The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-02-28

ORNING, FEBRUARY %, /
weave so complete web. made up of lies
and truth so skillfuliy lntermingled that it
required the closest knowledge, not only of
the surface, but of the undercurrent of the
national cause to distinguish one from the
other When. in the ODOnnell case, the
Times brought forward some of its proofs
/ saw at once how the forgery was worked"
Mr. Egan also said he believed there Is
deep conspiracy behind this case, and that
he would not be surprised TO SEQ the names
OF certain men prominent in English gov
ernmental circles made public III c0nnec-
tlOn with it.
Difficulties in the Way Of Arresting Piggott.
LONDON, Feb. 27.-The escape of Piggott
excited scarcely any more interest than has
been aroused by the question of how to get
him back to England. Extraordinary diff
ficulty will be experienced in securing his
extradition. even if he is found in coun-
try with which the British government has
a treaty covering most offenses against the
law, and many legal minds have been con-
centrated to-day upon the technicalities
possible to be brought into requisition in
the endeavor to bring the forger into the
clutches of the English courts. Legal for
signing of a. cheque. note. or
other negotiable instrument with
o view of obtaining money thereon, and
does not comprehend the forging of letters.
The question is raised, however, that the
letters having been fabricated and signed
with the object of selling them as genuine
documents, they become legal fOrgeries and
subject the forger to all the penalties at
taching to other phases OF that crime. as
well as to all the other provisions of an ex-
tradition treaty embracing that Offense.
An attempt to extradite Piggott upon this
technicality will not be resOrted to- how
ever, unless the endeavor to secure him
upon the charge of having forged notes
upon the Hibernian Bank, of Dublin, shall
/ fail.
1t is believed that Piggott posted his let
| ter to Mr.. Shannon, the Dublin solicitor for
the Times, at the railroad station in Paris,
and proceeded directly to Spain or SwitZer-
land. On Monday Piggott sold some rare
books, some of them OF an erOtic character,
at book mart. He received in payment
for these a check for f25. which he had
cashed at the bank on which it was drawn.
He was last seen on Fleet street at o'clock
| Monday afternoon.
Letters on Which the Forgeries Were Con-
structed.
LINCOLN, Neb., Feb. 27.-Mr. Patrick
Egan has made public number of letters
on which Richard Piggott founded the
clever forgery which he sold to the London
Times, and which formed the basis of the
"Parnellism and Crime" articles in the
Times, leading up to the Parnell-Times
commission and the exposure of the forger.
as given in yesterdays Associated Press
dispatches from London. One of the prin-
cipal forgeries, purporting to have been
written to Mr.. p. j. Sheridan, was based by
Piggott upon this letter, presumably writ
ten to Piggott:
Dear Sir-As understand your letter which
reached me to-day, you cannot act as directed
unless Wa ST. forward you money ny Monday next
fsttng circumstances, what you suggest would
truly, PATRICK EGAN.
In June, 1881, Piggott offered to sell out
his two papers to Mr.. Egan and Mr. Par
nell, and in the course of the negotiation
Tor the purchase Mr.. Egan wrote Piggott as
follows:
PARIS, June Is, 1881.
Dear sir-Your two letters, of 18th and 18th
| instant, are duly at hand, a1d 1 am also in re-
| ceipt OF communication from Mr. Parneil in
| forming me that he has acted upon my sugges-
| ton and accepted the offer contained in your
| first letter. In fact, have before me copies of
| his two letters to you, and am in position to
say that , any request les to increase the % amount
..esitstion or delay in carrying out the transfer
~ ,uii lead 90 the breaking on the purchase
altogether. remain, Gear sir, yours truly,
Richard Piggott. Esq
The forger twists this letter into the fol-
| lowing shape:
Dear Sir-Your two letters, of 18th and 18th
inst, are duly to hand. and am also in receipt
| of communications from Mr.. Parnell, informing
accepted the offer made by B. You had better
at once proceed to Dundalk, so that there may be
no time lost Yours very faithfully, p. EGAS.
| Mr. Parnell wrote Piggott in connection
with this same matter OF the purchase of
the papers:
HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 16, 1881.
| r. Piggott, Esq., Dublin
Dear Sir-In reply to yours Of this date, am
sure you will feel that shall always be
| anxious to do what can for you, but could not
| being your constant employment en- the paper.
| That is a matter which would have to be subject
| CHARLES s PARNELL.
| And out of this letter Piggott manufact-
ured the two letters purporting to be adj
| dressed to Mr.. Egan, using the same date,
| with the exception of the last figure in the
year, transposing the language and filling
| out with words traced from other letters.
| June 16, 1882.
not appear in Parliament in the face of this
| thing unless condemned it. Our position there
| Is always OlfncuIC 10 MAINTAIN; IL would be uu
| tepable but for the course we took That is the
| truth. can say no more. Yours very truly,
| CHARLES s. PARNELL.
| June 16, 1892
Dear Sir-I shall always be anxious to have
| the good will of your friends; but why do you
| impugn my mOtiyesi ] could not consent to the
conditions they would impose, but accept the
entire responsibility for what we have done.
Yours very truly, CHARLES S. PARNELL.
In February, 1881, Piggott wrote letter
to Mr.. Egan intimating that an attempt
had been made by two agents of Dublin
Castle to get him to publish in his papers
the Irishman and the Flag of Ireland a
plausible and utterly fictitious set of land
league accounts for the purpose of damag.
ing the league and its officers. Mr.. Egan
replied, pointing out that it was his
tPiggott'sl duty to mako public the fact
that such an offer had been made. PiggOtt
then wrote the following letter:
FRESHMAN, FLAG OF IRELAND AND SHAMRoCK,>
DUBLIN, March g, 1881.
| Office 33 Lr. Abbey Street.
My Dear Mr.. Egan-I was glad to get your note
on the 9th inst, as thought you had decided
to not take any notice of my letter, and / wai
about to take step which could not recall i
is as well that you should understand the nature
of the document am asked to publish. 1t would
though il may be proved to be mainly built up o.
fabrication. 1t proceeds in this way: 1t gives thu
amounts receiy ed f0rthe league and Acknowledges
from week to week, also. the sums stated to hav,
| been disbursed. The total amount, near as
can recOllect, said to have been received per tn,