Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-30
PARNELL AND HIS ACCUSER.
The Irish Leaders Relations With
Capt. O'Shea and His Wife.

Capt O'Shea, who has begun divorce pro-
ceedings against his wife, citing Mr.. Parnell -
q correspondent in the case, is, says the New
York Tribune, the only son of the late Henry
O'Shes, well-known Dublin lawyer, by his
marriage with the daughter Of Edward Quinlan
of Rosanna county, Tpperary, and was born in
1840. Educated at the Roman Catholic college
Of Oscott, near Birmingham, and at Trinity
college, Dublin, he served for q few years in
the 18th hussars, but retired in 1867 on his
marriage with Miss Katherine Wood, daughter
of the late Sir Page Wood, bart, Of Rivenhall
place, Essex, and sister OF the distinguished
Gen. Sir Evelyn Wood. VIC, and G.CM.G.
Although related through his wife to number
of prominent families, the captain has been
mixed up in all kinds of queer ventures and
intrigues abroad, one of which resulted in
the papal title Of count being conferred
upon him. Handsome and stylish-looking,
the captain, although a most entertaining COM
panion, has long been regarded in society and
clubland as clever, INSCRIPTIONS and withal
polished fellow, whose intimacy was thing to
be eschewed as dangerous. Some ten years ago
he formed the acquaintance of Mr.. Parnell and
introduced him to his wife, an exceedingly
clever and captivating woman, whose beauty
at that period was remarkable. Mr.. Parnell
soon became on very friendly terms with both
Mr.. and Mrs. O'Shea, and when the great Irish
leader was imprisoned in Kilmainham Jail Capt.
U Shea undertook to act as negotiator between
the home ruivrs and the liberals. Mr.. Glad
stone accepted Capt OShea's offer at the time,
and the kllmainham treaty was the result The
captain was, however. always distrusted by the
Irish party. When, therefore, at the general
election in the early part of the year he in
duced Mr.. Parnell to nominate him as the ma =
tionalist candidate for Galway, a revolt broke
out among the home rulers, and Parnell's old
Riuuar nd Tinpthy Haal
private secretary, actually went to the length
of canvassing the county against O'Shea.
Parnell was quickly on the spot and
succeeded in persuadIng Messrs. Biggar an
Healy to withdraw their opposition. Captain
O'Shea was therefore elected on the nationalist
ticket, but was treated with the utmost con-
tempt by the other members of the home rule
party not one of whom would consent even to
shake hands with him. A few months later an
open rupture ensued between Captain O'Shea
and Mr. Parnell when the former, who, as
stated above, had been elected to parliament
on the nationalist ticket, began to vote with
the tories against the home rulers on every
possible occasion, with the object of winning
favor and fat Office from the tory party, which
he foresaw would be i'll power for several
years. Since then he has been the most bitter
enemy of Mr.. Parnell. and last spring during
the Parnell commission inquiry, even went SO
far as to appear in the witness box against his
former friend in the contemplate role of a
common informer. Captain O'Sheas action
against his former friend in the divorce court,
say the home rulers is obviously brought with
the object of currying favor with the tories by
seeking to discredit the Irish leader.
Is o'sHEA ACTING IN THE INTEREST OF THE
TORIES?
A New York Sun special from London says:
The specific charges cover period from early
in 1886 until O'Shea betrayed his friends in the
witness box, and the delay in bringing the ac-
ton is to say the least curious. Until court
of law shall have decided the matter the
friends of Parnell will refuse to credit O'Shea's
charges. Mr.. Parnelrs position in Capt.
O'Shea's family has been known to the world
for years past He lived with them as one of
the family and as their most trusted adviser
and friend. He frequently helped Capt
O'Shea with his purse and acted as mediator in
many troubles. There was never the slightest
attempt at concealment. When OShea WAS
in parliament, for instance. he and Parnell
always drove home together to the for
mer's pretty suburban house at Northbank,
Ethan. Everybody in the district knew Mr..
Parnell, who was fond of driving out with Mrs.
O'Shea and her children. Mr.. Parnell fire.
quently escorted Mrs. O'Shea in public, and
always with Capt. OShea's full knowledge and
consent. Not infrequently the tory newspapers
have limited that Parnelrs position in another
mans family was anomalous and less than six
months ago tory evening newspaper here had
to make an apology to Mr.. Parnell for a sour
rilous paragraph on the same lines.
Capt O'Shea always derided these sugges-
tons of evil and never wearied of telling people
that Parnell looked upon his wife as elder
sister. O'Shea. therefore, can't plead ignor-
auce Of what the world was saying, and he will
have to explain why, with such knowledge in
his possession, he continued to receive Mr..
Parnell as a mepber of his household. Few
persons here doubt that O'Shea is acting in the
interests of those same tory politicians who,
having failed to defame Parnell by the aid of
Richard Pigott, are now endeavoring to be-
smirch his moral character by means Of Henry
O'Shea