THE PARNELL ENQUIRY. London, February 20.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 346, 27 February 1889, Page 5

THE PARNELL ENQUIRY. London, February 20.

When under examination before the special commission to-day, Mr Houston produced a statement written by Pigott, asserting that Tynan, who was believed to be '•Number One," and Frank Byrne had contemplated murdering the Piince of Wales and Mr Gladstone. The statement mentioned that Parnell and Egan were the prime movers in the murders and outrages committed ; also, that J. G. Biggar and J. Dillon were accessories. London, February 21. At the Parnell inquiry to-day, Sir Charles Russell, counsel for tho Pui uellites, produced a letter addressed by Pigott to Archbishop Walsh, of Dublin, written just befoie tho " Times " published the Jac simile letter. In this communication l'igott stated a plot was being hatched with the object of discrediting the Painellite leaders, which he alono was able to frustrate. Being unable to give any explanation of this letter, the evidence given by Pigotl is much discredited, and it is thought is jeopardising the " Times's " case. In his examination before the " Times"Parnell Commission, Pigott sAvore that he received letters from Murphy, the compositor, and other Fenians, only after he had been sworn by the Glan-na-Gaol agents not to disclo&e the source from which he had obtained them, or subsequently to become a witness. Afterwards the Clan-na-Gael offered to refund 500 dollars if the letters were returned. Witness t dded that Labouchere had assured him that* the admission that he (Pigott)hadswindledthe "Times" would secure him a seat in tho British Parliament ; also that he would receive an ovation in America without any personal risk, since indemnity was obtainable. Pigott paid he had disclosed to Mr Lewi?, the solicitor, the whole of Houston's case, but denied having admitted that he believed it was not genuine. Witness said his object in seeing Labouchere was his desire to escape giving evidence, as he feared he might be murdered. In hi& cross-examination by Sir Chas. Russell, Piyott admitted that he had informed Archbishop Walsh, of Dublin, that he was not a pirty to the attacks on Parnell, and he utterly failed to explain the overtures he made to the Archbishop. London, Februaiy 21. Houston continued his evidence before the Parnell Commission to-day. He said that when he waited on Mr Stead, editor of the " Pall Mall Gazette," with the letters which have been the principal sub ject of his evidenco, that gentleman told him he had lost X' 3,000 in connection with the publication of the ".Maiden Tribute" and was reluctant to touch anything which was not certain of success. Eugene Davies, a Fenian agitator, told Pigott that Parnell wrote a/an bimile letter addressed to Egan, and gave him an order to show it to Byrne, Tynan, and others. It was addressed to Egan, Brennan and Sheiidan. A meeting was held in Paris in 1881, at which Egan, Painell, O'Kelly, Dillon, Biggan, and Hariis were present, when it was decided to apply Land League funds for the purposo of assisting Fenian ropiisals. Sheridan, Walsh and Byrne, ho said, were bent to Ireland to organise murder circles, and it was arranged to take the lives of Cowper. Forster, and Bmke and .fudges May and Lawson. Egan admitted to Parnell that he appi*oved of the murder of Cowper and W. E. Forster. Parnell directly instigated the two murders which were committed just after his arrest. Egan and Parnell Invariably consulted each other respecting the sinallesc details of the murders, and Fgan was indignant because Parnell, before the Phamix Park murders, advised the cessation of outrages. Tynan declared that to be impossible. Egan petitioned for the recall of Tynan because he was dilatory, but after the Plxonix Park murders he was delighted, and liberally supplied tho refugees at Paris with money. Their courage failed when the time arrived to attack Mr Gladstone and the Princo of Wales. It was Egan who arranged Careys murder. Houston asserted that he was ignorant of the source from whence the letters came. He trusted Pigott in the matter. Since then, he had casually learnt that the Fenians obtained the first letters from a batch which were left in a bag at Byrne's lodgings, and they were sold to Pigott. He denied that he ollered them to the " Pall Mall Gazette." He admitted that he offered them to Lord Hartiugton, who, however, refused them. Latterly, Pigott was instructed, in consequence of the parleying with Labouchere, to demand £5,000 to give evidence. The "Times" proprietary compelled Pigott to make a statutory declaration, or otherwise he would not have been recoujjed. Eugene Davies, the agitator, obtainedthe confidence of Egan, and attended meetings at Paris. He did duty in Ireland as a disguised priest. Parnell investigated two murders with the connivance of Kilmaniham warders and Dr. Kenny, Parnell's doctor. It was understood that anybody who denounced "United Ireland" should be murdered. Tynan plotted to murder the Prince of Wales and Mr Gladstone at the carnival at Rome, but had not the courage to carry his plans into effect. This concluded Houston's evidence.

