188 MlNXJTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE Mr. Nicholls. 10433- Would not that have been attended by good consequences ?- I think not. _ 10434 Why not; would not the policeman have been put on his trial .'— Yes. 18 May 1838. j oAT Would not that do good ?— No, there would be a jury got to acquit him. 104- 6 There could not be a jury found in the county of Longford to try an assault of that kind, and do justice?— I do not think there could, at that time. 10437. It was so hopeless a case, then, that you would not make the trial ?— Precisely so. . . 10438. Then now we have arrived at your motive; the reason you did not go before Captain Skipton or Mr. Hines to lay this information was, that you were convinced no jury could be got to convict that policeman ?— Yes. 10439. Was that your reason ?— Yes. 10440. Why did not you tell me so before?— I told you at different times I thought it was hopeless. 10441. But why did not you say you considered it hopeless to expect to get any jury in Longford to execute the law ?— I did. 10442. Why did not you tell me so?— I repeatedly said I thought it would be useless. 10443. Why did not you tell me why you thought so ; I was taking a good deal of pains to get at the reason ?— And I was equally anxious to satisfy you. 10444. Then your reason was, that there was no jury in the county of Longford who would find a just verdict in a case of assault?— In a case of assault where a policeman was concerned. 10445. Were you present when the woman was stabbed in the thigh?— I was. 10446. When was that?— During the registry; the fair- day of Longford, the market- day, and the quarter sessions. It was during the time of the cholera, and the summer assize was adjourned till the 22d of October, and the assizes, quarter sessions, fair- day, and market- day all occurred on one day, Saturday. There was such a crowd in the town, and knowing the disposition of the police, we were anxious to get the people cleared out of the town early, and about ten or a dozen of us went through the different public- houses, and advised the people to quit the town and get home. They did so in most cases; they at once took our bidding, and cleared out of the town. About 9 o'clock at night there was a drunken tailor, who was very well known to every one of the police; he had been a remarkable character; he and his wife were coming down the street; we heard a scuffle; a person of the name of Coffey was coming down the street also ; I saw the two men engaged, and I told Maginnis the tailor to submit and go with the policeman; I forget the name of the policeman at present, it is five or six years ago ; the police- man then turned round, and said there was a rescue; I told Coffey to go with him quietly ; he then drew his bayonet and made a thrust; Coffey stepped aside, and it went through the thigh of the tailor's wife. O ~ 10447. You were present?— Yes. 10448. And there was no rescue ?— No. I was tried for the transaction after- wards, and I will tell you why; they took Coffey to a police- office, and they put some handcuffs upon him that were quite too small; there was a Mr. Flood and a Mr. Philips there, and I went to the magistrates and offered bail to the amount of 300 I. or 500 L each for his appearance ; bail would not be taken that night, and he was sent to gaol, and put into the same cell with a madman, who had murdered his wife. The next day, when I went to offer bail, Mr. Croft, the magistrate, told me, I should want to find bail for myself, for I was included in the information for a rescue, as they did not know the man who had escaped. When the case came to be tried before Mr. French, Mr. Colquhoun, who was our counsel, ( it was tried the next day, on Monday or Tuesday) asked the policeman, what had the man done r He was making a noise, said he, and his wife told him to be quiet, for the police were coming, and he said he did not care for the bloody pier- drivers- and then Mr. Colquhoun stated, « ' My Lord," says he, " I beg leave to surest that was no assault on earth, and that the man should not be arrested for, andThat therefore the case must drop. Mr. French, the chairman, took Mr. Colquhoun's view of the case, and a verdict of not guilty was returned. 10449. You were tried for that ?— Yes. 10450. At what time was that?— October 1832. 10451. And I suppose the policeman was prosecuting you ? Yes. 10452. He was giving evidence against you?— Y'es. 10453. Then the jury found against the policeman ?— The case did not go to tlie jury; the barrister said the case was not made out. 10454. E) o