Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-05-09
PARNELL ON THE STAND
And Denied that the Irish World
Raised Funds for His Party.
Parnell COnfesses to ExaggeratiOnS in
the House of Commons
Regarding the Entire Absence of Secret
Societies in Ireland.

the stand, and on cross-examination de-
MED that the Irish World had ever col
Iected moneys for the parliamentary
party. The Irish World hac been hostil
to himself and the parliamentary party
since 80. Attorney General Webster
here produced extracts from the Irish
World praising Parnelrs action in par
Lament after '82. Charles Russell, coun-
sci for the ParEellites, put in extracts
adverse to ParnelI. The Cross examina-
ton then continued. Mr.. Parneu ad
mitted knowing Mooney, otherwise
known as the transatlantic" Mooney
wrote violent article, still the witness
would not object to receiving
MONEYS tributes to assist the party if
he did not publish articles advocating
the murder. Witness had held no com
municasion with Patrick Ford since 1881.
Parnell emphatically denied that his
Irish schemes ever included collision with
the fenians in order to expel landlords
from Ireland. He certainly aimed TO
destroy landlOrdism but not 80 drive in
dividuaIs from the country and never had
any idea of resorting to illegal
means. He did not recollect meeting
Dayitt and John O'Leary in
1879, and discussing with them
the possible alliance between
nationalsts and fenians. He had a
notion the the national fund in America
and skirmishiag fund were identical.
Attorney General Webster, here read
violent manifesto signed by John Dewey
ana others, and issued at Dublin. Mr.
Parnell declared he never heard of il be
fore. He had met Dewey, BresIin. Fin
uerty and Alexander Sullivan, and
number Of the physical force of men. He
said be would frankly avow that he
felt it was no part OF his
duty to exclude anyone from the league
on account of their antecedents. He
wanted to include in it all Irishman
trusting that every section would acoept
the new constitutional form of agitation.
He had aimed at asking the physical force
men TO abandon their movement
and to accept his. To
shut the constitutional door in
their face, because they did not imm edia
tely agree, would be very foolish. He did
not reoollect making a speech at Lynn,
Mass, in which it is alleged he said that
when England was beaten TO ner knees
the time would have come to realize the
idea of nationalists. He admitted that if
he used those words he was thinking
of the methods of warfare in the event of
tae constitutional agitation falling. At
Troy somebody Offered him five dollars
for bread and twenty dollars for lead.
He did not object to the offer because he
thought the offerer only meant five dol
lars for charitable work and twenty
dollars for league work.
LONDON, May 3.-During the cross ex,
animation of the FARRELL before the Par
nell commission today, he testified that
he had often reprOved William O'Brier,
editor of the Omitted Ireland" for the
violent articles that had appeared in that
paper. He had not publicly repudiated
the articles because he did not consider
that to be the way TO effect the altera
tiOns that he desired in the tone of the
articles. He said he considered O'Brien's
teachings to be in advance of his own.
ParnelI said he had never heard of Egan
being associated with the martyrs
fund" for the benefit of the fanatics of
Phoenix park mUrdereTs. He saw nothing
criminal in the fund, and rather thought
IL was right to assist In supporting limo
cent victims. He could not recollect de-
nOunoiDg the outrRges between 1873 and
1881. He believed the outrages perpetra-
ted TO have been the work OF small secret
societies. The witness was then asked
whether if any secret societies, adverse
vast majority of the people had belonged
to the league there would not have been
ample evidence obtained to convict the
perpetrators of the outrages. He parried
the question, saying that they might or
might not have been the case. here
occurred the most remarkable incident
in the witnesses cross-exgmination.
Attorney General Webster quoted a state
ment made by Parnell IN commons dur
ing the debate on the Forest bill in 1888, |
suspending the writ of habeas corpus to |
the effect that the secret societies had
then ceased to exist in Ireland.
did you believe that when you said |
it 7" asked the attorney general.
NO" replied Parnell, sat any rate it |
was a grossly exaggerated statement"
There was buzz of susprise through
out the court room at this response.
"Did you not" continued the attorney
general, "lntend to misstate fact when
you made that statement.
II have no doubt did, was the reply. |
Attorney Observation-Disclosures ?"
Parnell-' Yes, deliberately"
Attorney general-"You deliberately
made that statement, knowing it to be
untrue ~
ParnelI-"Yes; or if not untrue it was
very extravaganza and ooastful."
Attorney general-"You have never
since withdra sn it?"
ParnelI-"No; 1 have not"
The nOnchalenoe with which the witness
mace these admissions, astonished the
audience and elected misses. "Probably,"
added Parnell, "ths statement was to
mislead the house. l am afraid it did
not, for the bill was passed. My purpose
was TO exaggerate the effect it had in re-
ducing the number of secret societies.
The league undoubtedly diminished the
number of secret societies though it had
not swept them away as l stated
Parnell was next asked what had be-
come of the land league books. He ex-
planned that some were brought TO Lon
don ard wore before the commission.
The cash books and ledgers have dissp-
peared and he did not know where. |
Neither was Treasurer Kennuy, Eagan or
any any other of the league officials are
able TO tell what had become of them |
The letter books and files of letters bad
also vanished.
Presiding Justice Harmon here i'm
pressed upon the witness the fact that |
the court attached great importance to !
the missing documents. and Parnell |
promised to try and fiu6 them.
A SHEB0YGAN SENSATION.
Too Much Married.
Sheboygan special to the Evening |
Wisconsin, May 3-Capt. Born the popu-