CHARGE AGAINST MISS REYNOLDS.

# Transcription — The Leeds Mercury, 1881-12-24, p.3 **Source**: The Leeds Mercury (Leeds, West Yorkshire, England), Saturday 24 December 1881, p.3. **Status**: Complete. OCR cleaned against the page image. --- **CHARGE AGAINST MISS REYNOLDS.** (FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) CORK, Friday Night. At the Castletown (Berehaven) Petty Sessions to-day, before Mr. E. B. Warburton, R.M., Miss Hannah M. Reynolds, of the Dublin Ladies' Land League, was summoned for inciting a tenant of the Earl of Bantry, named Catherine Murphy, not to pay her rent. The offence was alleged to have occurred on the 18th of December, on the occasion of some evictions in the Castletown district. Miss Reynolds was defended by Mr. Whyte-Barker, of London. In the first summons Miss Reynolds was charged with inducing the tenant not to pay her rent, but this was withdrawn, and she was then charged with inciting the woman not to pay her rent. The second was framed, it is believed, in accordance with instructions from the Attorney-General. The principal witness in the case was Benjamin White, a bailiff, who said he heard the defendant tell a crowd of people at the house of Catherine Murphy not to pay any rent; but he could not say if Mrs. Murphy was present. He believed her son was. — Constable Rorke proved that Mrs. Murphy was present at her house on the day in question. — Sub-Inspector Maxwell deposed that he heard Miss Reynolds say to Mrs. Murphy's son "that the Land League would build a hut for them at any expense." — Patrick Murphy, the son of the tenant, said he did not recollect Miss Reynolds advising his mother not to pay rent. His mother bought the house about 18 years ago, and she had paid no rent for it since. She only paid rent for the land. Mr. Whyte-Barker, for the defence, contended that no case had been proved, and asked his Worship to dismiss the case. It was not proved that Miss Reynolds spoke to the tenant at all, and the decree had not been put in evidence to show that she was evicted at all for non-payment of rent. He also asked the case to be dismissed because there was no fresh information on which to ground the second summons, and the first information died when the original summons was withdrawn. He said the Crown relied on Mr. Warburton acting there as judge and jury to convict in the case. Mr. Warburton said that was a most uncalled-for observation. The Government did not expect that he or any other magistrate would commit perjury. They did not expect him to convict, whether he considered the evidence sufficient or not. Mr. Whyte-Barker said it would not be perjury. He asked that Miss Reynolds should be sent for trial before a jury. If any conviction were made, he would have it at once set aside in the Court of Queen's Bench. Mr. Warburton said a threat had been held out about the Court of Queen's Bench, and he had also been charged with coming there to do his duty unfairly. That he denied, and he felt that the case had been proved, and that Miss Reynolds should give bail to be of good behaviour for six months, or in default to be imprisoned for one month in County Cork Gaol. There was plenty of bail for the asking, but Miss Reynolds would not allow it to be given, and declared her intention of going to gaol. She said that her imprisonment would make thousands join the League, and that the whole affair was "trumped up" to gratify the spleen of a petty magistrate and agent. Mr. Warburton said he would give Miss Reynolds a week to procure the bail, but she sternly refused to give an undertaking that bail should be tendered for her. Mr. Warburton said that under those circumstances there was no alternative for him but to make out an order for committal. Miss Reynolds said that imprisonment would do her no harm, and that there were better people in gaol than she. Miss Reynolds will be allowed to remain at her hotel in Castletown to-night, under a police guard, and to-morrow (if she does not relent and give the bail) she will be conveyed to Cork Gaol. She walked down from the court-house to her hotel escorted by Head Constable Meek, and a large crowd of people followed, who cheered for the lady, the Land League, the suspects, and for Miss Parnell; and groans were given for Mr. Forster. A band intended to turn out to play in Miss Reynolds's honour, but the members were warned if they did so they would be imprisoned for two months. On this account they remained indoors. The town is quiet. Mr. Herbert Gladstone, M.P., who was present at the evictions, was summoned as a witness for the defence, but he did not appear. He wrote a letter to the solicitor for the Land League in Dublin, Mr. Mangeogh, stating that he was not aware that he could give any evidence which would be favourable to Miss Reynolds, but if the solicitor thought otherwise, he would be good enough to inform him (Mr. Gladstone) of its nature.