The Irish standard., 1902-05-24
BRITISH LAW IN ERIN.
How 1t Is Administered Under the
Coercion Act.

How 1t Is Administered Under tn,
Coercion Act.
In a recent speech in the House of
Commons. John Dillon. NJ. r., dc
scribeu the following incident in Clare
which is typical of British rule in Ire
land:
Now. let me draw the attention of
the house to performance that took
place in Ennis the ether day. a per.
Torrance never euualcd in Ireland
and never equaled anywhere. l ven.
ture to say, outside of one Of Gilbert
and Sullivan's operas. In the town of
Ennis a coercion court was held. and
eleven inhabitants of the town were
put on trial because a poor woman
named Mrs. Normoyle was. as alleged
by the police. prosecuted and prevent
cd from selling her milk. To give
the house an idea Of what is now go
ing OH in Ireland, lot me read about
trying this tremendous case:
The excitement in Castleclare was
intensified when the band was st D.
ped ~ force of extra police. under
the chief command of Mr.. w. II.
FnuSser, county inspector. was in at
tendance. and two resident magis-
trates constituted the crimes act court.
John Normoyle, ST., husband of the
woman, was examined as a crown wit
ness and he deposed that his wife sold
the milk freely, and that no one gave
her any trouble. and that he himself
was OH good terms With his neigh
bors. He did not know he was pres
ent when his wife got letter.
Mr.. Murphy Grown prosecutor)-I
will have it out of you if you We're to
remain here for a month. Great
laughter).
The crown prosecutor then tackled
Mrs. Normoylc. who proved much
mere difficult witness. When sworn
she deposed that she had been tor
mcnted for weeks by the local ser
geant begging her to get up this prose-
cltion. loud laughter). Ultimately
Mr.. Murphy asked the court to c@m-
nit these two crown witnesses for
contempt. Which was accordingly
done Oaughter). and one of the wit
ncsses declared that the sergeant want
ctl her son to set five or six rowdies
to break the windows of prominent
United Irish Leaguers. At this stage
the court adjourned. loud laughter).
Ultimately the verdict of the court
was to the following effect: ',Ehe de-
PENDANTS are acquitted Of all charges
against them. which are dismissed
without prejudice, and they are ac-
cortlingly held to bail and sent for
three months Imprisonment to Liner
ick Jail" loud laughter, in which
the whole house joined.
The picture would not be complete,
said Mr. Dillon. without another re-
markablc incident. The seventy extra
police drew their batOnS. after the trial
had closed and charged the crowd.
Gaughter). Sir. you could not have n
better epitome of the government Of
Ireland than this Urisl cheers). and
what commentary it is on the say
ing of the prime minister the other
day that "'rhc Irish do not love U.S."
/ would make a suggestion to the gov
crnment. The concentration camps in
South Africa have been such q sue
cess that the government might he
well advised to nut a barbed wire
fence around the land held by Mr..
and Mrs. Normoyle and get the police
to haul every one in Clarecastle into
Jail who will not drink Normoyle milk.
Uaugllter). No language in my opin-
ion can express the utter and gro
tcsque ahsurdity Of these proceedings.
Nrish cheersl. But sir. human pa
tience has its limits. Policemen have
no right to draw their batons on
pcaccable citizens. view such scenes
with horror. for I remember what hap
pened in AItchelstown, and. if the peo-
pie are goaded into reprisals when
they are batoned. bludgeoned and
kicked, fear to think what the con-
sequences may be. 1t is intolerable
that such proceedings should take
place in the name Of justice.
The house. think. has not realized
the seriousness of the situation in Ire
land. l do not believe that this ill.,
famous policy is the free. unfettered
choice of the present chief secretary.
clear! HearD 1 believe he is the un-
willing instrument of a gang in Ire