The jury found that Mr. Boast " died from shock
and hemor- rhage caused by being accidentally killed by a shot fired by one of his own party while on patrol." In the case of Kennedy, they found that he was " killed on his way home by a military patrol, and we consider that the military acted in the most heartless blamer." What is clear in all this obscurity is that shots had been heard outside the Viceregal Lodge, and that Mr. Boast believed himself to be performing a bare duty in reconnoitring
POSTAGE ABROAD and in challenging those whom he met. After the many series of terrible outrages and murders in Ireland and the attempt on the life of Lord French, it was much more likely than not that the firing which led to the reconnoitring was directed against authority and was of a criminal nature. If there had not been so many crimes, Ireland would not be under martial law, and Mr. Boast would not have gone to search the neighbourhood of the Viceregal Lodge. Whatever may be the precise truth about what happened, the blame rests upon those who commit or applaud murder and not upon those who try to protect innocent lives. The words of the jury are simply a scandal, though we suppose that nothing else was to be expected.
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