New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-22
PIGOTT ON THE STAND.
wRIrHMG UNDER SIR CHARLES RuSsELLs
CRoss-ExAMINATIoN
THE SPECTATORS IN COURT CONVINCED THAT
PIeorT KNEW THE PARNELL LETTERS
WERE FORGED, AND THAT AFTER SELL
ING THEM TO "THE TIMES" HE
TRIED TO SELL "THE TIMES"
TO MR.. PABNELL
fBr CABLE TO THE TRIBUSE.l
roou-ioht: 1880 By The Ne,o- York Tribune.

psrneu Commission succeed each other SO swiftly
that those Of yesterday are almost forgotten
to-day. But whatever else may follow, IL VIII
be long before those of to-day pass out OF nina
To-day, for the first time. the alleged history
of the alleged letters has been told in pubic py
the agent who alleges he bought them IN Paris
The agent is Richard Pigott That interesting
personage made first but brief appearance IN
the witness-box yesterday afternoon MI
Houston's cross-examination had occupied the
court nearly all day. Re came on the whoie
well through that fiery ordeal lie was 700
loouacious but retained self-possesson, no maV'er
how searching Sir Charles Russelfs question
The impression in court was that Mr. Houston
was telling the truth He told it, indeed.
at his own expense. He had believed
Implicitly in Pigott. If Pigott were dishonest
Mr.. Houston was from beginning to end his dupe.
He actually bought and paid for the first batch
of eleven ParnellEgan letters after ten minutes
inspection of them in the bedroom of Paris hotel
No single fact in the whole story semed more
amazing than that. No story Pigott could tell
him seemed incredible to Mr.. Houston. He swal-
lowed the black bag, letters and all, though the
hlacl, bsg and letters had by Pigott's story been
living five years unnoticed and unknown In un-
known custody, and must have been very dusty
He paid 5000 down. his friend, Mr.. Maguire' IN
another bedroom, asserting and finding tne
money
You were carefully shutting your eyes, said
Sir Charhs.
ayess answered Mr. Houston, II was. 1
wished TO hold myself aloof from the source Oh tne
letters"
He shut them on every fact which might affect
the authenticity Of the Rtters. lle knew none
~ the men from whom Pigott obtained them.
Pigot.'s opinion was enough for MI houston
Just as Mr. Houston's was enough for MIR. Mac
donald. and Mr.. Macdonald's so lar as we YET
know, for The Tines There were many IN
tensting points in this evidence which must pass
over. Ono or two will be used hereafter. Polit-
ically, Lord Richard Grosvenors loan TO Mr.. Hons
ton will be held to compromise the Liberal Union
lists far more than Mr. Houston's consultation with
Lord Harrington, who declined to express an opin-
ion or offer advice The Eugene Davis statement
to Pigott produced sensation enough. If you be-
ljeye what Pigott says, Davis said Mr. Parne IL
was Fenian and Mr. Egan plotted to murder MIR.
Gladstone and the Prince of Wales. The laughter
of the audience did not seem to imply that they
believed
AS it died away Richard Pigot was called
by the Attorney General He entered the witness
box Just before 3. Pigott is not preposes sing
zmonQ familiar pictures in European museums
are rnanv CT Susannah and the Elders I1gott IS
one of the Elders. To-day has made him his
torical, il he were not before. Short round
man. with a round. bald head. full gray beard
and m,stache. very light gray eyes. thick features
,uddv complexion, rather stolid in manner. The
Attorney-G General took him at first gentle canter
over ground somewhat remote, as If to give him
confidence. He had but reached the threshold
of the letter business when the court adjourned,
and IL was not till this morning that Pgott told
his story. It varied little from what Mr. Houston,
NJ, Soames and Mr. Macdonald had told before.
The Attornev-General seemed satisfied with mere
outline of Pigotts relations with Mr.. Houston,
iourneys to Lausanne and Paris, interviews with
Clan ma Gael friends, and discovery Of the bag.
All this was ancient history. Murphy, however.
WAS identified. if Identification it be, as the
positor and forger in Pigotts employ 1t is
Murphy who finds the letters, tells Pgott Of
them. n. gotiates about the price, and finally
conducts Pgott to the mysterious restaurant
in the Rue st. Honore, where are five or six still
more mysterious Fenians. Pgott takes an
oath not to betray them, not to testify il legal
proceedings arise. Thereupon they allow Murphy
to sell the letters Mr.. Houston is telegraphed
for and the bedroom scene above mentioned in
the Hotel des Deux Mondes is transacted.
We all listened; looked at each other; looked
at the Judges. Was this all? Was this vague
strange tale the real foundation Of all? Had
we touched bottom at last? So it seemed. Sir
James Hannen's face was inscrutable; other
faces less so. Murrnurs were heard on all sides.
Then the Attorney-General as his habit is, went
straight to the point.
Mr.. Pigott it has been suggested that you
forged these letters. Did your"
No. answered Pgott.
Had you anything TO do directly or indirectly!
with the writing Of them?'
Nothing whatever
Murmurs break out afresh. The story Of the
second and third patches followed Tom Brown
supplants Murphy. Yet somehow the oath scene
IN the Rue St Honorc restaurant is repeated.
Rgott, however, now trusted with the letters
before paying for them, and sends them to Mr..
Houston in London Others again are sent, bought
and paid for at less price So the story ends still
amid the wonder OF all in court that this should be
all. Not much time ID allowed for wonder, reHec-
ton anything else. The Attorney-Gene
takes Pigott at one bound to his relations as a
witness with Mr. George Lewis, Mr.. Parnen and
vr. Labouchere. He tells this part of the story
well. Mr. Labouchere approached him. An in
terview wss arranged Mr.. Parnell appeared un-
expectedly on the scene. Then Mr.. George Lewis,
mor- unexpectedly still Pigott is warned that
they have evidence of his having forged the let
ters. Still, Mr. Labouchere would like it little
stronger, and he offers Pgott thousand pounds
TO swear he forged them. Pigott allows him to
understand that he may accept this frank proposal
Negotiations follow, and other interviews. Many
letters are exchanged, and many hard words
Finally Pigott breaks away, goes 20 Mr.. Soames,
and makes, he says, clean breast OF the whole
business; or, perhaps, o dirty breast So all the
examination in chief
IL was quarter TO when Sir Charles Russell
rose 10 cross-examine, with crowded audience
waiting breathless for the expected scene
: will ask you, Mr.. Pgott" said Sir Charles,
u his quietest tones 70 take piece Of paper,
pen and ink and write down certain words"
The hint was lost On nobody, least OF all on
..xt<~. tt..