Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-23
Monumental Liar
Seems To Be the Correct Name
for Pigott.
AN INFoRMER FOR REVENUE ONLY


Strong Presumptive Evidence That He
Is Also Forger-Germany Orders Iron
ciads to Samoa-Latest Report About
Stanley-Foreien Miscellany.
LONDON, Feb. 23.-In the Parnell commits
sion yesterday the cross examinations of Pigott
was continued. Pigott admitted having writ
ten to Archbishop Walsh that the evi6 snce
which would be produced before the commits
sion could be rendered harmless by the ex-
posture of the means by which it had been OBJ
tanned. Witness admitted receiving the let
ter from Archbishop Walsh, mentioned Thurs
day. He was very much distressed for money
when he wrote to tie archbishop.
Sir Charles Russell so closely questioned
Pigott at this point that he voluntarily ex-
claimed: II may as well say at once that my
statements to Archbishop Walsh were I'M
founded. [Sensation.l They were exaggera-
lions with very little truth. My statement
to the archbishop that l could nulify the
evidence by exposing the disoreditable means
by which it was sought to institute proceed
ings was also unfounded"
His opinion being asked concerning tho
genuneness of the "Parnell letters, witness
said he had stated that they were rather
doubtful. Pigott would not swear that he
had not told Archbishop Walsh that the let
tiers were forgeries. [Sensation.l He doubt
ed the genuineness of the letters because be
was unable to identify the handwriting in
any Of them. He believed that the Egan let
tefs were genuine, but he would not swear
that they were He admitted having asked
Archbishop Walsh not to believe that he
twitnessl was the fabrcator of the letters.
l.
knew who did fabricate the letters Witness
said he did not, nor did be believe that they
were fabricated.
Russell produced letters showing that Pig
oft hal literally hawked his information
around. He had written letters to Egan
similar TO those to Archbishop Walsh, and
when the phraslng of Egan's req lies was COM
pared with the same In the alleged Egan let
ters given TO The Times they were very SINH
lar, indicating forgery. This, however, Pig
oft denied, and had the cheek to say that he
did not know but what the letters Russell
produced were forgeries.
Thursday just before Pigott's examination
closed for the day Russell asked him TO write
the word "hesitancy7 on piece of paper In
one of the alleged Parnell letters this word is
spelled 'hesitency," and the object. Of course,
was to see Il Pigott would spell it the same
way, in order to create a strong presumption
Of forgery He did spell it with the &c" in
stead of "a, and it was also shown that he
had frequently spelled 1t that way in other
letters he had written Yesterday be ad-
mtted that be misspelled the word
'hesitancy" in the witness box Thursday.
He believed that the knowledge that the
letter OF Jan. 0, 1882, similarly misspelled the
word had influenced his mind Thi. letter
did not come into his possession until the
summer of 1885, so he could not account for
the misspalling of ''hesitancy" in hi. own
letter prior 10 that
Sir Charles Russell produced the witness
letters TO Meagher and pointed out further
resemblance TO The Times letter. BE then
asked tins witness if he was not ashamed Of
himself
Pigott replied hotly: Under the circum-
stances, no: it is scandalous that should be
thus questioned did not forge the letters
II did, l should not be here"
Mr.. Reid produced letters written by Pigott
to Forster, in which Pigott asked a loan.
After much writing, in which Pigott pleaded
poverty, Forster sent him sl00 as a private
loan Some time latsr, as a matter of per-
sonsl sympathy, Forster loaned Pigott $50 to
enable him to go to America
The effect of Ptgott's evidence has had a
matter i, almost the sole topic of converse
ton in all circles in and out OF the Hobbies Of
the house of commons The conviction is
rapidly becoming general that Pigott himsslf
is the forser of the so-callei Parnsll letters,
and Tories vie with Parnellites in the depth
of their condemnation OF the wretch who is
convicted out OF his own mouth of acts
scarcely less heinous than those of Judas Is
CARROT.
1t is asserted that Mr.. Walter, who wa.
mainly responsible for The Times crusade
against Parnell, will personally bear all OF
the expenses and costs incurred by the paper
in conducting the case before the commission
even il he has to sell his estates to raise the
money Thi. resolve is believed 10 be the
result Of a stormy interview between Mr..
Walter and his copartners in the proprietor
ship of The Times, in which the matter Of the
papers inability to pay its usual dividend
was the foremost topic Of discussion and Mr.
Walters sudden announcement of his inten.
ton to go to Nice to recuperate is undoubt-
eddy another result of that heated meeting.