Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1889-01-26 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

THE SPECIAL COMMISSION.  THIRTY-FIFTH DAY.  The judges were a quarter of an hour late taking their seats on Friday, and in fact there seems a tendency on the part of many of those occupied in the case to trench a little more on the extra half-hour before 11 o'clock. Rising immediately, the Attorney-General said he had consulted with his learned friends on the question of examining witnesses as to the Plan of Campaign independently. They were most anxious to keep .out of the inquiry anything which could be held to be of a political character. He had only referred to it incidentally as being one of the causes which prevented rent being paid, and while he could not promise not to refer to the plan at all, be would endeavour to avoid doing so, except in such a way as to cause no complaint. Mr. Asquith (Sir Charles Russell being still absent) took the opportunity to announce that his side did not intend to press for inspection of the Parnell letters held by the Times for purposes of comparison.  Mr. George Young, the agent who was. called on the previous day, was then put in the box, and, in reply to Mr. Murphy, swore to many cases im the estates for which he was agent, where the tenants, after publicly disavowing their ability to pay, came secretly to offer their rents. In some cases the men remained hid on the mountain side so that they should not be seen paving their rents.  Mr. Robert Powell, a stalwart specimen of the land agent, next entered the box, and informed the Court that he lived at Westport, Mayo, and he had been agent for several estates in the county for many years. He had received threatening notices, which he handed to the police, while his cattle were killed. He had been for some long time under police protection. Henry Vereker, land agent for the Acton estate in co. Mayo, was the next witness, but his evidence was not of much value. John Edward Barrett said hewas a landlord, land agent, and farmer in co. Cork, and had been for many years. He detailed the action he had taken in opposition to the Land League. Dominick OlOonnell, another land agent from co. Mayo, gave similar evidence. In cross - examination by Mr. A. O'Connor, witness said he had made two evictions on his own property, and was afterwards fired at. The wife of one of the tenants, named Kilten, was in bed at the time of the eviction, and refused to leave her bed. There were no bailiffs who refused to remove her. Witness and a man named Froom removed the woman. Mr. O'Connor asked whether when the woman was brought out a policeman did not run up and cover her with his coat. Witness replied that when she was brought out she began to kick her clothes off her. In answer to the President, he said it was 2 o'clock in the day. " The woman was sick, my lord," said Mr. A. O'Connor, adding, to witness, " Did not you and Frown carry her out naked ?" " Yes," replied the witness, " but not until she had given us considerable trouble." The witness added that he saw the woman the night before, and she appeared quite hale and healthy. After luncheon, Mr. Reid rose, and said that he much regretted that he was compelled to call the attention of the Court to the "contents bill" of the Sheffield Daily Telegraph. A !bong the lines on that bill were, " The League's Murder Ring. Full confession in open court." He must ask the Court to take notice of such a serious matter. The President, who appeared much annoyed,said, "Well, well, you must proceed by affidavit in the usual way."