Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-01
THE PARNELL COMMISSION.
Listens to the Able Testimony OF Capt
O'Shea.
LONDON, Oct. 81.

LONDON, Oct. 81.
The Parnell commission resumed its in
vestigations today. Capt. O'Shea was ex
| amlned. In the course of his testimony the
witness said
Parnell said Sheridan would be most use
full man in the work of putting down boycott
ting if he could see and converse with him
Boyton and Egan would also be useful he
said if they could be convinced of the wis.
dom of the new policy. When Parnell was
in kilmainham Jail the letter written and
signed by Parnell, the witness took the next
forenoon to Foster, Chief Secretary for Ire.
land. The letter was afterwards presented
TO the cabinet.
Attorney General Webster here read the
letter 1t expressed Parnelrs opinion that
If the arrears question was settled he and his
colleagues would be able to suppress crimes
1t urged the Importance of the agrarian leg
isation and concluded by saying "If the
programme sketched was carried out it would
enable us to cooperate cordially iu the future
with the liberal party in forwarding liberal
principles"
After the letter was written Parnell said
he would tell Dillon and 0'Kely, letting
them know as much as was good for them.
The day after the Phoenix Park murders,
festo which it was decided to issue. 1t was
a mistake said the witness to say that Par
nell was not in favor of the manifesto. He
only dislked the amount of bombast in the
document but said that it was necessary in
order to satisfy Davitts vanity. Laughter
in which Parnelll and Davitt joined. I
About this time Parnell told him he had
been obliged to ask for police protection as
his life was in danger. Witness warned
Parnei that Sheridan was murderer and
concoctor of murders, and that the police
couldn't allow him to remain in the country.
Parnell replied that he did not communi-
cate with Sheridan personally but knew
some one that did. Here Sir Charles Rus
sell asked the court to allow him to post
pone the cross-examination. lie said that
the latter part of O'Sheas evidence came
upon him as a surprise and it was impossible
to do justice to his clients in cross examina-
tion without some preparation. Justice
Hannen said that he could not perceive any
good reason for postponing the cross-exam-
natiOn. Sir Charles thereupon decided to
proceed. Capt. O'Shea in reply to the ques-
tions said that Buckle, editor of the Times,
Jos. Chamberlain TO get him to give evide nee.
Chamberlain showed witness Buckles letter
in July last The witness did not agree to
give evidence, however, until he had been
subpOenaed by Parnell. Houston, secretary
of the Irish Loyal Union, saw him take dow n
in short hand his statement for the Times.
The fac simile of the Times letter was
again handed the witness, and he said he
was decidedly of the opinion that it was Par
nell's writing. The witness said he never
had any doubt about the signature. He has
numerous letters from Parnell of about the
same date as the letter referred to and could
not mistake the writing.
The proceedings of the court were enliv-
ened by O'Shea's examination. The court
room was crowded, the Parnellites being
present in full force. Messrs. Parnell, Il.
Harrington Davitt, Arthur O'Connor, T. NJ.
Healy and Biggar kept close watch over the
proceedings. O'Shea proved good witness
giving his evidence in a calm, matter of fact
way.