New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-28
TBY CABLE TO TIE TRIBUSEl

London. Feb. 21-lne courU was lesS CIO"ucu
to-day than yesterday: fewer celebrities were
present and fewer people outside The most I'm
portant act of the whole trial was to te done, but
there was no Pigott To be baited and torn 10
pi,ces in the witness-box So the arena was
though not deserted, much less thrnged. But
as in these extraordinary proceedings it is ever
the unexpected which happens, the day began
with a communication from Pigott not from the
other world. but from Paris. He had sent
letter to Mr. Shannon, Mr.. sOames's Irish assistant
and Mr. Shannon with q solicitors sense of pro
prietv. handed il through counsel to the court
Sir James Hannen opened the thick envelope,
glanced at it, and handed it with something hke
smile to Mr.. Cunynghame the clerk to read
II was Pgotts confession to Mr.. Labouchere
and Mr. Sala, in Mr. LabOucheres handWnt-
Ing, of which we heard yesterday. Sir CharleS
Russell then wanted to get it in, but could not
To-day it walks in of itself.
The substance of it was known. 1t is a fuH
confession by Pigott that he, and he alone forged
all the letters. Curious little points are MADE
in the course of it which bear Mr.. Lao0uchcres
earmark Such are, among others, The diScrsdiU
thrown OH the Eugene Davis statement 1got' IS
denial that hc saw Mr.. Brcslln IL America ms
denial that all Of Mr. Houstons letters had oeeh
DESTROYED, and, above all, the declaration thaC
Mr. Iaboucheres offer OF a thousand pounds was
not Ia induce him 10 testify, b It in payment for
documents smile ran round the court as uns
neat explanation was read out Inc smile WHICH
followed PigottS promise III his covering puef 10
write again was an audible one. what Interested
people most of all was the fact that Rgott whose
suicide was pretty generally believed H. was Saic
and sound IN Paris.
The reading Of this precious document cohciuoeo'
the Attorney General rose amid proiound silence
70 say what his clients would do with reference
to the letters Sir Richard Webster's manner WAS
solemn, not to say funcreal lie was presently
observed 10 be reading his statement lie read IL
from beginning 10 end with wooden decorum,
without single infection of human feeling III
his voice. When he came to the withdrawal he
uttered with extreme deliberatiOn this Astonishing
sentence We ask permission TO withdraw from
your lordships consideration the question Of the
genuneness OF the letters submitted to you, the
authenticity of which is denied, and which we
feel after the evidence that has been given, are
not entitled TO say are genuine Was that all
We listened for more, but beyond a formal eX-
preston Of his clients sincere regret that they
had published the letters, nothing more came.
People looked each other, and asked each other
again inoroduleusiy, Can sIst be anF There ~es
indeed denial that his clients had any share
in that foul conspiracy which Sir Charles Russell
yesterday allegeS Beyond that, nothing; except
a challenge TO full inquiry. Down sat the At
torney-General, having missed, we all thought one
OF the best opportunities that any man
had TO do an obvious duty in manly, honorable
way.
The whole foundation of The Timess' cal
umny or Mr. Parnell was Pgott Pigott's testi-
mony was crumbed into dust There exists not
one atom of evidence even tending TO support the
authenticity of the letters, one ray OF doubt
that PigOtt forged them. Yet all The 1imes's'
conductors can make up their mind TO confess in
court is that they not now entitled 70 say
the letters are genuine. Well might Sir Charles
Russell protest. He had hoped tgv a stronger
statement than that. He restrained expression Of
his disappointment TO that single phrase but add
ed two things of importance: First his clients
mean TO find ont whether Mr. Houston really went
into this business on his own account. Second
would not the court at once express their opinion
On the letters. ask said Sir Charles in a
voice that vibrated with emotion, that he who
has suffered for such length Of time from this
grievCus accusation who has suffered what may
be conceived but cannot be described, may be re-
lieved from it by your lordships7
Their lordships, TO whom emotion is unknown,
made answer that Sir Charles Russell might at
once call such witnesses as he chose, to the
question Of the letters. When they had been
heard, their lordships would consider whether
they would make a special report My lord we
thank your lordships7 was the answer, in a
voice still none too steady; and amid thrill
which through the court Sir Charles called
b1r. Parnel
Mr.. Parnen rose, pulled of his brown 0, cr-
coat, stepped into the box, took the oath, and
waited for the first question. He might well
have thought, as he stood there, that the eyes
Of half the world were on him. Over and over
again has it been said during the last year that
Mr.. Psrnell never would enter the witness-box.
But there he was, carefully dressed, all that
was visible of him, in a black frock coat, with
his pale, determined face his unmOved and un-
movable manner, and not trace of cXultatiOn,
unless, perhaps, in the flashing Of his dark eyes
lie seemed the coolest person in court far cooler
certainly than his counsel or friends. An Irish
letter was handed him, the So-called fac-simile
letter.
Is that your signature?'
IL is not my signature"
Is the body Of the letter in the handwriting
Of any person you know"
II is not"
"Is it in the handwriting of Mr.. Henry Camp
bell, your secretary"
1t is not"
Did you ever write any such letter."
81 never wrote any such letter"
Or did you ever authorize any such letter 10
he written ?"
u v0r authorized any such letter TO be writ
ten. / never heard of any such letter till saw
it published in The Times
Each of these answers came from Mr.. Parnells
lips quietly his voice not raised his hands resting
on the box. The denial was made with simplicity
and sincerity that would have convinced every
body, had there still remained anybody 20 be con
vinced Letter by letter. Sir Charles took the wit
ness through the same process of circumstantial
and express contradiction, till all the letters that
bore Mr. Parneils name had been exhausted then
Mr. Egans then Mr.. Davitt's. then Mr.. OKelly's.