Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1889-02-16
FORTIFYING A FORGERY.
Attaches of The Times Testify
Against Parnell.
COST OF THE FAMOUS LETTERS.

solicitor soames Says sEr. Parncll's writ
ing Varies Considerably, Yet lie Re-
lieves All the Letters Genninc--B business
Manager McDonaid's story.
LONDON, Feb iG-Mr PaYnel was present
at the session Of the Parnell commission. Mr..
Soames, solicitor for The Times. in his cross
examination offered in evidence a schedule
Of all the signatures OF Mr. Parnell that he
possessed. He said that Mr. Parnelrs writing
varied considerably, and produced letter in
which Mr. Parnell's name was written ia six
different ways.
Presiding Justice Hammer ordered that the
letter be photographed Continuing, the
witness denied that be had heard that Pigott
and the league clerk he interviewed in Ire
land had grievance against Parnell Pigott,
ne said, had made statutory declaration
that Solicitor Lewis had offered him gi 900
II he would swear that he had forged the let
ters said TO have been written by MIR. Par
nell The Times paid Pigott only R40 or ESQ
The witness had Pigott watched, and traced
him into the company Of Mr. Labouehere
lie paid Houston, secretary Of the Irish Loyal
and Patriotic union altogether $4,000.
Upon redirect examination, Mr. Soames
said that no bargain was made when the let
tels were first brought 10 The Times Their
genulneness was to be tested before any pav-
Inent was made. Mr. Soames said Pigott
told him OF interviews he had had with Solici-
Cor Lewis and Mr. Labouchere. The latter sent
Pigott several ten pound notes. One Of these
Rfff N4rua tfssst ,4.tala -. II
directed TO London Witness produced a
copy Of the letter which accompanied it, Il
had never occurred TO witness 10 ask piuott
how he had acquired the letters Neither had
he asked Houston Pigott showed witness a
letter from Solicitor Lewis accusing him
(Pigottl Of having admitted that he forged
the letters, and his reply, wherenpon witness
required that the statutory declaration be
made, in which Pigstt detailed all the com
munications between himself and Solicitor
Lewis, including the offer OF 81 900 by Mr..
Lewis, on behalf of Mr. Iabouchere. If be
would swear that be had forged the letters
This statement caused sensation in the
court room. Continuing, Mr. Soames said
that Pigott did not tell him of the correspond
ence he had had with Archbishop Walsh, Of
Dublin, regarding the letters He had never
heard Of this correspondence until he heard
II mentioned in court. Beside MIR. ingalls,.
MIR. Soames said, The Times engaged Messrs.
Birch and Ellis as experts He had never
promised Pigott sixpence, but knew that
Pigott had asked Houston for g5.OOO ON the
ground that il would be impossible for him 70
live in Dublin after giving evidence for The
Times, and that he wanted "a make some
provision for himself Witness told him he
could not listen 20 such suggestion. but TINT
be lPigott might rest satisfied that The
Times would never See him ruined through
his honestly testifying TO all he knew.
Mr.. Soames said that a man calling himself
Wilson wrote 20 him offering 70 give infor-
nation. He recognized the writing as that
OF man named O'Brien, who was an ennis
sary from Egan 70 Labouchere The offer 10
furnish information was simply a '.plant. y
After that he had O'Brien watched. At Mr..
Labouchere's instance 0'Brien was sent to
Dublin to see Pigott. In Dublin O'Brien as
slimed the name Of Sinclair The man fol-
lowing OBrien traced him to Iaboucheres
and Pigott's houses, and then traced Pigott,
Solicitor Lewis and Mr. PaInell to IabOu-
cheres residence The witness knew O'Brian
as man who was known in America as
Robertson. 1t was Robertson who deluded
Detective Moser with letters which had since
been admitted 70 be forgeries. Kirby was
paid $3.50 to go 10 America and procure from
Sheridan the original Parnell letter, a fac-
smile Of which was published in The Times
Mr.. Hurlburt saw this letter
Mr. Macdonald manager Of The Times de-
posed that in October, 1886, he got five Par
nell and six Egan letters He stipulated that
their authenticity must be tested before the
payment Of the price which Houston said he
gave for them. When the other letters
those Of O'Kelly and Davitt-were tested he
paid Houston 81, $50, the exact sum repre-
sented as expended in gaining possession Of
the letters, Houston declining personal re
muneration. Witness was convinced that the
letters were genuine, and he thought that
before the second reading Of the crimes bill
would be fitting time TO show to the coun-
try the character Of the men making them
selves prominent in Irish affairs.