The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-03-01
THE TIMES AND PARNElL.

Two Witnesses Give Testimony About
Those Much-Tallted-of Letters.
LONDON, Feb. 20.-The first witness yester-
day before the Farnell con mission was Mr..
Macdonald, manager of the "Thunderer He
said the reason he did not inquire where tho
letters alleged to be Parnell's and others came
from when Houston brought them to him
was the latter said he was bound to secrecy
Being questioned as to who was the author OF
one Of The Times "Parnellism and Crime"
articles, he said he did not know directly
who the author of the article was, and was
not bound TO tell if he did know. The editor
of The Times was responsible for what his
paper contained and the names of individual
writer's could not he demanded.
Parnell here entered the court room and
sat near his counsel.
Theae was some discussion between coun-
sci as to the point, and the judges decided
that he must ell If no knew, but need not
try to find out if he did not know, Parnells
counsel demanding that he be required to
perform the latter service. The article ac-
cusing Parnell of assisting Byrne to escape
by giving him money was based on letter
which Sir Charles Russell had admitted to be
authentic. No persons were specially en-
ployed to write articles on "Parnellism and
crime" The articles were written in tho or
binary course of business Soames was mis-
informed when he stated that Flanagan
wrote the series
The witness said that the payments to Hous-
tom were made by Mr. Waltsrs' checks, drawn
in favor of Soames, The Times solicitor.
Houston did not hiring the envelopes with the
letters, and the witness assumed that they
were destroyed Tho witness first knew that
Pigott, a former editor of The Irishman, sup
piled the letters at about the time the publica-
tion of the articles on "Parnellism and Crime"
was begun. He did not know that they had
been shown to Lord Harrington, who, he
said, had nothing whatever to do with their
publication. Macdonald said that Flanagan
wrote tho "Parnellism ana Crime" articles
which appeared in Tho Times on March and
10, 1857.
Parnelrs letter to Pigott was produced
and Justice Hammer asked if it's commences
was admitted Sir Charles Russell replied
that il was not.
Mr.. Houston, secretary Of the Irish Loyal
and Patriotic union, testified that the pamph-
let entitled "Parncllism Unmasked," was
based upon information regarding john Do
voy furnished by Pigott. Plgott also fur
nishcd notes of alleged conversations with
Eugene Davis at Lausanne, in which refer
ence was mad toalet,er. and was instructed 20
procure tho letter. PIgott said that all tho
letters were in possession of Egan or School
master Kelly. He afterwards supplied copies
of five of Parnol's letters and six of Egan'S.
Witness further testified that Mr.. Buckle,
in 1885, had refused TO touch the matter, and
that he himself at his own expense sent
Pigott TO America to obtain the letters from
Egan. Pigott returned with a sealed letter
which he said he had obtained from Breslin,
instructing person in Paris to sure der
the letters in his possession. The sellers of
the letters afterwards offered to return the
money they had received if the letters were
returned to them, but the offer Yves refused
Eugene Davis declares that tho evidence
concerning i'm given by Mr.. Houston before
tho Parnell commission yesterday is an
atrocious calumny.