New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-20
A BAD DAY FOR "THE TIMES"
FAITH IN THOSE LETTERS GROWING STEAD
lily WEAKER
ME-. MAcDoNALp's SORRY SHOWING IN THE
wrrNEssBox-MR HoUsToNs TEsTI4
MoNY-A RECORD OF cREDULrTY
-BorH PARTIES no THE
SUIT STILL CONFIDENT.
rBY GABLE TO THE TRIBUsE.J
ocovriolt; 1889: By The Neso- FORK Tribune

rsY CABLE THE TRIBUSE.J
oepvrigM; 1889 By The Neo FORK Tribune.
london. Feb 19-It was not a good day for
~The Tines The effect of the proceedings
In court has been to deepen the impression Of
Friday The evidence then given by Mr.. Soames,
the solicitor, and Mr.. Macdonald. the manager
of the paper, shook the confidence of their out
side supporters in the genuineness Of the alleged
ParneI letters. MIR. Macdonald, under cross
examination to-day by Mr.. Asquith, altogether
failed to restore it. He had all the announcement
a full house could give. Never before has the
court been crowded. nor since the opening
Of the Commission have such throngs gathered
outside Among those inside were Mr.. John
Morley and many well-known ladies' Mr.. Asquith
wrung, perhaps, single fact of great signih-
cance from Mr.. Macdonald. but elected many
little things which, taken together deepened
the scepticism of the public as to the letters.
II, however Mr.. Asquith's object was to present
the business manager Of this great paper in
pitiable light. he completely succeeded
Major lie Caron could not desire a better foil
III MAJOR LIE Caron was the best witness this
trial has seen. Mr.. Macdonald is surely the worst
de had every fault He was confused, cunning
and conccited. He seldom answered a question
without offering reason, or making little
mind which induced him to say yes or no. He
gave Mr.. Asquith many and many fce1dly
lead, of which that astute young Scot was not
slow to avail himself So when Mr. Macdonald
quilted the box, people in court saiG TO each
other: If this be the man on whose Judgment
The Tines acted, what are the chances of the
letters being genuine?
His retirement was followed by one of those
slzirmshes between counsel and court now SO
frequent. Sir Charles Russell with what his
brethren thought cool audacity, appealed to the
judges to direct the Attorney General TO proceed
with the history of the letters instead OF putting
MIR. Inglis, expert, into the box to testify
about pothoozs. Sir James Hannen, after much
consulting with his colleagues, declared that while
they could not dictate TO the Attorney General,
they strongly hoped he would do as his opponents
wished. NO" responded Sir Richard: We
should like TO oblige you, but we know our own
case best and must conduct it in our own way"
Il deeply regret your resolution" retorted Sir
James Then it appeared Mr. Inglis had not
got the photographs he wanted, and moments
reflection convincing the Attorney-General ne
would better not quarrel with the court, he grace
fully gave way and called Mr.. Houston.
1t has long been known Mr.. Houston was tho
man from whom The Times" got the letters,
which Mr. Houston got from Mr.. Richard P1gott
The interest of his testimony turned on Mr.
Houstons knowledge of the source from which
Mr.. Pigott got them Mr.. Houston is q rather
good-looking, intelligent young Irish gentleman
with face at once acute and sensitive, and an
air of business-Iike enthusiasm. He looks man
who would be more. keen in pursuit OF his object
shau suspicious Of his agents. Such his testimony
nroved him. He wanted evidence, he told US, TO
connect the Parnelites with crime Mr. Pgott
whom he did not know, was mentioned to HIM
nc a nerson likely to supply it. Mr.. Houston Of
te-ed Mr. Pgott. then desperately poor, five dollars
a aax, and expenses to go fishing. Mr. Pigott went
IJa 6sbed in Dublin to purpose; in London
81 no nurpose; got nibble in Brussels; followed
his fish TO Lausanne; perhaps hooked it' then
"a Paris; then. Mr.. Houston still finding funds
extended his excursion TO New-York; returned
revisited Paris, and finally landed whole basket
full of letters,-those known in court as 'no
nrs,. hatch five from Mr.. Parnell and six from
n. Eran These Mr.. Houston took to Mr.
pre,,le EDITOR of The Times" who referred
him 10 Mr. Macdonald, who finally accepted them
subject TO proof Of their genuineness
psrs acain comes in the story told first by
Mr. Soames. then by Mr.. Macdonald, and now by
Mr. Houston, of what on the face of it. appears
;rcrsdible sim mplcity on the part of The Tines
Nv 4ouston declared himself bound to withhold
an information of the source whence the letters
xyere obtained. and Mr. Macdonald bought them
without knowing one word about TIER history
Mr.. Houston he knew as Secretary OF the Irish
I,oyal and Patriotic Union, who had done some
descriptive work for the paper. MIR. Macdonaids
Scotch shrewdness confined itself to the ques-
zion of money The letters were not
90 be paid for till The Times"
people were convinced they were genuine
They spent months over them in hesitation or In
inquiry, but the inquiry, so far as the PUBIC yet
knows consisted solely in examination OF inc
writing by single expert They seem to have
resolved quite suddenly 70 publish them. Mr.
Houston heard Of it one Saturday. The fac-simile
appeared on Monday. and the money was pald
later. 1.7so pounds. Mr.. Houston got nothing
but his expenses. Mr.. Pgott got the balance oil
which 500 pounds was nominally for the letters,
the rest for expenses.
Mr. Houston, by his own evidence contded
biindly in Mr.. Pigott. He relied entirely on Mr..
Hgott's story lie did not know and did not
ask where or how Mr. Pigo;t obtained the letters.
lie thinks he heard of q man named Murphy in
connection with them, but does not know what
Murphy, nor what he had to do with the matter.
So far as the present evidence goes, The Times
trusted Mr. Macdonald. Mr.. Macdonald
trusted Mr.. Houston, and Mr.. Houston trusted
Mr. Pigott IL remains for Mr.. Pigott to say
whom he trusted or to say ii he can tell how
he got the letters which be is publicly accused
OF having forged. That we shall, perhaps hear
tomorrow
Meanwhile there is among many Of The Tines
party something like CONSERVATION at the turn the
evidence is taking; not however, among those
inside. / know the Attorney General is con-
fident Of winning on this letter question. know
that Mr. ParnelFs advisers are equally conf
dent they shall prove the letters forgeries
There is but one alternative: either the complete
collapse Of the case so far AS the letters are
concerned, or at given moment the sudden
dramatic disclosure OF the bestkept secret OF the
century 1t is this last 70 which the anti-Par-
neites are looking forward. Their theory is that
neither Mr.. Soanes nor ar. Macdonald was al
lowed TO know the real truth, of which Mr.. Buckle