Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-12
HOUNDING PARNELL.
An Effort to Down the Irish
Leader.
THE STORY TOLD BY SHERIDAN.
Tom Brennan, of the Land Lea cue.
Responsible for the Statement.
A Witness Made to Order.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD

| a UAVACSo mdQc W UI0eT.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
DENVER. Colo, January II. = The
News, today, published a ive-column
special from Omaha, purporting to be an
Interview with Thomas 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 confidence of
all leaders in the league movement in
Ireland. Brennan furnishes the history
OF case which shows how the London
Times was trying to manufacture P. J
Sheridan into witness against Parnell
before the London Commission. He
also explains the cable messages sent to
himself and Alexander Sullivan on May
6, 1889 from Michael Davitt at Paris.
and which DR.. Nc Capey attempted to give
significance with the disappearance Of
DR.. Cronin.
He said: "On the day mentioned
received cablegram from Paris. un-
signed, but which 1 believed was from
Davitt, informing me that some person
on this side had offered to 20 to London
and give evidence on behalf of the Times
to the Parnell Commission, and that
monsy had been sent by the Times people
to Chicago and to Pueblo, Colorado. and
asking NE to consult Patrick Egan on the
subject. On May 9TH Egan came into
my office in Omaha, where We had
ltak fo yub
was who was going to turn traitor. On
May 9th and 7ah the Chicago and Omaha
papers contained articles announcing the
disappearance of DR.. Cronin. We at
once, suspected him, and sent men to
New York to watch the vessel which
sailed on the 18th, but nothing was found
out. Soon after this a messenger came
from Davitt, who said that Sheridan was
the man the Times attempted to get. We
then felt at ease, as We had perfect con-
fidence in Sheridan, and knew that moth
ing could tempt him to go over.
Now for Sheridan's part of the story,
which l declare is true. It is as follows:
On October 10, 1888, man came to my
ranch in Rio Grande county, COL, and
introduced himself as the agent Of the
London Times. He said that he had
been sent over by Joseph Soames. attor-
ney for the Times, to see if I would
come to London and testify on behalf Of
that newspaper before the Parnell Conn
mission, and that he was prepared to
tsclffon tftalf %s nils y fnoEnt IL EEDeiafnd if
gave his name as J. f. Kirby. and after
some further conversation was re-
quested by him to name any price.
will the Times give me $100 900 to do
his thing? ?" l asked him.
Kirby replied: "Yes; providing your
evidence ia satisfactory, you will be paid
,he amount one hour after your examine
ion Closes"
What will you consider satisfactory
evidence ?' enquired.
"The Times people want evidence to
the effect that Parnell was party to
the Ph@uix park murders, if not that
he was the instigstor of them, and your
evidence to that effect will be satisfactory
TO my friends and secure for you the ior-
tune you name and the fullest protection
Of the Government"
sis the Government aiding the Times
in defraving the expenses of the commits
sion ?'' l enquired.
''Not as Government, butas individu-
ais, presume they are," he replied.
"What guaranty will have that your
people will pay this money in the event
Of my evidence proving satisfactory" I
asked.
"Before you leave the country" he
answered, "Joseph Soames will cable
1raft to any bank that We may agree upon
n New York or Chicago in favor of your
vile or whoever else you may name, the
same to be paid over as soon as your ex-
closes, provided it is deemed
swell, guess I don't care for the
voyage, anyhow" said. "Could not I
give my evidence in this country before
q sub commission ?"
Eyes; but you cannot hope for the
protection here you would get in Lon
don," he replied. We then debated at
some length the question of giving evil
depce before sub-commission in this
country, and l ultimately led him to be-
lieve that would give my evidence be-
fore sub.commiseion as such evidence
would make it possible for me to live in
nay present home. A provision was to
be made for my wife and family by an
advance of G10, 900 to my wife by a mort
gage on property in Colorado.
II then suggested the advisability of
cOAl6 POot0u Ou WAdJotoT oNlucuC0
of importance was to be given by other
witnesses, in order that mine should be
corroborative, or at least not contra
dictory. In reply he said that series
of questions and the answers required to
them would be prepared by Soames as
soon as he (Kirby) got back to London,
after which he was to return here and
perfect bis arrangements with me. The
original of this statement, with all the
letters and kilograms, were forwarded to
Davitt June 5, 1885,"
Brennan concluded by saying that
Sheridan kept Kirby waiting for him
until so late date as the last ten days
of Sir Henry James speach, which was
prolonged in the hope that Kirby would
be able to keep his promise and deliver
Sheridan at the last moment as witness
for the Times.
PrOhibiti0n Holds.
TOPEKA, Kan, January 1.-THE Eu-
preme Court has rendered q decision to-