THE PARNELLITE COMMISSION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1983, 30 October 1888, Page 2

THE PARNELLITE COMMISSION.

THE CASE FOR IHE "T141E6."

[per pbbsb abbooiation.]

London, October 22, Sir R. E. Webster, Q. 0., AttorneyGeneral, m opening the case befort the " Timeß "-Parnell Commission promised ' that he would supply the amplest evidence respecting what are known as the forged letters, and would indicate the sources from whence the Commission would be able to elioit evidence as to the general charges. Referring to Mr Parnell's utterances m America, he said they were distinctly seditious, and it would be Bhown that the expenses of his tour were paid by the League. The learned gentleman concluded by citing numerous mutdera which had followed upon strong speeches made by members of the League inciting the people to aots of outrage. 9 London, October 23. In his speech at the opening of the " Times "• Parnell Gommissoii yesterday, Sir R. B. Webster asserted that Ford cabled to Egan to prompt Parnell to issue the manifesto from Kilmainham Gaol, and that Egan agreed, stating that this was the only weapon they had left. The Attorney-General commented on the failure to produce the League's books of 1880 and 1881., He proposed to prove that the Central League paid its branches, to carry out the boycotting system and to commit outrages. He acquitted Davitt of being concerned m the agrarian outrages of 1881 and 1882. Egan's letter to James Carey, suggesting that the latter should set to work forthwith, was found m Carey's house. Referring to the Parnell letters the Attorney-General said they had been pnrchased by the " Times " newspaper after the fullest test had satisfied the proprietors of that paper that they were genuine. , [Received Ootober 30, 12 45 p.m.] London, Ootober 24. Sir R. Webster m his opening speech charged Parnell and his friends with appioving and allowing a system of terrorism which absolutely necessitated murder. He said that Parnell clearly was aware of, and that . Sheridan prompted the outrages/while Egan supplied the funds which enabled them to be perpetrated. Egan had threatened to resign if the League's funds were 'devoted to the discovery of the Phctnix Park murderers. What the "Times'* declared was that . Campbell wrote the body of Parnell's letters. His client* were willing to discloses the from which they received the letters, if released from the pledge of secrecy which had been given. One of the duties before the Commission was to elicit what had become of the missing books of the League. .