, 1889-07-03
DlWTT'S TESTIMONY.
He Calls Upon a Friend in
America to Give His Name.
Large Attendance at the
Worlds Sunday School
Convention.
G. A. R. Officials Demand a
Concession From Railroads.
Michael Davitt,s Testimony.

~ totAhiOh1
LONDON. July 2.-Michael Davitt was
examined before the Parnell commission
to day. Davitt declared there was no
truth in the account gwen by LeCaron be-
fore the commission concerning the pro-
posals of John Dewey being submitted to
Parnell. Parnell had nothing to do with
witness visit to America in 1878. Wit
ness had intended to make another visit
to America or a ~lecturing tour to raise
money to help the Agrarian movements.
Davitt stated that while in America he at
tended meetings of the Clan ma Gael at
which he explained the object of land
league and tried to win the Clan ma Gael
to Its support. The Clan ma Gael, he
said. included some of the best freshmen
in America. 1t was no more a murder
club than was the Carlton club of London.
There was no alliance between the Clan
ma Gael and the league in Ireland. The
league movement in America won the
support of the Irish in America to Par
nell. Witness said he himself was OPP
was an immoral and unmanly style of war
fare. He was not opposed to physical
force, if in resorting there to there was
NhohAS VI 6dNN1SCs
Davitt said hat he had known Alexan-
der Sullivan since rs, and had the high
est opinion of his ability as a lawyer, his
character a a citizen and his honor as a
man. He did not believe him capable of
any dishonorable act.
In reference to the Phoenix park muir
ders, Davitt said: "Parnell came to me
on the Sunday following the murders. ut
terly broken down at the news. He said:
'Davitt. | shall send my resignation to
Cork tonight. | refuse to STAY in a
movement where irresponsible men of
whom we know nothing come behind ones
back and perpetrate such deeds 1t
took all my influence, said the witness. to
dlsuade him from %resigning. We i'm
mediately had circulated throughout Ire.
land a manifesto condemning the murder
ers. There was absolutely no ground for
the suggestion that | or any of my col
leagues were in anyway privy to the
crime"
He believed outrages were due to the
agitation of local agrarian bodies com
posed principally of sons of tenant far
mers. Witness was glad hat there was a
prospect of the agitation c~easine; he dis
liked agitation and would willingly aban-
don it tomorrow if he saw some Justice
done to Ireland, he could not abandon it
otherwise.
Davitt continued: Beyond stating
publicly in New York in July 80, that |
had severed my connection with the revo-
lutionary body, | expressed no dissent. |
did not attend any meeting of the Clan
na Gael after 80. | believe the murders
were committed by members of tie Clan
nj Gael, but the perpetrators certainly
did not have the sanction of the govern
ing body nor the approval of the leaders"
Witness continuing, said, in a letter
which he wrote he used the word pen"
meaning revolver; he declined to say to
whom the letter was addressed.
Attorney General-Was it Arthur For
roster?
Davitt-I cannot say without possibly
injuring the man who greatly wronged
me.
Presiding Justice Hammer said the
court respected the motive of the witness
reticence, but could not recognize it as an
C for not answering.
Davitt thereupon said the man to whom
the letter was written had conceived hatred
of another member OF the league and
wished to murder him. Witness wrote
to him appearing Rto sanction the act he
meditated, but merely to gain time until
he could write to two superior officers and
ask them to disuade the man from carry
ing out his purpose. The expression used
in the letter was: whatsoever is EN-
ployed, do not let him use the pen we
have been using" Witness wrote to
two superior officers about the matter;
he couHAnot tell their names. Davitt
said the dear friend, to whom the letter
was addressed in which the word pen APP
peared was now in America and he pub,
licly appealed to him to divulge his name.