PAPERS RELATING TO
Information.
.
Petty Sessions, District of Church Hill
County of Donegal.
The information of Dugald Rankin, of Gleuveigh, who saith on oath, that 1 am shepherd to John G.
Adair, Esq.,
at Glenveigh, and employed taking care of his sheep.
I knew the late James Murray; he was caretaker for Mr.
Adair, at Glenveigh ; he was found murdered in the mountains on the loth day of November last.
1 gave evidence touching his murder and lodged informations against certain parties, whom I believed to be concerned in his murder.
For doing this, I believe my life is in danger.
I have been told by respectable persons to leave the employment of Mr.
Adair, and go home, or I would lose my life or words to that effect.
I have, therefore, reason to believe my life to be in danger.
Taken before me this 30th day of December 1860, at Loughveigh, in the said county.
(signed) John Stewart, j.
p.
(Copy.)
(signed) JR.
Pearson,
Clerk of Petty Sessions.
Police Protection.
Conditions.
When persons receive such protection, they will be required to provide the men with lodging, bedding, and fuel, and to pay lor each man a sum not exceeding 1 s.
per night, Unless otherwise directed by Government.
Men employed at this duty will be subject to-the officer of the district in which they are placed, and to all the legulations of the force.
J.
G.
Adair, Esq.,
to the Under Secretary.
Sir, Bellegrove, Ballybrittas, 8 February 1861.
Your communication of the 2d has been forwarded to me here, together with copies constabulary reports.
In reply, I beg to state, for the information of his Excellency, that from the first I have directed the men stationed at Glenveagh Lodge to be supplied with the same fuel as my own servants ; I can get no better within eight miles.
I have not prevented them cutting wood, as may be seen from the great number of trees cut.
The murder of my steward has been followed by a series of outrages.
The Rev.
Mr.
Maturin's offices, with whom I was a guest, were burned down; upward of 100 of my sheep have been maliciously made away with; and inasmuch as I am now having ejectments served on the inhabitants of the district in which these crimes have been committed, I have the fullest con¬ viction that still further crimes will be perpetrated, if not guarded against.
The affidavit of Dugald Rankin, my shepherd, a Crown witness, you have be¬ fore you.
I am prepared to make a similar one from my own information.
Under these circumstances, I think I am entitled to demand from the Government pro¬ tection for the lives of my servant and my property.
I refuse to pay for the police required for this duty.
I leave to the Government the responsibility of withdrawing that protection; and this distinct declaration, that I am prepared to make oath, that 1 believe that, over a district of 90 square miles, my property, neither I nor any servant of mine could stand unarmed with¬ out the certainty of injury, and no property unguarded without the certainty of destruction, and that this is the general opinion of those best informed in the district.
This state of things has not been brought about by any act of mine, no tenant having been ever evicted by me;-no mountain commonage taken from the people.
I desire to add, that in the steps I am now taking I shall be a large pecuniary loser, fully 200 I.
per annum for several years, as the lands from which these people are evicted must remain waste.
1 hat in the increased number and wages of my servants, consequent on this state of things, I am a loser to an equal extent.
That these crimes have prevented my letting my mountain property, for which,
to
