Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-02
BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
Mr.. LabOuchere Denies That He offered
Pigott Money for His Confession.

Pigott Money for His Confession.
LONDON, March 1.-The Parnell Com.
mission reassembled this morning. The
excitene manifested for several days
past consequent upon the collapse Of
Pigott on cross-exsminstion and his flight,
had subsided, and the proceedings were
conducted qaietly.
The court refused TO allow Mr. Houston,
Secretary of the Irish Loyal and Patriotic
Union, to make personal statement or to
hand to the court a written document, on
the ground that the time was inconven'
| lent.
Messrs. O'Kelly, Davitt and Campbell,
Mr.. Parnell's secretary, swore that they
did not write TIE letters aseribed to them
by PigOtt. Mr.. Justin Mccarthy also
testified. He denied that he had had an
interview with Pigott.
Mr.. Lewis, solicitor for Mr.. Parnell
testified that he had told Pigott that the
letters not being negotiable, he could not
be prosecuted for forgery, but was liable to
prosecution for obtaining money under
false pretsnses Witness declared that he
had not offered Pigott farthing.
Mr.. Labouchere testified that he had
never offered Pigott 1000 pounds if he
would swear that the letters were forged,
as sworn by Pigott. He said that, before
the Commission opened, somebody named
O'Brien had offered him packet OF letters
which were said to have been written by
Messrs. Egan and Parnell. He did not
know O'Brien.
Mr.. Soames, solicitor for the Times, pro-
duced the documents on which Pigotts
evidence was based He said that every
statement Pigott had made had been sub
mitted TO the Court.
Mr.. Lewis WAS recalled. He testified
that he was convinced that Pigott was a
forger before he saw him.
Mr.. Houston announced his readiness to
submit TO crOss-examination and to give
security for his continued attendance be-
fore the Commission. Attorney General
Webster urged that Mr.. Houston be imme-
diately cross examined, so IS to enable the
Commits ion TO have all the facts before
them.
Sir Charles Russell, on behalf of tine
Parnellites, applied to the Court to exer-
else its discretion. under the Commission
Act, ard make an interim report on the
genuineness of the Letters that had been
placed in evidence.
Attorney General Webster, for the Times,
urged that az Sir Charles Russell had stated
there was foul conspiracy behind Hous-
ton and Pigott, the cross-examination of
Houston should be finished before the re-
polt w8s framed.
Sir Charles Russell-"But we have moth
ing to do now with anything except the
genuineness of the letters, which the At
tOrney General says he cannot Justify"
Presiding Justice Hannen-The charge
of the existence of foul conspiracy has no
bearing on the point now before us. Our
jurisdiction at present is limited to charges
and allegations against certain persons. 1t
is no part of our duty to deal in the report
with charges against other persons. That
will be decided at the next sitting.
Attorney General Webster occupied the
remainder of the day with the reading OF
extracts from the Irish World and the Free
mdn's Journal regarding Mr.. Dayitt.
Sir Charles Russell finally protested that
the Attorney Generals only object was to
have the passages published in order to
arouse prejudice against the Parnellites.
The Commission then adjourned.