PARNELL V. THE TIMES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1861, 5 March 1889, Page 1

PARNELL V. THE TIMES.

London, February 28

The Times, in making ila apology for the publication of the letters, staled it firmly believed them to be genuine until Pigott’s avowal of the fraud in the witness box. It was not Pigott who placed the documents in their hands, although he was a source of supply. It protests against the attempt to make the Government and Unionists responsible for acts exclusively committed by the Times. The Standard says Parnell ought to explain why he compelled Parliament to establish a special iribunal to inquire into the allegations of the Times, The solicitors who are acting for Mr Parnell talk of claiming £IOO,OOO damages for charges made against their client.

Sir W. V. Harcourt, in Lis speech at Derby, declared that the result of the Times case would hang like a millstone round the neck of the Government till it was drowned in the depths of parliamentary dissolution.

March 1,

Before the Times-Parnell Commission to-doy Messrs Lewis, Laboucliere, Campbell, McCarthy, and S*lo, gave evidence in support of the confession made by Pigott, Sir Charles Russell, on behalf of Mr Parnell, applied to the Commissioners to make an interim report of their decision regarding the letters, Sir R. E, Webster strongly objected to this, and urged that the Commissioners should not communicate their deliberations until all the evidence as to the alleged foul conspiracy had been completed. {Sir James JJnnn n, the President, announced that the Commissioners would giv their decision on the point on ihursdoy n x . Hir R. E. Webster then proceeded ffi.li the general charges, and submitted evidence in support of his allegations that Patrick Ford, editor of the Irishman, had remitted large sums to the Land League for the purpose of promoting outrages.

Information has b*cn r»’c*.-i vr*rl that Pigolt lias committed suicide at Madrid. In the course of an interview to-day Mr Parnell stated that the expenses in defending the charges brought by the Times against him had amounted to £50,000.

March 2

On Thursday lust Pigott wired to Mr Soames, one of the Times’ solicitors, asking him to forward what he hud promised, and this was understood to mean money, Mr iSoames at once informed the police of Pigott’s whereabouts. It is now asserted that Pigott, under the name of Roland Ponsonby, has been arrested in a hotel m the city, whereupon ho asked leave to go to his bedroom to fetch bis hat, and taking a revolver from a hag which he had with him, shot himself. The bullet entered his mouth, and death was almost instantaneous.