The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-05-24
BOLD Mr.. OBRIEN.
An Irishman Who is Not Afraid TO
Defend His Conduct to Englsnds
Attorney-General.
The Authorship OF Several Articles
Attacking English Methods in Ire
land Acknowledged.
The shooting of the Police at Manchester
Declared Not TO Have Been
Criminal Act.

LONDON, May 23.-Gladstone was pres
ent at the session of the Parnell commits
sion TO day. The cross-examination of
William o. Brien was continued by Attor-
ney General Webster. O'Brien declared
that United Ireland, his paper, worked ac-
eOrding TO constitutional methods and had
advocated nothing but peaceful means to
attain the end sought by the Irish parlia-
mentary party. He admitted the author
ship of the article declaring the chairman
of the committee selected to receive the
Prince of Wales on the occasion OF his visit
TO Ireland. would be hunted from public
life. and vehemently exclaimed: "He has
been, and rather than allow Englishmen 10
be deceived by show of sham loyalty. | am
resolved TO tell them the truth" O'Brien
said personally he had never spoken dis
respectfully or Extensively about the Prince
of Wales. No people, he declared, had
suffered more for loyalty than IrishmeD,
and no people had prOfited more by protes-
tations of loyalty than the people " ho op-
pressed them. IL il was clear England
would not satisfy the aspirations OF Ire
land, and there was no rational appear
ance of success, an attempt should be- made
TO rebel he declared the London papers
were responsible for the actions ot the
dynamite party more than either FineTty
or Ford, but for the views those papers eX-
pressed not thousand pounds would have
been collected in America for the use OF
the dynamiters.
Mr.. O'Brien explained that when he
made the speech in which he used the
words 1--WE are IN state of civil war, tenn
pered by scarcity of firearms" he was
exasperated at his expulsion from the
house of commons and spoke under intense
feeling, aided by the fearful hatred dis
played by a majority of the house again
the Irish members. He declared II any
people ever bad right to rebel the Irish
then had that right. 1t was the one chance
OF success.
Attorney-General webster said: ''You
only objected TO a rebellion becaase It was
hopeless ~
O'Brien-In the circumstance of time,
unquestionably. Violent language could
not have further indamed the peoples
minds against England. Their minds had
become like lightning conductor when
the air is charged with electricity. OBrien
justified certain articles written by him
and printed in United Ireland to illustrate
the brutal argument that because the Eng
lish people number 30 100000 and the Irish
people 1900, 900, the English were entitled |
to do as they liked.
Acknowledgement Webster quoted from |
an article in United Ireland headed "Alien /
Larken and O'Brien hOnored by their Chi |
cago kindred" and asked witness whether /
il referred 10 the Manchester murderers.
O'Brien replied not muTderers, but men /
engaged in open warfare. who shot police
men by accident.
Attorney Cieneral-The shooting at the |
warfare?
O'Brien-It was not criminal Men who
openly take the liberty to release their
are no more murderous than any
body here. They acted from the highest
and noblest motives.
AttOrney-GeneralW Webster, holding up a
you see the heading ALLEN
Larkin and O'Brien honored by their
Chicago Findred?
O'Rrhn-Yes, ami the article was written
by m.
The Proceedings were here interrupted
by cris-- f 'shear.N
Attorney General Webster-Why those
hears
Presiding Justice Hannen threatened if
order was not maintained he would have
the court room cleared He said he under
stood o. Brien did not consider the shooting
at Manchester murder, but he wished TO
remind him that the court did so regard it.
O'Brien said he and Redmond invited Ford
10 be present at the Chicago convention.
As proof of the change in feeling
wrought by Gladstone, O'Brien cited the
fact that Ford seemed to regard his former
views and appeared TO be harmless. This
concluded OBrien's testimony.