Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-23
TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
Pigott a Witness for Revenue
 Only.
CONTRADICTED BY HIS OWN HAND.

He Breaks Down Completely Before Sir
 Charles Russell's Cross Examination.
 Admits the Letters Were Forged-The Times Case Is Virtually Lost.
 L;3NDoN, Feb. 23-Richard Pigott is the greatest sensation of the day. All England is talking of him and he has admittedly eff fectsd a complete revolution in public senti- mert Le Caron is forgotten and The Times case must be decided on Pigott's evidence.
 The public have already given verdict that the commission cannot reverse. The Parnel letters are forgeries and Richard Pigott is the forger. The trap set for him by Sir Charles Russell when he got him to write a number of words in which he made two errors in spelling corresponding exactly to two mistakes in the alleged Parnell letter, prepared the court for his utter breakdown It was complete, and the next days examina- tion will wind him up and dispose forever of tle forged letters
 Pigott looked wretched when Sir Charles Russell resumed his cross examination. He felt he was doomed and answered the first questions with an air of dogged sullenness, which gave place to blank dismay when Glad stone's ex-attorney general produced letter after letter which he had never expected would see the light during his lifetime. Some were communications of his to Archbishop Walsh admitting the character of the evi- dence on which The Times case was founded ; others were addressed to Chief Secretary Forster, offering to sell information and prov ing that he has been all along a traitor. The production of the latter shows how heartily the Liberal leaders are aiding Parnell in this fight
 Under Russells dexterous handling Pgott admitted what he pretended not to remember before and explained what he intended by various letters to Archbishop Walsh. He was greatly distressed for money and wanted to induce the archbishop to get the Parnell- ties to give his price for hushing up the charges and making away with the letters He claimed that he had lied to the archbishop in regard to the character of the evidence, and in the next breath admitted that he did not believe the Parnen letters were genuine, still persisting however, that he was not the forger. He believed the Egan letters were genuine, but he would not swear they were
 Confronted with his letter to Secretary Forster offering to turn informer for 91 800 took Pigott's breath away, and his nerve en- tirely failed him. Reluctantly and in a husky whisper he admitted its geriuineness and his final acceptance of 91OO. From this point he completely at RusselPs mercy and houn- dered and contradicted himself continuallys
 "Do you know who fabric ated the lett CTS 9 asked Russell.
 II do not,' he faltered, land I do not be- lieve that any one fabricated them"
 Then Russell showed him another of his let ters to Forster, begging for a loan and plead ing his services to the government by attack ing the Parnellites in The Irishman He stanmered out an admission of it's genuine ness and said that since 1881 he had been in great distress. The questions then came in on him so hotiy that he seemed to forget everything and answered aimlessly. When the court rose he was nerveless and exhausted,
 Pigott remained in the court after the ad- journment, fearing violence if he ventured out through the dense crowd that surrounded the building. Sir James Hannah gave him in charge of two detectives, with orders not to leave him until brought to court to-day, evidently believing that he would abscond if left free.
 MT. Parnell attended court looking very unwell, and was vigorously cheered by the crowd as he passed out. This is the first time he has been cheered since the proceedings be gan, and it is looked upon as signiicant of 6 great popular change in London
 The Pail Mall Gazette declares that the col lapse of the Times case, brought about by the testimony of Macdonald, Houston and Pigott has made home rule a foregone conclusion.