The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-07 00:00:00

THE _ALIBI IN FAVOUR OF BARRETT.

The attempt made at the recent trial of the Clez.%?...twell
conspirators to prove that Barrett at the time of the explo-
sion was in Glasgow, and therefore innocent of the charge
brought against him, has been followed up by the exami-
nation in Glasgow this week of a number of witnesses who
knew Barrett while in Glasgow previous to the explosion.
The evidence was taken on Monday in the Bell Hotel,
before Mr. Lewis, a member of the firm of solicitors
who acted as Barrett's agents at the trial. Eight persons
gave evidence with respect to the prisoner, but the testi-
mony of all the eight, save one, referred to circumstances
which in no way disconnected the convict with the events
of the 13th of December. The affidavits for the most
part related to Barrett's presence at the torchlight de-
monstration held on the public green, Glasgow, on the
21st of November, about which there has never been any
dispute. Barrett, indeed, appears to have been the prin-
cipal promoter of that affair, as, according to the evidence
of James Lindsay, printer, he ordered the placards to
be printed and posted, and, according to another witness,
distributed handbills respecting the meeting in the streets.
Mr. Lindsay stated that when in company with Barrett
a police-sergeant stopped them in the street and asked if
Barrett was one of those getting up the torchlight meet-
ing. When told that he was, lie asked and received Bar-
rett's name and address, and wrote them in his note-book.
Barrett at that time wore short Dundreary whiskers. One
witness, a labourer, said that he had not only seen Barrett
at the torchlight meeting in November, but also in the
Bell Hotel, at a meeting with respect to a funeral demon-
stration in memory of the Manchester Fenians. This meeting
is presumably the same as that which, according to Mr.
M'Corry's evidence at the trial, Barrett attended on the
13th December, the day of the explosion. The only other
evidence at all to the point was that of another labourer,
named Dunne, who said he saw Barrett on the south side
of Glasgow harbour on the 12th December, the day imme-
diately preceding the explosion. There was no evidence
ptodused, however, with the vague exception noted,
clearly connecting Barrett with Glasgow on the 13th
December. The testimony given before Mr. Lewis, after
being duly attested, will be forwarded to the Secretary of
State.

The deputation which waited upon Mr. Gathorne Hardy
to ask for a respite fur Barrett, was accompanied by Mr.
Bright, M.P., The O'Dunoghue, M.P., Mr. Baker Greene,
the counsel for the prisoner, and Messrs. Lewis and Bre-
ton, his solicitors. Mr. Greene pointed out the discrepan.
cies in the evidence, commented generally on the unsatfs-
factory and contradictory evidence offered by the Crown,
and concluded by praying that an inquiry should be insti-
tuted by the Government into the evidence furnished to
prove the prisoner's innocence.
The HOME SECRETARY stated that he had already recog-
nised the necessity of such an inquiry, and had taken
steps to secure one. He had also applied for the Chief
Justice's notes of the trial, and assured the deputation
that the matter would receive his most serious considera.
tion.

Mr. BRIGHT referred to the fact that Mrs. Mullany, the
approver's wife, had not been called by the Crown to corro-
borate the statements of Morris and Keppell with respect
to the visits of Barrett to her husband's house, and that
no evidence whatever had been offered in corroboration of
Mullany's assertion that Barrett was connected with the
Fenian Brotherhood.

The leputatiou then thanked the Home Secretary awl
witl drew.