Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-12
An Abortive Attempt to Secure Test
mony Against ParneII,

ROUGH ON THE "TINIEs."
An Abortive Attempt to Secure Testi-
mony Against ParneIl.
DENVER (Col), January 11th.-The Neps
publishes fiTe-column special from Oma
ha, purporting to be an interview with
Thos. Brennan, who was the first Secretary
of the Land League in Ireland. and one of
the few men in the United States who
knows thoroughly and enjoys the conf
dence of all the leaders in the League
movement in Ireland. Brennan furnishes
| q history of the case which shows how the
London Times was trying To manufacture
2. J. Sheridan into witness against Par
nell before the London Commission. He
also explains the cable message sent to
himself and Alexander Sullivan on May g.,
1889, from Michael Davitt, at Paris, and
which DR.. McCahey attempted to give sig
nificance in connection with the disappear
ancs of DR.. Cronin. He said: ION the
day mentioned received cablegram from
Paris, unsigned, but which believed was
| from Dayitt, Informing me that some person
on this side had offered 10 go to London
and give evidence on behalf of the Parnell
Commission, and that money had been
sent by the Times people to Chicago, and
Pueblo, Col, and asked me to consult
Patrick Egsn on the subject.
| "On May 7th Egan came to my Office IN
| Omaha, where we had long consultation as
| to who the person was who was going to turn
traitor. On May 9Th and 9TH the Chicago
and Omaha papers contained articles an
nouncing the disappearance of Cronin. We
at once suspected him, and sent men to
New York to watch the vessel which sailed
on the 12.h, but which amounted to moth
ing.
"Soon after this messenger came from
| Davitt, who said Sheridan was the man
the Times attempted to get We then felt
at ease, as we had perfect confidence in
Sheridan and knew nothing could tempt
him to 60 over
Now, for Sheridan's part of the story
which l declare is true. On October 15
| 1888, man came to my ranch in Rio
Grande county and introduced himself as
an agent of the London Times. He said be
had been sent over by Joseph Soames at
torney for the Times, 10 see il would come
| to London and testify on behalf of that
newspaper before the Parnell Commission,
and that he was prepared to offer me any
amount OF money for my services, and
guarantee me absolute protection while in
England.
This man gave his name as j. F. Kirby
requested by him to name my price.
"'Will the Times give me $40 0o0 10 do
this thing {? l asked him.
Kirby replied, Yes, provided your evil
dence is satisfactory. You will be paid the
amount one hour after your examination
closes
"'What will you consider satisfactory
evidence p inquired.
1.-The Times people want evidence to the
effect that Parnell was party to the Pho.
nix Park murders, if not the instigator OF
them, and your evidence to that effect will
be satisfactory to my friends and secure for
you the fortune you name and the fullest
protection of the Government
"'Is the Government aiding the Times
| in defraying the expenses of the Commits.
| sionY | inquired.
| "'Not as Government, but as individu-
els presume they are he replied.
| "'What guarantee will have that your
people will pay this money in the event of
my evidence proving satisfactory p | asked.
before you leave;this country he an
| swered, Joseph Soames will cable a draft
| to any bank that we may agree upon in
New York or Chicago in favor of your
| wife, or whoever else you may name, the
same to be paid over as soon as your ex-
animation closes, provided it is deemed
satisfactory.
"Well, I guess I don't care for the voy-
sge anyhow said. Gould l not give my
evidence in this country before a subCom-
mission
Yes, but you cannot hope for the pro-
lection here which you would get in Lon
dou,' be replied.
I'VE then debated at some length the
question of giving evidence before a sub
Commission in this country, and ulti-
mately led him to believe that l would
give my evidence before a sub-Commission,
as such evidence would make it possible
for me to live in my present home. A
provision was to be made for my wife and
family by an advance of 81 600 to my wife
by mortgage on properly in Colorado be-
fore the subCommission sat.
II then suggested the ACCESSIBILITY of my
being posted on whatever evidence of i'm
portance was to be given by the other wit
neSses, in order that mine should be cor
roborative, or at least not contradictory.
In reply, he said that a series of questions
and answers required OF them would be
prepared by Soames as soon as be (klrby)
got back to London, after which he was to
return here and perfect his arrangements
with me"
The original of this statement, with all
the letters and kilograms were forwarded
to Dayitt June 5, 1889
Brennan concluded by saying that Sheri-
dan kept Kirby waiting for bin until so
late date as the last ten days of Sir Henry
James speech, which was prolonged in the
hope that Kirby would lie able TO keep his
promise, and deliver Sheridan at the last
moment as witness for the Times.