Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-01
O'sHEA's INTERESTING STORY.

O'SHEA's INTERESTING STORY.
He Tells OF the Kilmainham Treaty and
Declares the ssTimes'o Letters Gem
uine.
Continuing his testimony before the Parnell
commission in London yesterday, Capt OShea
said: Mr.. Parnen said that Sheridan would be
most useful man in the work Of putting down
boycotting. When Mr.. Parnell was in kilmain-
ham jail q letter was written by Mr.. Parnell
which witness took to Mr.. Forster, then chief
secretary for Ireland. The letter was after
ward presented to the cabinet.
Acknowledgement Webster here read the let
ter. 1t expressed Mr.. Parnel's opinion that II
the arrears question were settled he and his
colleagues would be able to suppress outrages:
After the letter had been written, continued
Capt. OShea, MIR. Parneu said he would tell
Dillon and O'Kelly, letting them know as much
as was good for them. The day after the Pho
nix Park murders Mr. Parnell showed witness
the anti-murder manifesto which it had been
decided to issue. 1t was q mistake, said the
witness. to say that Mr.. Parnell was not in favor
of the manifesto He only disliked the amount
of bombast in the document, but he said that
that was necessary in order to satisfy Day1tt's
vanity. Laughter, in which Mr.. Parneu and
Mr.. Davitt joined.l About this time, went on
been obliged to ask for police protection, as
his life was in danger. Witness, in q SUISSE
quent interview with Parnell, warned him that
Sheridan was a murderer and q concocter Of
murders. Mr.. Parnell replied that he did not
communicate with Sheridan personally.
Seven letters were here shown to witness,
who declared with certainty that the signature
attached to them was that Of Mr.. Parnel.
Sir Charles Russell here asked the court to
permit him to postpone the cross-examination
~ he witt Ia he at RI 0f
O'Shea's evidence came upon him as a surprise.
Justice Hammer declined, and Sir Charles
Russell decided to proceed, and Capt. O'Shea,
in reply to his questions, said that Mr.. Buckle,
editor Of the Times had asked Mr.. Chamberlain
to get him to give evidence. Mr.. Houston, the
secretary of the Irish Loyal Union, saw him
take down in shorthand his statement for the
Times. Mr.. Houston told him it was a state
secret how the Times got the letters. Witness
had heard Piggott and Calan mentioned as the
men who had given the letters to the Times.
Witness knew Patrick Casey, but did not know
him as a dynamiter. He had heard through
nationalist named Mulquenny that the police
had found q letter in the leagues rooms in
the receipt of a check from Mr.. Parnell, which
had been sent to him to enable him to escape
from the country, but the authorities had as
sured him that no such letter had been seized.
Sir Charles Russell-"Did you ever threaten
Mr.. Parnell?"
The witness-''Threateh him! How do Won
mean9 have been angry with him, and once
l turned him out Of my rooms in Dublin"
Sir Charles Russell-"Why did you turn him
The witness-.I told him to get out, as did
Sir Charles Russell-"Have you ever said you
would be revenged on Mr.. Parnell?"
The Witness-''In never remember saving so I"
Sir Charles Russell-"Have you ever said
that you had shell charged with dynamite to
blow him up?'
Witness answered, "No."
10 further questions the witness replied that
he saw the original of the fac-simile of one of the
Times letter last week. He believed the writ
ing was MIR. Parnelrs. Recurring to the Kill
mainham Jail treaty negotiations witness said
the chief conditions of the negotiations were
that the league should be broken up if the
Irish landlords would reduce their rents and
receive compensation from the exchequer
Many OF the memoranda which he had made
were destroyed In 1883, when there was danger
OF select committee of parliament being APP
pointed to inquire into the Kilmainham treaty.
and 1t was intimated to him that the utmost
retlcence ought to be observed on the subject
Sir Charles Observation-Disclosures by whom?"
Witness-"By Sir VIM. Vernon Harcourt,
who said it was the opinion of another person
namely, Mr.. Gladstone
This statement caused a sensation.
Sir Charles Russell-"Was it then you de-
stroyed the memoranda"
Nbucss-1es. Certaln memoranda which
were In another box, and which included some
OF Mr.: Chamberlain's letters, escaped destruc-
ton. 1t was MIR. Gladstone's wish that should
be as reticent as possible from motives of po-
itical expediency."
The fac-simile of the Times letter was again
handed to witness, and he said that he was de-
cidedly OF the opinion that it was Mr.. Parnells
writing. He had never discussed the question
as to how the Times became possessed of IL.
because he did not know. When he first saw
the letter in the Times he did not think it was
genuine. This was not because Of any Pc
cullarity In the writing, but because he could
not understand why Mr.. Parneu should say,
You may show him this, but do not tell him
my address,"
Witness said he never had any doubt about
the signature. He had had numerous letters
from MIR. Parnell of about the same date es the
letter referred to, and could not mistake the
writing. Under cross examination by Mr.
Healy, witness stated that when he contested
Galway for parliament the Parnellites attacked
and denounced him in every way in their power.
The court at this point adjourned.
Sir Chas. Russell's cross-examination was ex-
pected to elicit the reason for the rupture
between O'Shea and Parnell, but both sides
choose to leave this unrevealed The witness
stated that up to june 1886, he believed in
Parnelrs honor, and knew that he was opposed
to outrages. Neither Sir Chas Russell nor Sir
Richard Webster proceeded to inquire as to
what caused him to disbelieve in Parnelrs
honor. Whatever was the cause Of the rupture
the animus of the witness was apparent. The
Parnellites probably felt the quiet malignity of
the evidence more keenly than the best in
formed outsider.