner, Patrick Mullaily, to be brought before'.
my court, as I believe you can, under the Act Vie. 18, cap.
39, I undertake that the said prisonerabeil be returned to
the gaol from which he is brought. In answer toyourletter
of the 20th ult., in which you say the practice of bringing
persons accused of crime before the Coroner's Court exists
only in the metropolitan police district, I would remind
yen that the practice of not producing accused parsons
before the Coroner's Court is ono of only modern date, and
that recently the coroner of Plymouth hes resigned his
position on account of such practice not being carried out
as heretofore. I would also respectfully remind you that
the practice of allowing magistrates to commit to prison,
and forbidding the coroner to have before him persons
accused of crime has been regarded by legal writers.. un-
ommtitutionsl, and opposed to the common law of the
land. Allow me to suggest tha', as it is evident there is
room for difference of opinion as to the law on
this point, it would be for the benelt of all parties that
sotneauthenticatt d law should exist, and Hiatt his isa subject
to which her Majesty's government might with advantage
direct their attention during the present session of parlia-
ment. As a coroner I have no wish to investigate in my
court the cause.a of death which are being legally investi-
gated in other courts. At the same time, as the law now
stands, there can be no doubt that the coroner is bound to
Investigate certain cases where an accused or
suspected person or persons are brought before
other courts. In certain caste within my know-
ledge the police magistrates have refused to investi-
gate charges of crime whilst the came is before the
coroner's jury. If this could be made the law and the
practice of the police omits, and the old right of the
coroner established to have accused pillion before Lim, it
would remove the embarrassments which now so of ten
occur from the conviction of the coroner', jury that they
ought to have an accused party before them' in order
conscientiously to discharge the oaths which tho law
compels them to take.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
Edwin Lankester, coroner.
" To her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home
Dspartment."
Vm. Browning was then examined. He said—l reside
at 41, Bowling-green-lane. I felt the exples.on which
took Ogee at the House of Detentiou on the Lith of De-
cember. I saw three men' including the prisoner, Timothy
Desmond, walking down Robert's-place, in Bowling-green-
lam. On that day, one of my teen, calling my attention
to the three parties, remarked, . ' Goveroor, then. goes three
Pennine." We then lost eight of them, and ehoetly after
the explosion took place. I saw Barrett in Ilowling.green.
lane about half-peat I on the Tuesday before the explo-
sion. I have seen Desmond in Millbank prison, and
Identified him. I have also ideetifted Barrett.

By the jury—When I ism the prisoner Barrett on the
Tuesday ►efore the explosion he seemed to be agitated.
My man spoke in earnest when he said, "There gore
three lonians." Ile said, "They ere Fenian'', if there
ever were Fenian"

Inspector Brennan examined—l know nothing of the
rtplonion except what I have seen in the newspapers.
The Coroner—Do you know Jeremiah Allan ?

Witnero-1 do.

The Coroner—l find that Allen when inked what he was
doing at the Home of Detention on Friday, the lath ut
December, said he was sent there. Did you mead him,
Witness—No, sir. . .

Coroner—Do you suspect who mat him ?
Witness—l do not, sir. Allen tame to me on the 4th
of December, and said it wax contemplated to make an
attack on the prison vanes the following Saturday, while
on its way from the House of Detention to Row-street with
the prisoners Burke and Casey. He received directions
from Superintendent Durkin and myself to go to the !nib.
lie houses near the House of Detention early on Saturday
morning, and if he saw any suspicious persons loitering
about, to take a cab at once and communiente with
us. I saw him on the 7th and on the nth, and he
then suggeated that it would he a good plan blemish those
of the friends of the prisoners Burke and Casey who visited
the prison. I made no reply to that suggestion. On the
following Wednesday he told me he was going to the East-
end " fonds up with them," meaning the Follette. On the
Thursday he came to Bow-street and I was very angy with
with him, as some one who knew him might have
seen him come there. I parted with him in
a hurry on the understanding that I was to meet him at
Bow-street police-court on Saturday. The explosion or.
coned on the Friday. I SAW nothing more of Allen until I
saw him in custody in the House of Detention.
The Coroner—Do you consider Allen was at the House
of Detention on Friday in your interest?
. . .

Witness—Well. air:th it is only a matter et opinion.
The Coroner—Have you any mason to believe that he
was playing with you ?
Witness—l have reason to believe that be was net,
frost imagers not connected with this nest

ir•irmer—You do not suspect that he was is cow
with Mulleny end Juatim?
Wan. sir. lilulluay's evidence proves ths

lly the Foreman—l have no doubt Allen beleozed to the
P. •An I•r"therhood.

Ti.. PM...man—Do you think he was areal member of the
br.o!.J-rhootl, or that he joined them to betray them?
Witness—He came to me ♦oluntarily to betray them.
Tit- Foreman—You don't think that when he spoke
about the contemplated attack on the van that he meant it
.I.coy to conceal the real motive?
W i mess No, sir. He sail his sister bad told him of the
nit. mist on the van, and added that I must take it for
it WAA worth. He also said that a meeting wea to be
hula iu a public-house to arrange the plot. I told hint to
try and lied the public-house.
A juror—Why hadn't we all this with regard to Allen
b d. re now?

_
wan ill and confined to my bed. I was in
Co'. toulticition with my brother officers.
A ;nror—How long is Superintendent Durkin in posses-
sion of these facto

Al-items—He only saw Allen once.
Foreman—Supposing your illness had terminated
litally would this evidenoe have been given!
Witness—There is not the slightest doubt that it would
from a statement made while I was ill.