The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-06-08
RICHARD PloooTT's CAREER.
The PefIurer's Rapid Fall from she
Ladder of Respeota6ility.

ladder of Responsibility.
Richard Piggott, the latest Irish
Judas, says the New York World, is
still another example of how men may
farl from the topmost rung of the lad
der of responsibility into the lowest
depths of degradation. His fall, in
deed, has been great. He was once a
respected member of Dublin society
and moved In the ranks of Irish ma
tionalists an honored man. An honor
ed man he might have remained had
he not allowed his ability for double
dealing to lure him into the shadow OF
Dublin castle, in which the goodness
OF heart of 80 many Irishmen before
him had been destroyed.
Early in life Richard Piggott made
his way into the ranks of the Dublin
journalists and a quarter of a century
ago he had in his hands two of the
boldest of the advanced journals. The
Irishman and The Flag of Ireland. He
owned besides a weekly paper devoted
to literature, which was welcome
guest in every Irish homestead and
which still survives his disgrace.
The 1rishman and the Flag of Ireland
were as much the advocates of the rev.
olution as was the Irish People, the
official organ of the /. r. B. Piggott
was one of the marked men of the gov.
eminent of the day. Richard Piggott
and the Irishman were really big fac
tors in Irish politics.
When Allan, Larken and O'Brien
were executed at Manchester in 1867
no one made greater cutlery than
Piggott, but even then he was dropping
into shady walks of life. He had be-
gun to lose his hold and scarcity OF
money, linked with desire for its
possession, did the work. He was un.
doubleday clever and an able writer but
full of ambitions which could not be
satisfied as he desired them, by bounds,
and so he became a disappointed man
and crank. Had he been made OF
better moral stuff he could have easily,
with his ability, won good position in
the field of journalism.
AS 1t was he allowed himself to drift.
Things went from bad to worse and at
length the Flag of ireland ceased to be
published. Stories told OF q not very
creditable character got abroad, and
Richard Piggott no longer stood on the
old pedestal. He sank in the estima-
ton OF the public, and the men In the
forefront looked on him with suspicion.
For some years he was indeed regard.
ed as dangerous man, and writings
of his in the newspapers clearly indi-
Gated the growing traitor spirit. The
1rishman, too, had evidently had its
day, although it managed to drag ON d
wretched existence. Throughout the
Butt home-rule movement Piggott cut
a small figure, and by the time young
Parnell appeared above the horizon
Piggott's star had SET He became Il
nuisance, clog that could not
be tolerated. and, besides, 1t was
strongly suspected that English gold
would tempt him up the back stairs of
the castle. Isaac Butt had been laid
with his fathers in Stranorlar
churchyard, cosnty Donegal, and
Pnrnell was at the helm. A stirring
paper for the masses was sadly
needed-the people who were not
usually reached by the ''dailies," and
indeed there was no daily. not even ex-
| cepting the Freeman's Journal with
| the true ring aboutit, In Lower Abby
street all was decay, but Parnell ia
| this, as in other things, was equal to
the occasion. The Irishman disap-
peared, Piggott left Lower Abbey
| street, and United Ireland and William
O'Brien started in the old house.
Piggott begged hard to stay, but his
character even then was such that the
Irish leader could not venture to retain
him, even as dispatch clerk. He then
went beneath the surface, and people
were glad he had gone. Once out OF
public view he was little thought OF,
save now and then when, overlooking
with mischief, he sought the columns of
| the Tory Press as a mud-throwing me-
| dunn. He wrote against everybody
and everything connected in the past
and the present with the politics of his
country. But the infinite depth of his
scoundrelism was never dreamed OF
even by those who would credit him
with any villainy.
AS soon, however, as the "Parnelism
and Crime" articles began to appear. in
the Times men whispered, "Piggott's
hand is here" and the ''lettersn were
attributed to him by simple folk in
Ireland not at all versed in the ms
and outs of politics. In London, too,
before ever the commission was ap-
pointed Piggott's name was freely men,
toned, and when there did not seem
the slightest chance of the forger's
identity being discovered men were
prepared to stake their all on Piggott
How justified were alb the suspicious Of
the people and their leaders was estab.
lished out OF his own mouth before the
judges by the wretch who, it is be.
| lieved, has now closed his career.