New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-17
THE NEWS IN LONDON.
srARTLING TESTIMONY BEFORE THH PAR
NEIn COMMISSIONS
DAMAGING STATEMENTS BIZ "g1IB TIMES
seIaorToR TEE FRENCH CRISIS = EvIoE
ING MR., GLApsroHEs TENANTS
MIXING POLITICS AND SCIENCE

ING MR.. GIsADeToNEs TENANTS
MIXING POLITICS AND SCIENCE
LITERARY NOTES.
JBY cABLB TO THE TRmUxHl
Copyright. 1889 By The Nesc- York Tribsme.
Loadon, Feb. l6,-This weeks Parnell Com
mission proves even more exciting than last
6ajor lie Caron's cross-examination on Tuesday
was 16eed in one sense disappointing Sir Charles
Russe IA could make nothing Of him. II there
we're flaws in his story Mr. Parnelrs counsel did not
Rnd them. Major Le Caron held his own to
BE ID His coolness and self-possession, his de-
hberate method and his tantalizing thoughtfulness
before almost every important answer never failed
him. Sir Charles gave him up after two hours
further trial on Tuesday, and Major LIE CarOn left
court without scar Where Sir Charles failed,
Mr. Reid and Mr. Lockwood, who tried their fecbler
hands, were not likely to succeed; nor did they
As the witness stepped down from the box nur-
muir of admiration saluted him. Even those who
wholly dissent from what Major Le Caron called
the moral view of his position Joined in the tribute
to him witness.
Mr.. soames, The Times's' solicitor! who sue
ceeds to Major LIE Caron's place in public atten-
tion. is not comparable to him as an occupant
of the witness-box Solicitor though he be, Mr.
Soames was at first hurried, not to say durried, IN
echoed through the room like so many
pistolshots Mr. Soames was indistinct
unready. nervous, confused in phrase
ology His testimony, however, opened
that branch of the case which one section OF the
public has long been waiting for Mr.. ParnePs
friends have from the beginning insisted that
the letters were the vital point of the whole
business If the letters are forgeries, the whole
case against the Home Rule leader coiiapses'
That was their contention. "A good deal has
bappened since it was first put forward, and IL
can hardly be urged with the same con-
6dence: but il is still urged Mr.. Soames's adj
mission that the letters came from Mr.. Pigott
once Fenian, through Mr. Houston, secretary
of the Irish LOYAL and Patriotic League disclosed
In omen court what had long been an open secret
TO Mr.. Parnelps legal advisers. Indeed, many OF
Mr. Soamess statements were SO many old stories
10 them, though not to the public. They hold
il damaging to The Times that over szo,ooV
should have been paid on account Oh these Rt'ers'
The amount strengthens in their view, tne pre-
sumption Of forgery The revelation that ar.
Flanagan, son of an Irish Judge, is the actnal
suthor of the Parne1lism and Crime articles is
curious, rather than important; except to Mr'
Flanagan.
1t was the second day of Mr.. Soames's exami-
nation that brought out the most sensational in
cidents Mr. Soames by this time had got used
10 his novel position as O witness. recovered MS
relf-possession, and met Sir Charles Russell on
something like even terms. The most damaging
fact which came out in .cross-examinatlon was
the fact that The Times" took these alleged
letters without attempting to trace their history.
Roth Mr.. Soames and Mr. Macdonald. The
Times manager, admitted that no such attempt
asss made They were content With tne tesH-
mcny of a single expert in handwriting ana Win
,beir own conviction Of the gcnuineness OF the
,etters. This win not do for the public The
evidence OF experts will go for little. What the
nubJic wants to- know is where the letters came
from. and through whose hands they passed
comnlete statement must come from somebody,
sra that somebody can only be Mr.. Pgott, who
sold them to Mr. Houston or TO Mr.. Mcguire
Mr.. Pigott has not yet entered the wtness-box in
nerson. but Mr. Soames's statements with reference
N him are startling Mr. Pgott denies to Mr..
soames having told Mr. George Lewis that he
NJ Pirott, forged the letters. He says Mr..
lewis triec to get him 10 admit it, but he denied
II. He alleges what is still more startling, that
Mr.. Laoouohere offered him Mr. Pgott $4,000
20 swear that he forged them. Mr.. LAbouchere
epnears again and again IN the business blr
sosmes had Mr. Pigott followed by detectives, and
Ar Pirott. sTimes" witness, was found to be
N
passed between him and Mr.. Lewis
and Mr.. Labouchere. Money was sent to Mr..
p;oott bv Mr.. Labouchere more than once. He
,vas followed to Mr. Labouchere's house. and seems
sra,lv to have told The Tines what passed be-
tween him and Mr.. Labouchere. He told other
things besides the above named $1,000
nroposar and handed over to Nr. Soames the
money Mr.. Labouchere had sent him. At least
two interviews occurred at Mr.. Labouchere's house
In Grosvenor Gardens, Mr.. Pgott, Mr.. Psrnel mr
lewis and Mr.. Labouchere all present at ono il
not both.
Mr.. Labouchere appears again in connection
with what Mr.. Soames calls an attempted plant
on The Times by an Irish solicitor. Mr OBr1en
with various aliases. He offered TO give informa-
tion: but Mr.. Soames was too sharp for him, set
detectives on him, found him, too, at MI La
bouchere's house, and found that Mr Labouchere
had sent Mr.. O'Brien to Dublin to see Mr. Pigott.
ANY comment on these statements would be prema-
ture Mr. Laboucheres answer TO them has yet
ts be made. Why Sir Charles Russell should have
,bosen to bring out in cross-examination dis
closures which on their face injurious TO his
friends is not understood. Mr.. Soames got some
of them in adroitly, but il was Sir Charles who
gave him the opening
The evidence of Mr.. Macdonald, " The Tines
manager, who succeeded Mr.. Soames, added little
TO what wss already known. Mr. Macdonald
was, in fact. a disappointment. Rumor has
credited him with managing this well as the
more ordinary business Of the paper He was
asked but few questions in chief, and his cfoss-
examination by Mr.. Asquith is only begun. He
IS Scotchman, and passes for shrewd man of
business Perhaps he proved his shrewdness by
refusing TO pay for the letters till satisfied they
were genuine, but he proved his simplicity by ac-
cepting evidence of their genuineness which the
public certainly viii not accept without corrobo-
ration.
NJ Floquets fall was foreseen. lie conceived
the ingenious idea Of identifying himself and his
Ministry with particular form OF Constitutional
revision which each section OF the Chamber
for different reasons opposed. The Chamber there