St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-04
A CRIMINALS STORY OF A
CRIME,

1t is little over ten years since the
world was startled. one Sabbath morn
ing, by the intelligence that Lord Fred
erick Cavendish, vieeroy of ireland. and
MIR. Burke, his under secretary. had
been assasslnated in Phoenix park. Dub
lin. The murders were utterly unprO-
voked. Both men were popular per-
sonally, and discharged their official
duties with fidelity to the government
and consideration for the Irish people.
The tragedy had many of the elements
of peculiar horror. There was evidence
of cool deliberation that curdled the
blood, and the proofs of widespread
conspiracy were induDitable. Many ar
rests were made, and several persons
who were undoubtedly engaged In the
plot were punished. But the ringlead-
ers escaped altogether, and despite the
utmost efforts of the British government
the motives that prompted the assaSsi-
nation, as well as its chief instigators
and eXecutioners. are as profound a
mystery today as they were ten years
ago.
There has always been a conviction in
the minds of the public and the detect
ives that person known in Fenian cir
Giles as mo. l." and now known posi-
lively to be man named Patrick
lyman, was not only one of the leading
conspIrators, but also the most actively
engaged III the crime. This man has
been at large constantly, and his move
ments have been watched closely, but
because of the lack of sufficient evidence
to convict him he has not been molested.
But he has at last furnished
all the testimony necessary to
to prove his guilt and to place his
neck wihirthe hangman's moose, if his
statements are at all worthy of belief.
Perhaps Influenced by necessity, but
more probably by desire for notorIety,
lyman has just published narrative of
the great tragedy which is specious and
apparently veracious at first glance. and
which exposes to public view the de-
tails of conspiracy unequaled for
villainous atrocity in the history of the
world. But perhaps the whole story is
a romance. 1t is possible that lyman
knows nothing of the affair of which he
writes. He doubtless knew, however,
that such recital would sell and bring
him much gain, and. regardless of the
consequences, has concocted tale
suited to the public wants, with only
enough Of truth in it to give it the sem
blance Of crediDility. but lacking in all
the essentials of veraeious history.
The GLOBE is inclined to the opinion
hot Ial tel
desire to injure the Parnellite party,
was the prompting cause for the publ
cation of the book in question. Through
out the entire narrative there is stud
led attempt to connect the Parnellites
with the crime. At the time of its &C.
currence searching inquiry was made,
and during the subsequent trial of the
London Times for libel for publishing
its great article on "ParneIlism and
Crime" every effort was made to con-
meet the paramount Irish leader with
the Phoenix park assassinations, but on
both occasions 1t was clearly proven
that the tragedy could not justly be laid
at the door of Parnen or his party. The
public is not prepared to believe that
ParneIl and his associates. who at the
time so vigorously denounced the deed,
were its instigators. Such a presump-
ton does too great violence to reason
it is too great a strain upon faith in the
honor of human beings whose acts, so
far as the public has knowledge. were
inspired by lofty patriotism and an in
herent love of justice.
The narrative OF lyman is consistent
only in its Inconsistency. The PROPOSE
tiGn which he seeks to establish is a
priori untenable, absurd, preposterous.
| Infamous. A thousand volumes would
not convince the public that Charles
Stewart Parnell and his associates in
the Irish national cause were murderers
of such despicable depravity as this
outcast from human society would have
| US believe. Their career was an open
book. They had nothing in common
with the "Invincibles." They sought
to accomplish greatly needed reforms
by peaceful and legitimate means, and
but for the ill-advised, rash and criminal
| acts of the extremists of their party
| would have ACCOMPLISHED all that they
purposed long ere this. The Phoenix
park murders had the effect of post.
poning the liberation of Ireland from
her chains for half q century, They