The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-25
A TRAP FOR THE TINES.
ATTY. GEN. WEBSTER SPRINGS 1T
BY AN ADMISSION.

The Attorney Generals Speech q
Damper on Public Interest.
LONDON, Oct. 24.-When the Parnell
commission resumed its sitting to-day, Sir
Charles Russell. counsel for Mr.. Parnell,
said that in addition to the forged Parnell
letters, the Times possessed letters alleged
to have been written by Messrs. Dillon,
Biggar and other Parnellite members of
parliament. These had not yet been dis
closed. The Times counsel objected to
producing them on the ground that the
Tunes did not gain possession of them
until after the opening of the O'Donnell ac-
tion against the Times, but the documents,
Sir Russell said, were material to the present
case and ought TO reproduced. Mr.. Soames,
solicitor for the Times, had filed an affidavit
affirming that the Times had received the
documents from an American named
Roberts, On examination it had been dis
covered that some of the letter were not
genuine, and therefore they had not been
used in the O'Donneil case. This candid
statement admitting that somebody had
been supplying the Times with forged let
ters had q direct bearing, said Sir Charles,
upon the Parnell-Egan forgeres. The docu-
ments that MIR. Soames had retained must
therefore be produced.
MR. wEBsTER's ARGUMENT.
Attorney General Webster, for the Times
held that the documents demanded were
not material to the issue. The affidavit Of
Mr.. Soames, he said, showed clearly that
somebody had been trying to trick the
Times, and knowledge of the trick had been
communicated to Mr. Parnelrs solicitor.
Probably in the course of the case the court
VvO1l1 hear NVbn IL who tried this
The court could see the documents if it de-
desired, but he emphatically protested that
those who advised Sir Charles of the exist
ence Of the documents knew perfectly well
that they were not material to the issue.
Mr.. Russell-How could 1t be said that
the documents were not material, when the
whole truth was wanted about these and
other forgeries? There appeared to BE- fac
tory of forgeries in obedience to the market
of supply and demand. The court ought to
insist upon the production Of every one of
them.
The court thereupon directed that the
documents be produced.
Mr.. Russell next asked for particulars of
the charges against Mr.. Parnell and the
other members of parliament involved in
the case.
DAvITT HIS OWN DEFENDER.
Here Michael Davitt arose and claimed
the right to appear for himself.
The court assented.
Justice Hannen. president of the commits
sion, then said, in response to mr. RusselPs
request for particulars, that it was not
necessary that all the details should be
given. The court was of the opinion that
all the particulars were being given which
were required.
The attorney general informed the court
that the other size still continued to ignore
Nhn, Nf Ion
bank books.
Justice Hannen intimated that if the re-
fusal to produce the books was final, the
court would have recourse to its powers to
compel their production.
The attorney general then continued the
presentation of the Times case, making a
further review Of the articles one "Parnell-
ism and Crime"
EGAN's CONTRIBUTION
He quoted from a letter Of Patrick Egan,
in which the writer sent $50 for the pay
ment of men who committed outrages. and
said that evidence would be adduced to
prove that Mr.. Parnell knew that Mr..
Egan had supplied Sheridan and Boyton
with funds to enable them to promote
outrages. He would not suggest that Mr..
Parnell knew particular individuals who
were to be attacked, but he did know
that outrages were part OF the leagues
system. Prior to the Phoenix park murders
Mr.. Parnell neither did nor said
anything in condemnation of crimes com
mitted by members Of the league. When
Mr.. Parnell appeared in the witness box he
would ask him what he had ever done to
put down acts of violence before May, 1882,
the month in which the Phoenix park muir
ders occurred. The issue after the murders
of manifesto reprobating them. signed by
Messrs. Parnell Dillon and Davitt, was
only done under necessity.
PARNELL's ALLEGED RELUCTANCE.
1t would be proved by Capt. O'Shea that
Mr. Parnell objected TO sign the manifesto,
and that he signed it finally with reluct-
ance.
Capt O'Shea acted as medium in the
negotiations with Mr.. Parnell for the sup
preston of outrages When question
arose regarding Mr.. Parnell's control of his
comrades, Mr.. Parnell declared that there
were some men who must be let out of
prison, and he named Brennan, late secre-
tary Of the league, as one OF those who must
either be kept out of Ireland or in prison
1.-THE court, said Mr.. Webster, could draw
its own conclusion as TO what Mr.. Parnell
knew of Brennap's connection with the
crimes" Mr. Parnell, continued Mr. Web
ster also advised that Sheridan and Boyton
be allowed to return 10 Ireland, as they
could control those who were engaged in
the commission of crime. All this showed
that Mr.. Paraell had a thorough knowledge
of the sourcess of violence.
DISAPPEARANCE OF FUNDS.
The attorney general further accused Mr..
Parnell OF possessing criminal knowledge
regarding the raising Of vast funds by the
league for criminal purposes. The accounts
published by the Dublin Freenldn's Journal
gave the receipts OF the laud league from
October, 1879, to October, 1881, as Gl44, 800.
Only 944, ,877 Of this sum was accounted
for. How much of the remaining f100, 600
was applied Did Mr.. Parpel
know the uses to which this
large sum was devote12 Was il
so expended that its distributors did not
dare to give an open statement7 IL the
league was a constitutional association why
should its books be removed to London
there to disappearl Some items of account
could be traced which disclosed Mr.. Par
nell's relations with murderous associa-
tions-for instance, a check for R100 sent TO
Byrne. and one for R35 sent to Quinn. The
attorney general was then proceeding to
expand upon the support received by the
Parnellites from the Irish World, when the
court adjourned for the day.
INTEREST WANING.
The attorney generals exhaustive method
Of presenting his case is patiently submit
ted to by the court, the judges having de-
termined, in accordance with usage, to per-
NIT the counsel in their opening addresses
to follow their own line. Public in