Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-26
RUSSELL 10 WEBSTER
Further Talk About Pigott in the House OF
Commons.

Further Talk About Pigott In the House OF
Commons
LONDON, March 25-Iu the House Of
Commons this afternoon. Sir Charles
Russell, who upOn rising was loudly
cheered, said he desired 70 make a state.
ment regarding the speech made by At
torney General Webster ia the House, On
Friday last. He read a letter which he
had written TO Mr. Webster, in which lie
ssid that he did not believe that Mr. Web
ete5 had been correctly reported. II was
absolutely incorrect 10 say that before
Pigotts examination, or before Pigo,t tied,
he (Russell) had rcceived Information, d.
rect or indirect, to the effect that Pigott
discredited the value OF his own testimony.
Ii was absolutely incorrect 60 say that
he had either cilled for or referred 70 let
tiers conveying such information. Att)r-
ney General Webster, in reply TO the
speakers letter, had written that he be-
lieved he had handed such letieIs to him,
bat that be would have TO refer to his
eh1rt-hand notes for confirmation. The
Attorney General was mistaken in sup
posing that lie had given him five days be
fore Pigott testified, letters discrcditiDg
Pigotts evidence The letters in which
Pigots confessed his fear OF cross-examina-
ton had come upon the speaker and his
colleagues as a complete surprise.
After Pigott's fight they had repeatedly
made open complaint in court regarding
the manner in which the Attorney General
had conducted the csse. He did not im-
impute dishonorable motives to the At
torney General, but ne Thought tiiai MI.
Webster had been led away by the politi-
cal character of the case into a course OF
conduct, which on reflection and in less
exciting circumstances he would not have
pursued (Cheers.
Continuing, Sir Charles Russell said,
that even when Pigots had testified he did
not get the letters 20 which reference had
been made, although Mr. Web
ster cffs ed to produce the letter Of Noyem.
Der 5h. lie aaked the Atlorney-Genefal
either to admit that he was mistaken, or to
point in the official report any reference TO
the letter of November 10. Mr.. Webster
admitted that, relying upon memory, he
had erased when. he wrote 70 Sir Charles
Russell lie argued that in any case the
matter was unimpOrtant.
PfGOrT's DIARY.
Scores of stories are told a. 10 how the
Pigott diary was obtained. But the fol-
loving is believed to be the correct yer
sion: In one Of his visits to Mr.. Labou-
chers's toase Pigott could n1t remember
certain name, but casually mentioned
that he could have done 20 If he had
brought his diary with him. The remark
did not make much impression on Mr..
Labouchere in the excitement OF the
moment. But sitting next 70 Mr.
Michael Davitt in Court
few days afterwards il occurred
to him again, and he told hr.
DAyitt. The first chance that Dayiit had
he slipped Of 20 KingstowD, went to Pig
otis house snd soon got On the track oi
the diary. II was in the hands OF Dab.
lin man. who delinOd to give it mp
without the payment of large
sum of money. Mr. Davitt came
back here, raised the money and got book.
II the secret history of this great case Is
ever written. the quiet, energetic personal
work Of Mr.. Michael Dlyitt will form ga
important part in it.