Evening journal., 1888-11-01
ONE CENT.
O'SHEA TELLS HIS STORY
Parnell's False Friend on the
Witness Stand.
INTEREST IN HIS TESTIMONY


MIR. ParneIIs Connection with crImes.-
and Gives His Opinion that the Letters
in Question are Geanine.
LONDON, Nov. 1.-The examination Of wit
nesses in the Parnell inquiry proved TO be
much more attractive TO the outside public
than the address Of Sir Richard Webster last
week. The court room in which the commits
sion sits was crowded.
Capt O'Shea was called to the witness
stand in behalf Of The Times He stated that
at Mr.. Parnell's request he conferred with
Mr.. Gladstone in June, 1891. The interview
was accomplished without the knowledge Of
Mr.. Parnells colleagues.
Negotiations were discontinued until 1882,
when Messrs Parnell and Dillon were in Kill
mainham jail The proposals which the wit
ness made TO the government in 1882 were
made without the authority Of Mr. ParneIl-
After the latter's return from Paris he con-
ferred with the witness at the latter's house,
and at these conferences they were always
alone.
The Irish leader authorized the witness to
confer with the government, and said that IL
the question regarding the arrears in rent
was settled satisfactorily he would advise
the tenants 30 pay their rents, and would
himself denounee as outrageous all resistanca
TO law.
Mr.. Parnell had said TO the witness that
Sheridan would bo most useful in putting
down boycotting, and that Boyton and Egan
would also be useful in that direction if they
could be convinced Of the wisdom Of the new
policy
On the day after the Phoenix park tragedy
Mr.. Parnell showed the witness the anti-mur-
der manifesto. Mr. Parnell expressed him
self as favoring the manifesto, but disliked
the bombast in the document which he said
was necessary TO appease the vanity Of Mr..
Davitt
Seven letters were here shown to the wit
ness, who declared that the signatures were
Mr.. Parnell's
Sir Charles Russell asked permission Of the
court 10 postpone cross-examination OF Capt.
O'Shea, as the latter part of tho witness
testimony had taken him by surprise JUS
tice Hannah said he saw no good reason for
postponing gcross-examination, and Sir Charles
Russell then proceeded with the witness.
Capt. O'Shea said that Mr. Buckle, editor
of The Times, had asked him, through Mr..
Chamberlain 70 be witness. Mulqueeny,
an advanced Nationalist, had been threat
ened with death by Gen. Carroll Davis and
Hayes, the supposed originator of the Lon
don bridge outrage because he had signed
the protest against the exclusion Of the witt
ness from parliament by Mr. ParnelL Wit
ness denied that he had ever threatened Mr..
Parnell, but had on one occasion turned him
out Of his rooms in Dublin in fit of anger.
He had been anxious to give evidence in
order TO clear himself and refute the slanders
/ uttered against him by M. Parnell and his
/ colleagues.
Mulqueeny had told the witness that Mr.
Parnell had paid for the escape Of Byrna.
He could not recollect paying Mulqueeny's
expenses to Paris TO procure signatures to tha
protest against his exclusion from the Par
nellito party. Much Of the memoranda he
had collected was destroyed In 1883, when
there was danger that select COMMITTEES
would be appointed 70 inquire into the XII
mainham treaty. II had been intimated TO
him that the utmost reticence In the matter
was necessary.
"Intimated by whomn asked Sir Charles
/ Russell
"By Sir William Harcourt, who said IL
was the opinion Of another person-Mr-
Gladstone
The fac simile letter Of The Times was
shown TO tho witness, who was decidedly Of
tho opinion that the writing was that Of Mr..
Parnell. He had received a number Of
letters from Mr.. Parnell about the same date
and could not mistake his signature
The commission then adjourned.
The sensation which the Tories believed
would be made by the revelations Of Capt.
O'Shea on the witness stand has fallen very
far short Of their expectations. The captains
testimony was given with apparent fairness,
and is really favorable 70 Mr.. Parnell, in 10.
gard to the charges that the Irish leader pos.
sessed full or even partial knowledge Of the
outrages committed in ireland, or those CON
templated. The most interesting item of thu
witness testimony TO those behind the scenes
was his emphatic statement that he severed
his confidence in and for Mr. Parnell in June
1886, a statement which can and win b
totally refuted.
The fact is undeniable that a reporter, VIII
viii be called to the witness box in due time
interviewed Mr.. Parnell in Capt. O'Shea'
house in December, 1886 and the data O
that interview will be forthcoming A
other times the captains recollection Of fact
and dates became somewhat confused, but o.
the whole, he made very creditable show
ing as truthful witness, considering tn
trying circumstance Of his being confronte,
with conflicting memoranda in the presenc
of tho man he was giving testimony against