asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been called to a statement made in Skibbereen by a responsible person and ex-Crown solicitor, Mr. Jasper Wolfe, referring to the "terrible incident when a number of British soldiers were fired at, killed and wounded in the town of Cove," stated that the "Search parties took uncommonly good care to pass by the gate which they knew, as all in the country knew, would lead to the culprits," and in reference to the more recent series of attacks on Civic Guard barracks, stated that "about a score of men were cast into jail without any evidence whatever, and with a perfect knowledge that they were entirely innocent," and whether he has any statement to make to disprove these serious allegations and reassure the public as to the good faith of the police and Ministry.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SKIBBEREEN RESIDENT'S ALLEGATIONS.
TOMAS MAC EOIN
My attention was drawn to the speech of Mr. Jasper Wolfe as reported in the "Cork Examiner" and in the "Southern Star," and in particular my attention was drawn to the following extracts therefrom:—
"Everyone of them would remember that terrible incident when a number of British soldiers, after the Treaty, were fired at, killed and wounded in the town of Cove. What happened? Everyone knew that the Republican Party had as much to do with that as he (Mr. Wolfe) had, yet all over Munster the camouflage was gone through of searching for notable Republicans, and search parties took uncommonly good care to pass by the gate which they knew, as all in this country knew, would lead to the culprits. They went further in order to provide the English with a decent bottle of eyewash. They issued a proclamation for the apprehension of a number of Republicans, whom they named, and two of whom he (Mr. Wolfe) saw walking the streets of Cork a few days previously, and who could have been picked up just as easily and as innocently as he (Mr. Wolfe) could. That was how the Government administered stable justice.
Coming to a later period, they saw where a very regrettable series of attacks took place on Civic Guards' barracks, resulting in a deplorable loss of human life, whether intentionally or unintentionally did not, in his view, matter much, and within a few days about a score of men were cast into jail without any evidence whatever, and with a perfect knowledge, he suggested, that they were entirely innocent. That action was another instance of the operation of stable government."
As these extracts appeared to contain serious charges reflecting on the due administration of justice I was very gravely concerned, and I accordingly instructed an Assistant Commissioner of the Gárda Síochána to proceed to Cork for the purpose of interviewing Mr. Wolfe on the matter. On the 4th instant this officer interviewed Mr. Wolfe in the presence of the Chief Superintendent of Cork at the Gárda Síochána Station at Union Quay, Cork. The Assistant Commissioner explained that he was there for the purpose of ascertaining whether Mr. Wolfe accepted the Press reports as an accurate account of his speech and took responsibility therefor; further, that he wished to avail of any information which might be in Mr. Wolfe's possession regarding either the Cobh murders or the murder of Sergeant Fitzsimons, with special reference to any dereliction of duty by any member of the State forces in the prosecution of these crimes.
Mr. Wolfe stated that the report contained in the "Cork Examiner" (which is identical in so far as these references are concerned with the report in the "Southern Star") was an inaccurate report, probably deliberately so, inspired from political sources with a view to injuring him in his election campaign. With reference to the extract bearing on the Cobh murders, Mr. Wolfe stated that, speaking from memory, the following would more closely resemble what he did, in fact, say:
"Instead of searching for the Rolls motor car, the occupants of which had admittedly committed the outrage, all over Munster the camouflage was gone through of searching for noted Republicans, the search parties taking good care to pass by the gate which they knew as all in this country knew, might lead to the car and thence to the culprits."
He admitted that the phrase, "the search parties taking good care to pass by, etc.," was unhappy as implying knowledge and deliberation, and was at pains to explain that what he really wished to convey was merely that, in his opinion, the search parties would be better employed searching houses, gates, etc., for a Rolls-Royce car, rather than searching a mountainside for noted Republicans. He was emphatic that it was not his intention to imply neglect of duty on the part of responsible officers.
With regard to the sentence, "they issued a proclamation for the apprehension of a number of Republicans whom they named and two of whom he saw walking the streets of Cork a few days previously and who could have been picked up just as easily and as innocently as he could," it will be noted that this sentence is seriously ambiguous inasmuch as the word "previously" might be interpreted as meaning prior to the date of Mr. Wolfe's speech. He explained to the officers that it was a week or ten days before the proclamation was issued that he and a friend saw two of the men, afterwards named in the proclamation, in a street in Cork.
After a lengthy discussion Mr. Wolfe made the following statement in the presence of the officers. It was read to him and he admitted its accuracy while refusing to sign it:
"The Press report appearing in the ‘Cork Examiner' of 23/4/'27, which I have seen and read is an inaccurate, misleading and unfair report of an address delivered by me at a political meeting in Skibbereen on 21st April.
I have no personal knowledge of search parties having passed by a gate or gates about which they knew or had reason to expect that a Rolls-Royce car or the Cobh murderers could be found. That part of the report which relates to my having seen two of the wanted men on the streets of Cork should be read as referring to a period prior to the publication of the proclamation.
I have no information as to the names of the perpetrators of the Cobh murder or of the murder of Sergeant Fitzsimons at Cork."
In view of Mr. Wolfe's repudiation of the Press reports it is not proposed to take further action in the matter.
Has the Minister compared the reports referred to with the report in the "Cork County Eagle." which is owned by Mr. Jasper Wolfe?
I intend to do so.