New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-20
"PARNELLLSM AND CRIME"
THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE FAMOUS ARTL
Giles PARTIALLY DISCLOSED IN COURT.
SEVERAL PERSONS CONTRIBUTED TO THE
sERIEs-MR. MACDONALD FoRGETs ALL
NAMES EXCEPT THAT OF FLANAGAN
-PIGoTT AND THE ALLEGED PAR.

| fling Henry Iabouchere John Morley the Right
! Hon George shaw-Lcfevre and other prominent per-
| sons were present.
| Mr. Macdonald, manager of The Times" the
| first witness called He was cross-examned by coun
e., for the Parnellites He declined 10 say whether
he regarded the letters of January and May 10 as
| the only important among the first five which
| Mr. Houston secretary of the Irish Loyal and Pa
| trIotc Unior, handed to him.
| Presiding justice Hannen sharply rebulmd tho Wit
| ness for his refusal.
| Mr. Macdonald in reply to further questions, said
| the letters had to 30 taken a whole and that as
| q whole they were compromising. The witness said
he forgot whether, when he submitted the Egan let
ters the expert he also submitted other specimens
| of Egans writing. lie could not be positive whether
no then had actual specimens of Egans writing. He
forgot what material he gave the expert to enable
| him to ascertain whether the letters genuine
He convinced that the Egan and Parnell letters
were genuine before the first article "Parnelsm
and Crinen was published in /" The Times" He did
not think that the body of the letter of January was
| In the writing Of Mr. Campbell Mr.. ParnelPs secre-
taTy. he had not noticed any similarity between
that and the Egan letters. The witness paid Hous-
ton pounds for the Parnen letter OF 10 and
for Egans letter to Carey. The total payments
made to Houston Amounted TO $3.50 pounds. The
payments made by Walters checks, drawn in
favor of Mr. soames, The TmeSs" solicitor Houston
did not bling the envelopes with The
letters. The witness did not ask about
them, assuming that they had Dcen ueSrOyeu-
He particularly avoided asking from what source
the letters obtained, because Houston said he
was bound to secrecy, which he asked the witness 10
respect Tho witness first knew that Plgott former
editor of :" The Irishman," supplied them at about
the time the publication of the articles Parnellsm
and Crime' begun. He did not know that the
letters had been shown to the Marquis Of Harrington
who, he asserted had nothing TO do directly or In
directly with their publication. Houston showed tho
Witness as tending to confirm the genuineness OF the
writing letter written by Mr. Parnell TO Pigott,
which was not submitted to tho experts, because II
was private and confidential
MACDONALD BOTH FoRGETFUI AND STUBBORN
Mr.. Macdonald said 80 The Timess7 statement that
knives and firearms were kept In the League Office
In London was based upon Information supplied TO
the writer Of the article I'm which the statement was
made. lie did not know directly who wrote tho
article and he not bound to tell II no did know
The Editor Of "The Tines was responsible for state
ments made in the paper and, therefore, the counsel
was not entitled to demand bv forco the names OF
contributors.
At this point in the proceedings Mr.. Parnell,
warmly enveloped in long cloak, though tho weather
was mild, entered the courtroom and took seat at
the solicitors table.
Mr. AsquIth Of counsel for Mr. Parnell urged that
hc was entitled to demand the OF the author of
tho article because he bound to test the truth Of
such grave statement.
Sir Charles Russell supported Mr.. Asduth. arel- |
ing that the question relevant
The court ruled that Mr Asquith was entitled |
Investigate this matter in order to ascertain the
foundation OF the statement
Tho witness said that he could net The writer
without making inquiries. The Parnellsm and |
Crime" series Of articles not written by one |
author. Several persons contributed. Mr. soames |
was misnformed when he stated that Mr.. Flanagan
wrote the series. II Mr. Asquiths question had |
been put within six months after the appearance |
OF the article. the witness said he might have beon
enabled to name the writer II doubtful whether |
he could now, and Mr. Asquith has mentioned the
date of the article June 49, 1887, the witness |
was not sure that the statement based upon |
Information supplied to the writer He never in
qured from what the information was obtained
The article accusing Mr.. Parncll Of supplying Byrne
with funds with which TO escape was based on letter
which Mr. Russell had admitted was authentic.
FLANAGAN WROTE TWO OF THE ARTICLES.
Witness could not mako the writer Of tho article of
hand No persons were specifically employed to write
about ParneIsm and Crime" Tho articles were
written in the ordinary of business He could
not mention few Of the writers. He considered the
request to do so unreasonable.
Sfr. Asqulth-win you find outi
Presiding Justice Hannen-The witness says ne can
not tell you do not know that he is bound to in
quIre
Mr.. AsquIth pressed the question.
Sir Charles Russell submitted that the witness
bound TO inquire.
Judge Smith ono Of the Commission asked Sir Charles
70 quote HIS authority
Sir Charles contended that II was everyday practice
to require a witness to produce diary
Attorney General Webster said he could NOT aeceuc
to tho witness going out Of court 10 OBTAIN
that was not within the wltnesss own knowledge
Mr. Asquith asked the witness to obtain the names
of the writers Of tho articles IN " The Times"
Mr. Macdonald appealed TO the Bench Tor direcuons
whether he compelled to answer.
Acknowledgement webster objected generally to the
question.
Presiding Justice Hannen ruled that counsel was
not entitled 10 ask the witness to make inquiries but
might question him as to anything within MS hno"i-
edge in connection with specific facts
Mr. Macdonald finally said that Mr. flanagan
wrote the articles that appeared on Mafch anu i0h
TO- 1887. lie had forgotten who wrote tho otners.
Mr. Parnelps alleged letter to Pigott was uaen
produced. Presiding Judge Hammer asked "hener
II was admitted that the letter was gehun'' ""1 '
Charles Russell replied, Oh, no"
Acknowledgement Webster then called MI Ishs'
the writing expert, to the stand, WhereuPo" 49,
was sharp encounter, Sir Charles kussen con'ona
ing that justice demanded that the source VA uio ~
ers should be revealed before no was calied uPon "
cToss-examine experts.
Presiding Justice Hannen thought that inquiry
should be made as 10 the source OF tho ie''erS
PIGoTTs ADVENTURES IN SEARCH OF LETTERS
Mr. Houston, secretary of the Loyal ana fa'rlouc
League, then sworn. He testified that nc nrs'
know Pigott In the autumn of 1885, In consciousness
Of a Communication from Plgott regarding Johii Do
vey. The witness inquired as to the lrlsh-AneioS" %
organizations and instructed Pigott 10 try 70 suD
stantlate his statements regarding Parnellites ana
crime The pamphlet entitled "ParneIlism on-
masked" was based upon Plgotts Information to
garding Dewey.
In December, 1885, witness asked 'Pigott 70 sup
ply further information for newspaper puphoauou
He agreed to pay Pigott guinea daily ior nooi
and travelling expenses Later Pigott said IL was
useless to conlnc his attention to Dublin ana asAca
that his expenses be paid to Paris Pigou wro'e 70
Eugene Davis, who Pigott said, could ASSIST III 'no
investigation Pgott also visited DAVIS a. Eau
sanne ana wro,c ~ tncss that no found Davis very