Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-10
Of The EVENING srAa.

f.
Correspondence of The EVENING star.
LONDON, July 81, 1889.
The MONDAY sun is shining dimly through
the London fog over Temple Bar. II casts
weak CLINT on the @frowning statue of Samuel
johnson some distance away and shines on an
architectural nightmare fronting the square.
Presently two gentlemen walk quickly mp the
street in the direction of this building. One
of the men is square shouldered and of sturdy
build. He would be regarded at first sight by
almost any one a man thoroughly capable Of
taking care of himself in any sort of crowd
His companion is of fair height, but OF deli
cate frame. That portion Of his face that is
not covered by a well-kept brown beard
is pale, almost pallid. His features are
regular and clear cut and almost any
one would designate him as hand
some man. You might take him for hard
worked LAWYER or perhaps a struggling liter
airy man. Nevertheless there is a look of power
on the mans face and in his eyes that stamps
him as no common man. As the two men
passing into the building they meet an old
Irishman. evidently laborer or longshoreman
The latter looks at the two men and then gives
q second quick look at the smaller Of them.
Then his face lights up, his hat comes off with
a jerk and he bows almost to the ground. The
two gentlemen bow slightly and pass on. The
OLD man. nat III manu- ldCt etLi
stands gazing after them until they disappear
within. Then he throws the old hat in the air
and yells enthusiastically: "Hurroo, God bless
him and God save Irelandr'
What has happened to stir the old man up
30? Not much.
HE HAS MET CHARLES STEWART PARNELL
face TO face and has been honored with a bow
from the Irish leader, for the small bearded
man is none other than the great home ruler.
His companion is James O'Kelly, Mp, who is
well known in New York, where he worked on
the Herald for some time. He has had some
exciting adventures; has served as a special
correspondent in Cuba, in Spain, in the Russo
Turkish war, and later in the Soudan, and on
at least one occasion was sentenced to be shot,
being taken for a spy. O'Kelly is looked upon
man OF iron nerve, and Is ParnelFs con-
slant companion, and the only man whom this
rather mysterious man has ever taken closely
into his confidence.
BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
After the scene described above the two men
pass through the court and corridor into the
stuffy little room in which the special commits
sion is endeavoring to fairly settle the famous
controversy between Parnell and the London
Times The room is well filed. All three of
the commissioners are in their places. Sir
Charles Russell and the other lawyers who are
doing battle for the Irish leaders are in their
places. Sir Richard Webster, the principal
lawyer for the Times. is Just getting ready to
put Michael Davitt in the witness box, and
looks as though he wishes the task were over.
the sequel showing that there were good
grounds for the wish. Davitt himself, his
empty sleeve pinned across his breast, his
swarthy face wearing a confident expression,
sits in the front of the court among ParnelPs
lawyers. A dozen or more of Irish members
of parliament are in the room. The place
reserved for newspaper men is crowded I'M
comfortably and is the little gallery
in which strangers with influence" are
allowed to sit. There is buzz as Parnell
makes his way through the court, and even
stately Sir James Hannen inclines his
handsome head forward with sudden interest
Parnell bows slightly in response to the greet
ings of his colleagues and friends, bends his
head respectfully to the judges, and takes his
seat among his lawyers. His presence in court
is no unusual thing, but just now matters
pretty intense. Davitt has been on the stand
and has made an excellent impression winning
the evident respect of Sir James Hammer, an
important thing in this case, since he has been
supposed to lean slightly toward the Times
side of it. 1t has been whispered about that
to-day is to be the important day of Davitt's
cross-examination. and the audience is anxious
to see how Parnen will take matters. Their
curiosity seems unnoticed by him. His face is
as impassiye as a statue, and with few excep-
tions he remains so throughout every episode
of the examination. This frail man certainly
has iron nerves, and even his English oppo-
nents, who always appreciate pluck, are never
slow In expressing their admiration for that Of
the Irish leader.
DAvITT's CRoss-ExAMINATIoN
begins, and Parnell moves so that he can look
into the face of the one-armed agitator who
disagrees with him on almost every phase of
the Irish problem, but who is one with him on
the main issue, and who is constantly announc-
ing Home rule by your plan or by mine, but
home rule anyway" To enter upon details of
the sparring between Sir Richard Webster and
Davitt would be useless. To the layman fairly
posted on Irish affairs in Ireland and America
IL seems that the ready-witted Irishman gets
rather the best of the slower English LAWYER
and evidently Sir Charles Russell thinks So
too. for he smiles broadly as Davitt again and
again defeats the attorney general in
his efforts to draw out something dam
aging to the Irish leader, and frequently whis-
pers in the ear of his famous client The lat
ter bows gravely. but not a muscle of his face
moves. The audience in the court room does
not seem over interested in the evidence that
is being given. In fact, il looks as if many of
the spectators understood but little of il. They
seem chiefly interested in the faces of the prin-
cipal figures in the trial. They scan the faces
of Sir James Hammer, of Davitt, Parnell, Sir
Charles Russell, and Sir Richard Webster. as
though from them and not from the testimony
the importance OF the case can be judged.
DAvITT's TESTIMONY.
Davitt and Sir Richard Webster wander in
dustriously through mass of detail concern
ing the Fenians, the Clan-na-Gael. the land
league, The Irish national league and every
other society, secret and otherwise, that has to
do with Irish affairs. There is no man living
who knows more about them than Michael Day-
lit, and Sir Richard Webster labors hard to
thresh out something beneficial to his case from
the chat, but with poor success Davitt gives
his testimony in free and frank manner, like
man who wishes to hide nothing. As he goes
on the counsel for Parnell do not attempt to
hide their satisfaction, while the Irish MEM
bers present are plainly jubilant. Now and
then faint spot Of red appears on the pale
cheek of the Irish leader as he listens to his
friendly foe in the witness box defending him
against unfair attack. The face of Sir Richard
Webster takes a troubled and puzzled look
"a the duel goes on. He sticks brayely to it,
however, and the Times people can Certainly
never charge him with not having worked hard
to earn his fee.
REMINIscENcEs OF EVICTION.
Now and then Sir James Hammer, USUALLY
impassive, gazes with curious interest at Day.
lit. The English people have never been able
to make this remarkable man out and il NAV
be that the learned judge is studying him as al,
original. But study him certainly he does ON
Dayitts dark face rests meanwhile a grim smile
OF satisfaction. 1t may be that he is thinking
OF that cold night when, with his mother and
her other children, he was driven from little
cabin, that had been his fathers home, to sleep
-. under the shelter Of hedge. Many a rack