New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-16

IT, The police were said To bavo ,rado !. .
matter OF professional pride to see that his
o"e'iies ola not get at him. | rather fancy II
"' "'So point OF pride and Of honor with lie
D"'oh hiinseH to battle the gentlemen who Law
In wait for him. He succeeded
"o ioAdhce or his career daZzled the public
ana what they learned from him about him.
''' was one OF the most remarkable stories ever
known. That is probably why its importance
was IN one sense overrated So far as his testi
inony bore on the Clan-na- Gael and other secret
societies and conspiracies it was not very novel
Inc existence and objects and methods of these
societies were known from other sources What
was new was lie Caron's connection with them
ana the means by which he came to know about
'hem' ms deXterity his courage his ingenuity
MS determination and the amazing perseverance
Win winch he followed out his purpose. Yet in
one sense this testimony was Of positive SER
vice to Parnel and the other defendants-tbcv
were not strictly defendants but the public so re-
garded them rightly enough. For his testi-
nlony never directly connected them with the con-
spirators who were supposed to be their allies
And 1t was argued with great force: "If even
lie Caron knew nothing to convict Parnell or
Ills TRENDS OF completely in dynamite or murder
plots, there can have been nothing"
The story he told made him a sort Of hero
among those to whom the conviction Of Parnell
was great object. 1t was my Ill luck to be in
iarlS during much of the time lie CarOn was on
the stand. and l heard only bits and snatches
ol ms evidence But heard something of the
do"ght and excitement he occasioned The
women were. naturally enough, more delighted
and excited than the men. 1t has been observed
that when women. especially women Of position
and intellect, degn to interest themselves In the
conduct Of the affairs more commonly left to
men. their enthusiasm carries them far One
such l have in mind. 1t Is not permissible to
name her. but one may say that she Is by
virtue of her character and gifts and electric
nature. the equal Of anybody and also by her
place in the world She has interests in Ireland
and she was one Of the most assiduous attend
ants during much OF the Parnell trial. ON great
days she was sure to be there. in the front row
Of that queer little stase-box high up on the
left of the judges.-on cur right as we faced
them. and on the side She said Did you ever
hear anything equal to lie Caron?" The friend
to whom she put the question had to own that
he had missed lie Caron. Missed him, There
is nothing in the world l would not sooner have
missed He is perfect angel" The mascu-
line mind may fail to why but criticism
upon wOman's superlatives. or upon her view
Of what attracts her s pedantic. can only
hope lie Caron heard her, or heard OF her
opinion.
Yet. If he did doubt whether II affected him
very much. His nerves were not to be shaken.
Praise and censure left him equally uncon-
cerned. lie made up his mind for himself. His
constancy was part OF his life 1t IS impossible
to overcome certain repugnance - his con-
ccpton Of duty and to his methods. II Is equally
impossible not to admire the steadfastncss OF
purpose and conviction which made him superior
10 the judgment OF others. Himself and his
wife-they were the world to him. He sought
their approval and none other To the rest OF
mankind ne led false life. Obloquy. hatred, a
sudden and shameful death awaited him II the
truth were known or even suspected. Many 81
the men among whom he moved and whose
secrets he knew were desperate scoundrcls who
would have shot him II they ever doubted that
he was as desperate and as Infamous as them
solves:-not all Of them infamous either. since
they also. or some Of them. had a motive
which they thought patriotic. word overheard,
q letter that went astray. a careless gesture. a
moments forgetfulncss. a relaxing Of the feat-
ures trained 10 conceal his thoughts and feelings
and he WAS dead man.
II IS not easy to enter into such n NE or 10
svmpathize with a nature which accepted a NE
long hypocrisy as the best means OF serving MS
country. But such was lie Caron. with MS
pat,ence. his penetration. his DEVOTION ms a"-
dacjtv. and with all the singular quahueS "'
intellect and OF character which made MN u'-
doubtedly. whatever else may be said OF hin' Il
perfectly unique figure Americans AZ 'e"s =
need not judge him too harshly since f'"E's"-
man as he was he fought honorably Tor AmeH't
IN the war for the Union. and perhaps served
her not less we'll IN her long warfare against
| those who steadily sought to embroil the United
States ana England w. W. o.