Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-11
DAVITTS DEFENSE.
He Says That Neither He Nor Any of
His Fellow.Leaguers Knew Any
thing of the Assassination.
Several Additional Arrests Made, but
Nothing New Deyeloped-A Highly
Sensational Story.

LONDON, May 10.-At Haverford an Irish
Dublin he refused an offer Of e100 to assist
in the murder of Lord Frederick Cavendish
and Burke. His Etatement has been COM
municated to Sir William V. Harcourt
home secretary. The man has been taken to
Liverpool, and still adheres to his statement.
His knowledge of the locality of the crime
and description of the men gives his state
ment every appearance of truth. The POI
lice anticipate something important will
come from his statement. He says he can
lay his hands on the assassins.
DAvITT ON THE ASSASSINATION.
Michael Davitt has written letter to the
Standard ON the subject of the assassination.
After expressing admiration for the temper
of the Standards language since the terrible
murders, he says: Il would feel that / was
neglecting my duty if permitted yonr re-
marks to pass unanswered. For the opinion
you express of the severity OF my condem-
nation of the murders, and for your belief
that Mr.. Parnell, Mr.. Dillon and myself are
guiltless of an alliance with the assas-
sins, / am thankful" In answer TO
the Standards request TO come forward and
make a clean breast of information that
would throw light on the murder, Davitt
recalls the fact that he came out of the Port
land prison at O'Clock Saturday afternoon
after having been confined in solitude for
fifteen months without seeing a newspaper
or letter that did not pass through the hands
of the governor OF the prison. He rebuts the
implication that he and the other Leaguers
must possess inform alton that would enable
the authorities to track the assassin. He
declares that Parnell and Dillon cannot lend
any more assistance in bringing the assassins
to justice than that given in their manifesto.
He agrees that pilgrimage ought to be
made through Ireland now, to denoHnce
assassination until these hideous crimes are
exercised from the land. He recalls the
fact that from the first initiation of the
League he warned the Irish people against
outrages as the greatest danger to the
movement. He says that when he de-
ivered speeches in the United States
from New York to San Francisco
he did his best to allay the demon of
revenge. He says that he always de-
nounced violence, and refers 70 reports of his
addresses published by the Irish-American
press, and made also by the government
shorthand writers for a verihcation of his
statements. He continues: "Whoever is re-
sponsible for my arrest, let him come for
ward and declare on what grounds 1 was de-
prived of liberty, or lie under the imputa-
ton of having removed me because of my
stand against the policy of conniving
at murder and outrage. Had 1 been per-
mitted to continue my crusade against out
RACES, and level all the influence of the Land
League against murder and the mutilation
of cattle, could have prevented number
of crimes which now stain the name of Ire
land, and might have averted the horrible
deed of Saturday last" Davitt refers to
Forster, and says that in the speech he
(Davitt) made before his arrest he predicted
the accumulation of crime that would result
from the policy Forster was pursuing, and
held him responsible before God.
AN0TIIEp AppEcT