PIGOTT IN THE BOX. Pigott was then examined. He deposed that he was proprietor of the Irishman newspaper, which was a Fenian organ, and was merged into the "United Ireland. " He was a member of the Fenian organisation and served five sentences. He opposed the Land League, bub afterwards the League and the Fenian organisation were affiliated. They mutually assisted [ each other with funds, and was within the knowledge of Parnell. Davies in a letter repudiates Pigott's notes. Pigott then gave details of an interview with Lewis, Powell and Labouchere, which created a great sensation in court. He asserted that Labouchere promised him £1,000 if he would swear that the letters were forgeries. He purchased six letters of Parnell's and five ot Egans from Murphy, a compositor in the "Irishman" newspaper office. According to the statement of Davis, Parnell, while at Kilmainham, authorised Egan to pay the Clan-na-Gael $100,000 to promote outrages in Ireland. London, February 21. Pigott continued his evidence before the Commission to-day. He said he went to Lausanne in Jamiary, 1881, and saw Eugene Davie-'. He reported his want of success to Houston, and returned in February. He wrote the statement of Davies in his presence and forwarded it to Houston. He went to Paris in April to meet Murphy, the compo-

sitor on the " Irishman,'' who sold him the letters. He had previously been unknown to Murphy. Murphy found a bag containing a dozen of Egan and Parnell letters, and wanted £1,000 for them ; bub accepted one half of that sum, conditional on the authority of the American Clan-na-Gael being obtained. Houston despatched Pigotfc to America, carrying sealed, letter irom Murphy which introduced him io Breslin. Murphy went to Paris in July and introduced him to five unknown Fenians in a cafe there. Pigott swore on a Catholic prayerbook that he did not reveal the source from which the letters were obtained. Houston came to Paris at his (Pigofct's) request, and received the letters through Pigott. He gave Pigott XI ,000, and tho latter retained £100. The vendors refu&ed to see Houston, or reveal their names or addresses. Pigott was ignorant of the source from which the letters were obtained, beyond the statements of tho anouymous vendors, who denied that they were forged, and were positive that Egans, Cotter's, and Parnell's signatures were authentic. A month later, Murphy offered to refund the money which was paid to him if the letters were returned. Houston refused to agree to this proposal. Pigott proceeded to say that a Fenian named Brown called on him in Paris in January, 1888, and said he heard he wa.s buying letters, and offered him two. Ho explained that one of them was known to be afac .simile, and paid he obtained the letters from the papers of the convict Mullett, one of the Phoenix Park murderers. Piggot paid £500 for these lobteis. The same five men who were in the cafe with another unknown man, called on Piggot t in Paris, in July, 1888. They said they had heard he was bujing letteis, and offered him three others for sale. They wanted £500. He consented to pay £200, and retained £50 for himself. Witness stated that Mr Lewis, counsel for Parnell, subpiened him in September last. He made inquhies with reference to his expenses, and said he was afraid his evidence would be injurious to Mr Parnell. Mr Lowis replied that the expenses would bo arranged for ; he must speak the truth. He admitted having written to Mr W. E. Forster in 1881, asking for £1,500 for hi 3 services to the Government, and he also wrote to Egan at the same time asking £500 as a consideration for stopping the publication of the pamphlet damaging the League. London, February 22. Pigott admitted before the Parnell Commission to-day that the statement in his letter to Archbishop Walsh, of Dublin, that he Avas not a party to the attacks on Parnell was entirely unfounded. He admitted that he told Houston that the Parnell letters were possibly forgeries.