Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-21
SENSATIONAL FEATURES.
Houston and Pigott Before the
 Parnell Commission.
TRYING TO MITIGATE PARNELI.

TRYING TO MITIGATE PARNELL. Parnen Says Eean Boasted of Having
 Given the Signal for the Phoenix Park
 Murders-rarnell Charged With Favor
 ing the Murtlers-An Alleged Plot.
 LONDON, Feb 21.-A sensational feature of the cross-examination of Mir Houston secre- tary of the Irish Loyal and Patriotic union before the Parnell commission was the read, ing of the notes of Pigott's conversations with Eugene Davis. In these notes it ap- peared that Egan told Davis that in Paris, in 1881, Parnell, O'Kelly, Dillon, Brennan and Harris had agreed that Englands power could be neutralized only by the removal of her leading men.
 After MT. Pa1nell's arrest Egan urged the Fenians to activity. Egan was invariably consulted as to projected murders. Tynen said in cafe in Paris that it was he who gave the signal for the Phoenix park murders. Egan said that his only regret was that they had not begun the work earlier. There was plot to murder the Prince of Wales and MT. Gladstone at the carnival at Cannes, but it was not carried out
 MT. Houston, who procured the aleged Parnell letters from Pigott, said under ex- animation that he destroyed Pigott's letters to him, in accordance with an agreement made between them that they were intended for the witness eye alone, and were not to be used publicly. Up to the time the witness went to Paris Pigott had not given him the names of any of the persons connected with the letters secured by The Times
 He did not consider that a knowledce of the men from whom the letters were obtained was important in connection with the ques- tion of their genuineness. Witness said his part was done when the letters were obtained. He accepted them without securing any means of testing Pigott's statement in the event of their genuineness being questioned, because he understood that it was useless to attempt to make complete case, and further inquiries would only handicap himself.
 "If," said the witness, "Pigott had been needy or fraudulent enough to attempt to commit perjury, my action would have as sisted him; but l do not admit that he was either. Pigott's interviews with Mir. Labou- chere shook my faith in him, and, therefore, my mind was not easy until he had signed the sworn declaration"
 Mir. Pigott then entered the witness box He was conspicuously we'll dressed, and has the appearance of a benevolent old gentle man of about 60. He testified that he was member of the supreme council of the Fenian Brotherhood and had belonged to the Irish Republican Brotherhood until 1881. Mr. Par nell was member of the supreme council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.
 The Irishman and The Flag of Ireland were sold in 1879 to a company in which Parnell and Egan were shareholders. The league un- doubtedly provided the money to buy both papers. Later Egan said he proposed to rem der the lives of the English officials not worth an hours purchase. Of course, Pigott remarked Parneu was aware of the proposal
 The Scotland Yard officials have received information leading to general belief in police circles that the Invincibles are engaged ID perfecting the details of plot to murder several of the high officers of the government. So circunlstantial are the stories poured into the ears of the police officials that even Lord Salisbury is impressed with belief in their genuineness, and notwithstanding his persist ent refusal hitherto to permit himself to be guarded by officers of the law he was placed under the protection of the police, the men assigned to the duty of protecting him keep ing him constantly in sight.
 MT. Balfour's safety has for some time past been special charge of the police, and it is likely, in view of this latest scare, that sev- eral other members of the cabinet will avail themselves of police protection.
 It is generally believed that great many Conservatives and Unionists will refuse to in- dorse the coercion policy of Mir. Balfour, con- monly known as "Balfourism," ;" and it is ex- pected that division in the house of com mons on a question of approving his course will show a very small ma jority in the affirm ative, if, indeed, the majority be not on the other side Even a narrow majority in favor of the government on this queston would, in the present temper of the people, have a mighty moral influence upon the country, and in the event of the failure of The Times case before the Parnell commission it would be difficult for the Tories to defy the popular demand for general election.
 Barnum's Intrepid Agent Missing.