New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-24
of defence to cover the Unionists FMS Is
their champion, their Yelled Prophet
SIR CHARLES RUSsELDs VICTIMS.

Two men in England have earned world
wide reputation during the last week. One is
Sir Charles Russell, who will be henceforth
without a rival, at least, in England as the
greatest Of cross-examiners. -Four men, widely
differing in mental characteristics, have oeen
the victims of his marvellous art. Three OF
them, the solicitor, the business manager ana
Mr.. Houston, have confessed themselves 10 DC
the dupes of a mendacous charlatan and I'M
principled adventurer. The fourth has been
confronted with the proofs Of his treachery ana
infamy, and kept writing on the rack under
hot fire of cross-examination until In sheer
agony of spirit he has convicted himself Oh
perjury and unutterable basenesS. Nothing
finer than Sir Charles RusSelrs method has
been known in the annals Of the bar IN
Ilrope or America. Tho three inveStiga-
tors. on whose Judgment "The London Times"
absolutely depended in assuming the re-
sponsibility for the Parnell libels, have been
shown to be credulous simpletons, duped by
an audacous villain destitute Of principle
and utterly unworthy of confidence. The
case against Mr.. Parnell has been under
mined in single week 1t has been proved to
rest on the word Of one man, and that man a
self-convicted liar, perjurer and blackmailer
Only great advocate, whose fame is destined
to be one of the inspiring traditions OF the
English Bar. could have accomplished so much
in so short time, and have indicated SO COM
pletely the regulations of his clients.
Pigott also has become famous throughout
the English-speaking world as a confidence
operator unique in character. There was per-
Lor pIyobl in n
dustry for supplying his Unonist patrons with
the goods which they desired. He was man
living by his wits and reduced to great straits
II was not surprising that he should have ac-
cepted the rowing commission offered by MI.
Houston to rummage the island and the Con-
tinent for discriminating evidence against the
Irish leaders. His living and travelling ex-
penSes were paid, and the employment was
congenial. So comfortable did he find the new
conditions of his existence that he was unwill-
ing to abandon the quest so long as his eu-
ployers had money to fling away. He pro
longed his journeys to Paris, Lausanne and
America, and furnished budgets Of letters and
information as the eXigences of his market
required. The Partisan masquerade the black
bag and the oath to secrecy were bits of melo-
dramatic by-play which did not indicate any
marked degree of originality. As many an
other cheat and impostor had done before him,
he traded on the credulity of his patrons as long
as he could, and profted handsomely by the
transactions with "The London Times" No
phenomenal talent was required for the earlier
stages Of the business. But when he had eX-
hausted his market and delivered his goods,
what was original in Pigotts genius came into
play. Having trafficked Systematically with
Mr.. Parners enemies, he suddenly turned about
and undertook to resell to the other side what
he had already sold. He had made a good
thing out Of the letters by representing them
to be genuine. He considered it happy con-
cet to attempt another stroke of business by
which he had been dealing.
Pigotts originality, while it serves to sepa-
rate him from the initiative class Of low ad-
venturers and TO invest him with the Fictitious
dignity of new type of character utterly de-
stroys his credibility as a witness. Sir Charles
RUSSELL in revealing the mercenary impoStor
and reckless trader, has exposed the hollowness
Of the case for the prosecution. With Pigott |
and discredited disappears the fabric |
which has been upreared at enormous expense
by the leading Unionist journal. As he has
admitted that the mortality among the
knights Of the black bag has
been most alarming, it seems improbable that
any fellow-conSpirator will be called to sub
Stantiate his wondrouS tale. The letters have
been published by the Unionias and made the
pretext for forcing a Coercion bill through |
Parliament on the strength of Pigotts Partisan
idyll. Sir Charles Russell is not only brill |
liant advocate, but an ardent Home Ruler as |
well. He will be justified in regarding the |
Unionist party as the chief victim Of his art as
a cross-examiner