Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-03
THE PARNELL COMMISSION.
Michael Davitt Gives Some Sensa-
tional Testimony.

LONDON, July 2--Michaol Davitt was ex.
amincd before the Pnrneli commission to.
day He declared there was no truth IN the
account given by lie Caron before the COM
mission concerning the proposals Of John
Dewey being submitted 10 Parnell. Parncn
had nothing TO do with witness visit to
America In 1S7S
Davitt stated that while in America he at
tended meetings of tho Clan-na- Gael, at
which he explained the objects Of the Land
league and tried to win the Clan-na-G Gael to
its support. The Glan-na-G Gael, he said, in
cluded some of the best Irishmen in Amer
lea. 1t was no more a murder club than was
the Carlton club of London. Thercswas no
alliance between tho Clan-na- Gael and the
league in Ireland. The league movement in
America won the support OF all the Irish in
America TO Parnell. The witness said he
himself was opposed to the use of dynamite,
because it was an immoral aud unmanly
style of warfare. He was not opposed TO
physical force, IL in resorting thereto there
was reasonable chance of success. The
league did not provide for the circulation of
the Irish World IN Ireland, nor did 1t circu-
late the letter of John Dewey on "A New
Departure" extracts from which were
quoted by AttorneyGeneral Webster, coun
sci for the Times.
Davtt said he knew Alexander Sullivan
since 1878 and had the highest opinion of his
ability as n lawyer, his character as citizen
and his honor as man. He did not believe
him capable of any dishonorablc act. Tho
witness returned to ireland from America in
1880. He then framed and issued a circular
to the Irish people. and delivered thirty
speeches denouncng outrages. He believed
the outrages were due to the agitation of the
local a1uarian bodies composed of the sons
of tenant farmers. Witness dislixed agita-
tion and would willingly abandon it to-mor-
row il Ireland had justice He could not
abandon 1T otherwise In reference to the
Phoenix park murders Davitt said
'Mr. Parnell came TO me the Sunday fol-
lowing the murder utterly broken down Mt
the news. He said, 'Davitt, l shall send my
resignation to Cork tonight. l refuse to
stay in movement when irresponsible
men, of whom we know nothing, can come
behind our backs and perpetrate such deeds
1t took all my influence" said the witness,
"to dissuade him from resiyning. We i'm
mediately had circulated throughout Ireland
manifesto condeming the murders"
Davitt continued: beyond stating pub
licly in New York in July, 1889, that had
severed my connection with the revolu-
tionary body, expressed no dislike of the
fenians. did not attend any meeting of the
Clan-na-Gael after 1885, 1 believe murders
were committed by members of the Clan ma
Gael but the perpetrators certainly did not
have the sanction of the governing body, nor
the approval of the leaders," Witness con-
tinutng said that letter which he wrote
used the word gun" meaning revolver.
addressed.
Attorney General--Was it Arthur Forres-
ter!
Davitt-I cannot say without possibly in
jurring man who greatly wronged me.
Presiding Justice Hannen said the court
respected the motive for the witness retic-
ance, but could not recognize it as an excuse
for not answering. g
Davitt thercupon said the man to whom
the letter was written had conceived a
hatred towards another member of the
league and wished to murder him. Witness
wrote to him appearing to sanction the act
he meditated, but merely to gain time until
he could write to two superior officers and
ask them to dissuade the man from carrying
out his purpose The expression used in the
letter was
"Whoever is employed do not let him use
the PEN we have been using"
Witness wrote to two superior officers
about the matter. He could not tell their
names. Davitt said the dear friend to whom
was addressed the letter in which the word
appeared was not in America, and he pub
licly appealed to him not to divulge his
name.