The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-07-03
Michael Dayitt Testj6es.

LONDON July 2.-Michael Davitt was ex-
amined before the Parnel commission to-day.
He declared there was no truth in the account
given by LeCaron before the commission
concerning the proposals of John De
Voy being submitted TO Parnell Parnen had
nothing to do with witness visit to America in
| 1878. Witness intended to make another trip
| TO America on a lecture tour to raise money for
! the aGyrarian movement.
While IN America, he attended the meetings
! of the Clan-na-Gael, at which he explained the
objects OF the Land League, and tried to win
| the Clan-na Gael TO its support. The Clan-na-
| Gael, he said. included some Of the best irish
men il America. 1t was no more murdererS
club than siwaS the Carlton club Of London.
There was no alliance between the Clan-na-Gael
and the League in ireland. The League move
ment in America had Won the support of all the
Irish in America TO Parnell. Witness said he
himself was opposed to the use of dynamite,
becausel 1t was an immoral and unmanly style OF
warfare. lie was not opposed TO physical force,
If in resOrting thereto there was a reasonable
chance of success.
In reference to the Phoenix park murders,
Davitt proceeded: "Parnell came to me on the
Sunday following the day of the murders. Ut
terly broken down at the news, he said: DaviIt,
shall send my resignation TO Cork tonight. 1
refuse to stay in a movement when irresponsible
men OF whom we know nothing can come behind
our hacks and perpetrate such deeds It took
all my influence, said the witness, ito diSSuade
! him from resignlng. We Immediately had cir
culated through Ireland manifesto condemning
the outrage. There was absolutely no ground
for the suggestion that l or any of my colleagues
were in any way privy to these crimes
DaYItt said he had known Alexander Sullivan
since 1873, and had the highest opinion of his
ability as lawyer his character as citizen and
his honor as a man. He did not believe him
capable OF any diShOnorable act.
He believed the OGtrageS were due to the agita-
| ton OF local agrarian bodies, composed prlnci
paliy OF the sons of tenant farmers. The wit
ness was glad there was a prospect of the aSita
ton ceaSIng, as he dsliSed the agitation and
would willingly abandon il tomorrow if he saw
that some justice would be done to Ireland. He
could not abandon ii otherwise. Davitt contin-
ued: Beyond stating publicly in New York in
july, 1857, that mad severed 10y connection
with the revolutionary body, l expressed no
dissent of the Fenians, I did not attend any
| meeting Of the Clan-naGael after 1880. 1 be-
| lleVe murders were committed by members of
the Clan -Geal, but the perpetrators certainly
| did not have the sanction of the govern
ing body nor the approval OF the
| leaders, The witness continuing said
that in the letter which he wrote he
| used the word ''pent " meaning revolver He de-
! clned to say TO whom the letter was addressed.
| rester:i
Davitt-"I cannot say without possibly in
luTing the man who greatly wronged me-
Presiding Justice Harmon said that the court
respected the motive of witness reticence, but
| could not recognize it as an excuse for not an
| sWeTing. Davttt thereupon said that the man
to whom the letter was written had
! conceived u hatred of other members
| of the League and wished TO murder him. Wit
ness wrote to him appearing to sanction the
act ne meditated, but really TO gain time until
ne could write 10 two of his superior officers and
ask Inem 10 dlSSuade the man from carrying out
mis- purpose. The expression used in the letter
was whoever is employed do not let him use
the pent We have been using" The witness
wrote to the two superior officers about the
matter but he could not tell their names. Davitt
said that the dear friend to whom was ad-
dressed the letter in which the word ''pent" APP
peared, was now in America and he publicly had
| appealed to him to diyulge his name.