Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-02-23
TRAITOR PIGGOTT.
He Calmly Admits That He
Is a Big Liar.
SENSATION CAUSED IN COURT
He Is Evidently Prepared to Give
Whatever Evidence He Gets
Best Paid For.

ne Is Eflucutly IIcp1ICu " VAVe
Whatever Evidence He Gets
Best Paid For.
Associated Press DISPATCHES to the HERALD.
LONDON, February %. - The court
room was crowded again this morning
when the Parnell commission reassem-
bied. The cross-examination of Piggott
was continued. He admitted writing the
letter to Archbishop Walsh which Sir
Charles Russell produced in court, and
which contained the statement that doc
umentary and personal evidence to be
produced before the commission could
be rendered harmless by the exposure OF
the means by which it had been OBJ
tanned. At the suggestion of Presiding
Justice Hannen, Archbishop Walsh's
letter to Piggott, part of which was read
yesterday, was read in extenso. The Arch
bishop referred to the fact that there had
been systematic lying about the Nation
alist cause. The witness now admitted
receiving this letter. He said that when
he wrote to the Archbishop he was in
very distressing circumstances, owing to
having received no money from Houston.
Witness other work had been neglected
and lost. He therefore wrote to Arch
bishop Walsh hoping that he would sub
NIT the matter to the Parnellite members
of the House of Commons, and induce
them to provide the witness with means
with which to leave the country in re-
turn for what information the witness
should give. Witness was startled
and surprised when the letters ap-
peared in the Times, and considered it
. breach of faith. He wrote to Houston,
strongly protesting against their publica-
ton. Sir Charles Russell demanded
that this letter be produced. Houston
here said he had forgotten receiving it.
On being further pressed, Piggott volun-
tarily exclaimed, 81 may say at once
that the statements made to Arch
bishop Walsh were unfounded." This
statement produced a sensation. Sir
Charles Russell then said witness, "You
deliberately wrote lies ?" Witness replied,
"Well exaggerstions."
Sir Charles Russell: "Did the exagger-
atoms have no truth ?"
every little. (Laughter.) I forgot
what I meant when 1 wrote to Arch
bishop Walsh that the charges were a
mixture of what l believed to be true
and untrue"
Piggot said he had forgotten the let
ter, but admitted that he must have
written it. He had not the slightest idea
as to what the important matter referred
to was. On being hard pressed, and af-
ter fencing, he admitted that he must
have received the answer.
Sir Charles Russell read from letter
from Piggott to Egan, written February
9th, in which it was stated that he
6Piggott) had received an anonym Gus
letter from gentlemen who would call
upon and submit to him a proposal
greatly to his advantage. They came, but
declined to give their names. They had
an interview lasting two hours. during
which they asked him to publish q
statement which was an outrageous libel
about the spending of the League funds,
q d which was to be so constructed that
its publication would do much harm. He
added that he was badly in want of f500,
but would be satisfied with G400,
in addition to the e30O already
sent in consideration of his paper.
Piggott concluded the letter by saying
"Bad as l am, 1 can truly, say have
always been true to those who trusted
me-" [Laugbter.l Witness said Egan
did not send the money. Laughter.
On March 9th, Piggott wrote to Egan
giving an outline of the statement re-
ferred to.
Continuing, the witness said he knew
that criminal proceedings were projected
when he wrote saying he could nullify
them by exposing the discreditable
means by which it was sought to institute
proceedings. He could not say what the
proceedings were to be taken for. He
imagined they we're for completely in the
Phoenix Park murders. but there was nc
foundation for the statement. Wit.
ness again wrote to Archbishop Walsh
on May 1st, offering to furnish further
information. In reply to this letter the
archbishop said: ~ understand you are
anxious to make a statement to assist
the victims of fraud and SANDER by ex.
posing that fraud and SANDER. I cannot
refuse to accept such statement fully.
1 accept your assurance that you took nc
part in their publication" Witness
said he had forgot writing the statement.
Sir Charles Russell read letter dated
May 9Th, to Archbishop Walsh, in which
Piggott offered to make personal writ.
ten statement. Witness admitted max
ing the statement to Archbishop Walsh
between May 9Th and MAY 7th. He had
written to Archbishop Walsh recently,
lint deniad that he had done eo in ovdav
to again obtain written statement. Sil
Charles Russell read letter from Arch.
bishop Walsh to Piggott, bearing date
of May 7th, in which the Archbishop
said he assumed that Pggott either
knew the author of the fraud OF
knew what measures had been taken to
procure fraudulent evidence. The writer
said he did not wish to know the name
of the gentleman who was at the bottom
of the matter. Sir Charles Russell
pressed the witness, who reluctantly ad-
mitted that he had Houston in his mind
when he wrote the letter. Sir Charles
Russell quoted from a letter written by
Piggott to Archbishop Walsh on May IL.
Witness said he could not say what the
latest proposition mentioned in the letter
meant. He only remembered max
ing one proposition, namely, that
he had been shown compromising letters.
His opinion having been asked as to the
'genuineness of the letters, ne had stated
that the letters credited to Parnell were
rather doubtful. This statement created
q sensation in the courtroom. Witness
further testified that he would not swear
he had not told Archbishop Walsh that
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