The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-23
Attorneys Make Full Presentation of the Case
for Beth Sides. and the General Result
Is in Favor of the Irish Members.
One Hundred and Fifty Deadand1njured
of the Laterza Accident Unidentified,
But Scores of Others Have Been Extricated
Whose Names Are Not Yet KnOwn-An Enor-
nous Sum Needed for French Defensss.
THE "TIMEs" AND THE IRISH.
The Opening Day of the Great Trial Show
Badly for the Newspaper People


The Opening Day of the Great Trial Shows
Badly for the Newspaper People.
LONDON. Oct 22-The commission appointed
to investigate the charges made by the Times
against Irish members of Parliament opened
court at II o'clock this morning. Sir Charles
Russell, as leading counsel for Mr.. Parnell,
opened the proceedings by applying for the re-
lease from Wexford prison of Dir. VIM. Red
mond. Justice Hsunen, president Of the COM
mission, said the game course would be adopted
with Mr.. Redmond a. In the case OF Mr.. John
Dillon HE release must not be construed tc'
mean that he had been granted immunity from
imprisonment He would be set free only under
strict conditions. These would not allow of his
taking any part in public life, and would COM
pei him to hold himself strictly prisoner on
parole.
Sir Charles Russell in.imated that for the
present he would not Insist upon his application
for Mr.. Redmond's release.
Discussion then ensued upon the length of time
the court should sit weekly. Counsel for both
sides concurred In a proposal to hold sessions
upon four days of each week, but the court de-
cided to meet every week day except Saturday,
and asked counsel to expedite the proceedings.
Attoruey-gsncral Webster opened the csse for
the Times. He promised to give the court the
fullest information IN the Times's power regard.
ing the rource Of the evidence against the Irish
party which the Times had published He
would not treat the case as having snything to
do with the merits or dement's of home rule or
o: any supposed burning Irish question. The
inquiry was strictly into the specific charges
made in the O'Don1sl action against the Times.
and he would be careful not to introduce ques-
tions beyond the charges. Tho Attorney
general then proseeded TO review the
Times article on "Parnsllism and Crime"
going over the old grounds The court
room was we'll filed, but not over crowded
Perfect order prevailed. The general public
was not admitted. Mr.. Psrneil and numerous
other Nationalist members of Parliament were
present 1t would be shown ssid Mr.. Webster, that
many Of the men mentioned in the Times's par
ticulare had personally taken part ia crimes Of
the worst kind, while, with scarcely any excep-
ton, tho persons mentioned had never de-
nounced oatrages crimes. Owing to the
failure of the officers OF tbs National League to-
comply with toe commissions order regarding
the discovery of bank books. the Times counsel
had been unable 20 shape their case as they han
expected to. Still. even without the bank
books. they would prove that money had been
paid by TIE league 10 Len appointed f0r the act
nal commission OF acts of vioieues and cri ma.
Some OF the men thus appointed wers CONTESTED
with the American League and soae we're pro-
vided with money from funds obtained in Ire
lard. From the outset of the Land Loague's
existence, since the formation OF the National
League, Mr. Parnell and bic colleagues had been
intimately associated with Irish Americans who
were advocates OF dynamite. Remarkable evi-
dence would be produced 20 prove this eonnec-
ton and 10 show, Also that an extraordinary
number OF untracsd crimes we're due to the in
citement OF the League Rsferrng 70 letters
alleged 10 impllcste Mr.. Parnell aud others in
crimes. Mr.. Webster promised TO produce before
the commission al the letters which had been
mentioned in the trial of the O'Donnsl case. He
then recounted the history Of the leagues con-
necton WITH agrsrian sgitations and showed
how they wsre related to Fsnansm. He rected
instances where Davitt, Dewey. Walsh, Eean,
Brennan and Matthew Harris had held commu
nication with the Parnellits party and declared
they we're linked tn that party by common aims
and interests. The Attorney-eeneral quoted
from speeches Of Nationalist leaders made from
the year 1879 ouwards.
Wnen the court adjourned for the day, Mr.
Webster was apparently only small way ad-
vanced In the presentation OF his case. The
vagueness and general character OF his state
ment left an impression that the Times has no
absolute legal proof OF its ehsrges. Instead OF
producing evidence that Mr.. Parnell and his as
sociates were accompl plices. beiers or after the
fact, with the Phoenix Park murders. he will at
tempt to Justify the Timess accusations by rak-
ing no ontrages attributed to members of tho
league and trying to connect them with the Par.
nellites. Mr.. Webster seemed TO he hampered
by dread OF committing himself beyond the
most cautious statement He spoke in his worst
form, pressing along in q drearv monotoue, with
out the least display OF rhetoric. There was an
utter absence of points In his statement. aud his
exposition of the Timess case was generally O
discopnecte opa