ULSTER JURIES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIV, Issue 43, 18 February 1887, Page 13

ULSTER JURIES.

(Dublin Freeman, December 24.) The TJ'ster Winter Assiz -s, which w re neld at Oraagh, have concluded, and those of our readers who have followed the proceedings with any attention will appreciate to what extent we were justified in our protest against the venue. We held it to be a trick of tne Executive manned, as it is at present, by Orange sympathisers, to send the party cases arising out of the Belfast riots to a county like T\ro-ie, where party feehug is so intea3dy bitter. Freaks and gross violations of justice were bound to arise, and they have arisen. Instances of Orange bigotry have been witnessed in the jury box at Omagh during the Assizes which area scandal to Ulster, and which, had anything like it taken place in Cork or Kerry, or any southern county, would hare brought down the shrieking indignation of every '• loyalist " print here and in England. A fortnight ago Judge Lawson, in a case in which he could not get the jury to agree in face of the plainest evidence, appealed t > them • not to bring discredit on the jurors of the county Tyrone," and " to try to rise above party prejudice." The previous day, in a ca3e of a similar character, he "expressed astonishment that any jurors in the county should fail ta regard the obligation of their oath." How were the jurors animated in the case of the man Walker, charged with killing the soldier, Private Hughes, of the West Surrey Regiment, under circumstances which the public will readily recall? The facts of the charge were not disputed. The man was caught in the act, and the ingenuity of counsel could only suggest unintentional killing. Well, the jury could not be induced to agree, despite the specific direction of the Judge, and the prisoner was put upon his trial for the second time. Again they disagreed. We quote from the report — The jury came into court at ten minutes to four o'clock, when the foreman announced there was no possibility of their agreeing. His Lordship — They must have wilfully made up their minds to disagree. (To the jury) — Have you discussed, the matter T The Foreman — Yes. His Lordship -Well? Mr. Orr — I leave it in your lordship's hands. Mr. Smith — I have nothing to s-ay. His Lordship (to the jury)— Do you understand what I told you ? The Foreman — Yes. His Lordship — Are you prepired to follow it ? Foreman — Yes. His L iidship — I told }ou if you believed the man fired the shot you should find him guilty, and you can't do anything else. Go back now. I hey went back, but wit'i no better result, and they had ultimately to be dischaiL'ed. Bif ore dismissing them, his Lordship said : ''I have «aid ail Icm to you. It is highly discreditable to the jurors of thib county that in a case like this they cannot agree. The juror who would violate his oath under circumstances such as surround this case is a man I look upon as second in guilt only to the man whose ca«e he has been investigating." We protested with all our energy against the venue of the Ulster Winter Assizes, because we believed it to be a bit of delicate manipulation by an Executive packed with Orange sympathisers. We are now convinced of the tru'h of what we then surmiseU, an 1 we call Mr. Justice Lawson as our witness.