St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-12
OFFERED A Big BRIBE.
The First Secretary Of the
Land League Tempted by
the Times.
One Hundred Thousand DOL
lars rendered Him to Be-
tray Parnell.
Besides This He Was Guaran-
teed Absolute Protection
While in England.
The English Government a
Party to This Plot Against
a Patriot.

DENVER, Col, Jan. 1.-THE News
publishes five column editorial inter-
view 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 of the
leaders in the league movement in Ire
land. Brennan furnishes the history
of the case, for the first time, in which
he shows how the London Times was
trying to manufacture P.J. Sheridan into
a witness against Parnell before the
London commission. He also explains
the cable messages sent to himself and
A eXander Sullivan on May 6. 1889. by
Michael Davitt. at PARIS. and to which
DR.. McCahey gave significance in con-
nection with the disappearance of DR..
CrOnin. He says: ION the day men
tinned, l received cablegram from
Paris unsigned, but which ] believed
was from Davitt, informing me that
some person on this side had offered to
half of the Times in the Parnell COM
mission, and that money had been sent
by the Times people to Chicago and
Pueblo, Col, and asking me to consult
Patrick Egan on the subject. On May
Z 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 7th the Chicago and
Omaha papers contained articles an
nouncing the disappearance of CrOnin,
and we at once suspected him and sent
men to New York to watch the vessel
Nul1t oh Ind fIa lNt.f idJN
amounted to nothing. Soon after this
message came from Davitt, who said
Sheridan was the man the Times
expected to get. We then felt at ease,
as we had perfect confidence in
Sheridan, and knew nothing could
tempt him to go over. Now, for Sheri-
dams part of the story, which | declare
is true. Oct. Is. 1888, man came to my
ranch in Rio Grande county, Colorado,
and introduced himself as an agent of
the London Times. He said he had
been sent over by Joseph Soames, the
attorney for the Times. to see if would
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, and after some further
conversation | was requested by him to
name my price.
"Will the Times give me 100000 to do
this thing?' l asked Kirby replied: "Yes.
provided your evidence is satisfactory. You
will be given the amount one hour after
your examination Closes
What will you consider satisfactory evi-
dence?" inquired.
1.-The Times people want evidence to the
effect that Pa:nen was party TO the PhOe-
nix park murders, if not the instigator of
them, and your evidence to that effect will
be satisfactory TO my friends, and secure to
you the fortune you name, and the fullest
protection of the government
''Is the government aiding the Times in de-
fraying the expenses of the Gommission?'
inquired.
"Not as a government. but as individuals l
presume they are,'' he replied.
"Wnat guaranty will have that your peo-
pie will pay this money in The event of my
evidence proving satsfactory?'' | asked.
Before you leave this country he an
swered. Joseph Soames will cable draft to
any bank that we may agree upon in New
York or Chicago i'll favor of your wife, or
whoever else you may name, the same to be
paid over as soon as your examination closes,
provided it is deemed satisfactory
We'll, guess L don't care for a voyage
anyhow" said. Gould l not give my evil
dence il this country before q subcommis-
sionT'
''Yes, but you cannot hope for the protec-
ton here you would get in L ondon," he re.
piled.
I'VE then debated at some length the
question of giving evidence before a
subcommissiOn in this country, and |
ultimately led him to belive that |
would give evidence before subcom-
mission, and as such evidence would
make it impossible for me to live in
my preSeut home, provision was
to be made for my wife and family
by an advance of $4,000 to my wife by
mortgage on my property in Colorado
before the subcOmmisSion sat. ] then
suggested the adviSaLility of my being
posted on what was the evidence of i'm
pOrtance to be given by the other wit
nesseS in order that mine should be cor
rObOrated or at least non-contradictOry.
In reply he said that a series of
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
required by them would be prepared by
Soames as soon as he (Kirby) got back to
London, after which he was to return
here and perfect his arrangements with
me. Kirby, at the close of the inter
view, returned to London, promising to
be back early in December of that year.
Before gong we arranged that in any
correspondence we might have l should
address him as j. Donaldson,
and he me as NJ. S. Smart. We
had some correspondence by cable
and the mails, and on April 4, 1889,
Kirby returned to my ranch near Monte
Vista, and in our interview he said he
knew | was sentenced to assassination.
l then told Kirby if it were true that
my assassination had been ordered bv
the Clan-na-Gael, that it wouid be i'm
possible to give evidence before the sub
commission as arranged in eur last in
tervtew. That at present l had
to have two men armed with
Winchester rifles to protect me, and as
L would not think of living in this
country. l would go to London on con-
dition that the Times would buy nv
ranch and other property in Colorado
for 100000, the money to be paid over
over to my wife before started to Lon
don. Ten thousand pounds to be paid
me after had given my evidence, and
that be guaranteed protection of the
English government. After some
hesitation he consented to my
terms and said he could speak
for both the Times and the government
accepting them. About the nature of
my evidence, he asked If it would not
be likely to create sensation. and did
not think that after my first day on
the witness stand Parnell would be
likely to fly the country, to which re-
piled tnat Parnell and his friends would
either fly the country OF walk into the
dock after had given evidence. told
him was desperate and was
ANXIOUS TO GET EVEN
with the men who had ordered my as
saSSinatiOn, and therefore wanted to go
to London at once, He said he would