St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-15
SOLICITOR soAMEs SPEAKS.
The Times Counsel Explains How
He Spent Vast Sums for Evil
dence Against Parneu.

He Spent vast SumS iOF IIVl-
dence Against Parnell.
Special to the Globe.
LONDON, Feb. 1.-THE Parnell COM
mission resumed Its session to-day. MIR.
Soames, solicitor for the Times, was
examined. He stated that in May of
last year he was sent to Ireland for evil
dence to use before the commission.
He had an interview with former Ma
tional league emplOye at the Office of
Mr.. Morphy, crown solicitor in Dublin.
This man gave him number of dOcu-
ments, including the signature of Miss
Anna Parnell, and specimens of Egan'S
handwriting. Mr.. Soames said that
these documents were brought to Lon
don and embodied in an affidavit made
at the time of the eO'Donnell-TimeS libe
suit Sir Charles Russell. Parnellite
counsel. objected when Mr.. Soames at
tempted to put in evidence a letter to
which no official names were attached.
Attorney General Webster, the Times
counsel, argued that the letter was adj
massib1e; that it had been obtained
from Mr.. Phillips, the accountant of the
league. The court sustained Sir Charles
Russell's objection, and the letter was
rejected. The witness then produced
five alleged Parnell letters, including
fac-simile that had been printed in the
Times. He SAID that the letters had
been photographed. The photographs
were handed to the judges. The wit
ness stated that he had received the let
tiers from Mr.. Macdonald, manager of
the Times. He did not then know
where they came from. but afterwards
AsCERTAINED THEIR SOURCE.
The letters were submitted to an eX
pert in April, 1887. Before that time
genuine specimens of Mr.. Parnell's
handwriting were collected, and since
then other specimens had been col.
lected. Solicitor S0ames. SAID that when
i he discovered the parneH letters he
supposed were Patrick Egan'S. Three
OF Egan's letters, he said, were found
at CarriS' house, where two letters in
the handwriting of Henry Campbell,
Mr.. Parnell's private secretary were
also discovered. Sir Charles Russell,
Parnellite counsel here, said: eve
are only able now to take a cursory
glance at these documents, but the
court must not assume that all will be
unauestioned." Mr.. Soames said
he believed that the body of
the fac-simile he produced was
written by MFR. Campbell. The sigma
ture, he thought. was Mr.. Parnell's.
Mr.. Soames testified that Piggott gave
the alleged Parnell letters to Secretary
Houston, of the Loyal Patriotic union,
vino handed them to Mr.. Macdonald.
On cross-examinati0n Mr.. SOames said
that he was not consulted concerning
the publication of the articles on
''PARNEI4LISM AND CRIME"
These articles were prepared by a
on the fTinpC staff who WAC
assisted by man named Flanagan, the
son of an Irish judge. The witness
stated that in all seventeen letters had
been obtained from PiggOtt, intending
letters written by Egan. O'Kelly and
Davitt. He did not know the precise
amount paid for them by the Times.
The witness said he had first paid Sec
retary Houston 81, 900 and his expenses
to America and those of his assistants.
Afterwards he had paid Houston sums
aggregating 1,50O. He paid Moser
$4,000, Kirby a250, Thompson $500.
Attorney General Webster stated that
Flanagan had written to the Times
Offering his assistance without the
knowledge of his father.
WHO PIGGOTT Is.
Special Cable to the Globe.
LONDON, Feb. 14.-The man Piggott,
from whom, Solicitor Soames testified to-
day before the Parnell commission, the
Times obtained the alleged Parnell let
ters. is Roman Catholic. He was for
merly proprietor OF newspaper which
was published at Dublin, at the same
office at which the United Ireland is
published now. When Piggott's paper
ceased issuing. United Ireland began
publishing. Mcguire is also Catholic,
and fellow of Trinity college, Dublin.