PARNELL V. THE TIMES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1887, 4 May 1889, Page 1

PARNELL V. THE TIMES.

London, April 30. The Parnell Commission resumed today. Mr AEquith, M.P.. began the examination-in-chief of Mr Parnell. Tbe latter stated that his attention was first calied to politics by the passing of the Ballot Act, which made it possible for Ireland to have, to some extent, an independent parliament, and to enable tenants to cope with the landlords' coercion. He described the formation of the Land League by Dr Isaac Butt, and stated he came to unsatisfactory conclusions with regard to the proceed, ings of the Butt party. Witness denied that he had ever been a member of a secret society except the Foresters. Egan had never invited him to join the Irish Republican Brotherhood. There was a political as well as a social object in the land movement, bnt he bad been cautioned by the founder of the Land League that he would become responsible for the foolish actions of any of its branches. In the course of evidence before the rimes-Parnell Commission Mr.Parr.ell denied that the Fenians organised his American tour in 1879. He stated that Kelly had not been a member of any secret society siuco he had joined the Parnell party. Mr Parnell swore tbat he never took any active part himself in the every-day work of the league, and had nothing to do with the disposal of its funds except during two months in 1882. Ho admitted that he had advised boycotting, but denied that he had ever spoken to Major LeCaron about the necessity of ameliorating the condition of Ireland by the force of arms, and 6ftid that it was absurd to suggest that he advocated an armed rebellion, or ever communicated with the Clan-nn-Gael. He admitted writing two letters to Egan while serving a sentence in Kilmainham Gaol. The witness denied categorically that he bad ever sanctioned thy application of the league funds for the purposes of outrage ; that he was ever consulted about proposed outrages, or that he had heard cf invincible p)o}s before toe com-

mittai of murders. It was unlikely, he naid, that he could have Btated at Cincinnatti, duriDs? his visit to America, that Ireland would never be satisfied until the bst link with England bad been destroyed, though he was unable to remember at this lapse of time what he did say in the course of speeches on that occasion. May 1. In the course of his evidence yesterday Mr Parnell said that he believed that the Phoenix Park murders were planned in America and not by tbe Fenians. He admitted giving Byrne a cheque for £IOO, but was not awarn at the time that he was fl«eing from justice.

Sir R. Webster has tagun the crossexamination cf Pafnell. In reply to the Attorney-General the latter said that he was not aware of the proceedings of the Clan-na-Gael Murder Society till he heard Major LeCaron's evidence. He never knew that Patrick Ford, of the Irish World, collected money for the League after 1882. He asserted that he always tried to conduct the agitation constitutionally, without crime, He I admitted inciting tenants not to pay I rents, and that he. was personally acquainted with John Deyoy, who was convicted of Fenianism, and a trustee of the skirmishing fund raised by the Irish World; J. W. Nalley, convicted of crime ; John Walsh, of Middlesborougb, organiser of Che Invincible conspiracy in Ireland ; and a number of Feuians, He was not aware that the latter had seceded from Fenianism, neither was he aware the National fund raised in America was identical with the skirmishing fund. It was Dot his duty to exclude anyone from the membership of the league on account of his antecedents. He held that the Crown ought to be the so'e liuk between England and Ireland. He was not able to remember if, when speaking at Lynn (Massachuss'-tR) daring his American tour, he bad stated that not until England had been beaten to her knees by an enemy would there be a chance for Ireland. He admitted saying at Troy (New York) that of the amount subscribed as the result of bis tour in America, for every 25 dollars he accepted 20 for the league. What ho meant by that was that he accepted American donations and would apply the moneys raised in the proportion of five dollars to charitable purposes and twenty dollars to the objects of the league, in the sense of carrying on the fight for Home Rule. He stated that he still adhered to the views he expressed at the interview with Farrell. The Cork Tory Club pail his election expenses in 1880.