THE PARNELL COMMISSION.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 267, 2 March 1889, Page 3

THE PARNELL COMMISSION.

STRICTURES OF THE CONSERVATIVE PRESS. PIGGOTT AND “PIGGOTBY.” London, Feb. 27. At the sitting of the Parnell Commission yesterday Sir James Hannen called for affidavits in support of Piggott’s confession. The manager of Anderton’s hotel, where Piggott had been lodging, gave evidence that Piggott had not been seen at the hotel since Monday afternoon. Sir Charles Bussell said he was prepared to prove that Piggott had carried on a system of commercial forgery for years. The confession which Piggott is said to have made before Mr Labouchere and Mr Sala had been forwarded to Mr Parnell, who returned it with an intimation that he refused to negotiate either directly or indirectly with Piggott. In his letter to the Times Piggott adheres to his former statement that the first batch of letters were genuine, and he begged the Times to intercede and provide for his children. In thia letter Piggott charged Hanston with betraying the Times, and he chaiged the Times with breach of coi fidence in disclosing his name. Piggott made an affidavit endorsing the statements in his letter Sir B. E. Webster, Attorney-General, and counsel for the Times, said he was undecided as to the course be would take in future. As Mr Parnell left the Court and proceeded along the street he was greeted with cheers. In the House of Commons he was met with ringing cheers from his party, and there were loud cries of “ Piggotlitm and ’ Piggottry. Mr Parnell challenged the Government to Piggott. Mr H. Matthews, Home Secretary, thst he bad not been officially informed ■’'of Piggott’s disappearance. Mr Balfour, the Irish Secretary, when questioned on the subject, said he was.not officially concerned in the whereabouts of Pi Tbe‘’poliee explain that they shadowed Piggott in order to prevent his being in the streets, but they were not Istiucted to craven' his escape from the country 5 In London Piggott’s evidence has created a good deal of excitement, but Ireland is "The” Press are commenting on the extraOrd&srydXme. in Piggott’s evidence, in nf the order of Court, The Standard advises that the Commission Should be abandoned. I' censures the Ti.org for its gullible negligence, and says that Mr Parnell has been recklessly The saner adds that by the »c' ion of the Times thTprestige of the English press has been

Daily Telegraph bsserta that the charges have practically collapsed, and considers the Times guilty of fatuous ' na P‘ , ‘“ de ; Mr Parnell, it says, is innocent of what seemed damning suspicions, and the injured and per; tmape to Antwerp.

LATER.

PIGGOTT SUPPOSED TO BE IN PABIS, A COMPLETE CONFESSION, TIMES ADMITS PIGGOTT’S EVIDENCE IS WORTHLESS. WILLING TO MAKE BEPABAfION. London, Feb. 28. At the Parnell Commission to day Sir R. E. Webster, produced a letter received by Mr Shannon, one of the soliutors employ d by the Times, from Paris, and it was believed to be from Piggott, though the address was not in his handwriting. Sir James Hannen opened the letter, which was found to be dated the 23rd inst. Piggott’s confession to Messrs Labouchere and Sria was enc'osed, and was dated “ Hotel du Monde, Tuesday.” In his letter Piggott said he would write further. ~ . . Mr Parnell has sent his private secret ry, Mr Campbell, to Antwerp to search for confession states that the reported interview with Eugene Davis at Lausanne was untrue. Piggott admits that he forged Parnell’s and Egan’s letters by placing the genuine letters which he had received from them against a window, and writing the forgeries over certain phrases, and also the signatures. He further admits having copied Mr Davitt’s pencil manuscript, and also Mr O’Kelly’s old private notes, on his voyage to America. The story about J. G. Breslin, a member of the Irish Bepublican brotherhood, and hospital superintendent of Richmond gaol, Piggott says, was fictitious, and he owns to having deceived Houston, Piggott acquits Mr (sic) on the charga of attempting to bribe, him. Sir B. E. Webster said the Times had relied absolutely on Piggott’s veracity, and he admitted that his evidence was worthless. The Times had been the victim of imposture, but he denied that there had been any conspiracy behind the paper. He wonld make reparation at the proper time and place. ~~ Bir Charles Russell regretted that only reparation had been made, and asserted there was a conspiracy which he was determined to unearth. He did not intend to hint that the Times was concerned in the conspiracy, but meant that the Patriotic Union and others supplying funds ware concerned in it. He requested the Judges to make special reports exonerating Mr Parnell from the charges. Bir B, E. Webster did not cross-examine Mr Parnell, but said he had decided to call Messrs Campbell and Davitt before the Judges reported their decision, Piggott will be extradited from France on a charge of perjury.

LATER. the times Apologises to PARNELL, A GREAT FIZZLE. TH® ACTION BROUGHT AT DUBLIN, AMERICAN SYMPATHY. London, Feb. 28. In a leading article thia morning the Times apologises to Messrs Parnell, Egan, Davitt, and O’Kelly for the charges made against them in connection with the letters. It pleads that it was the victim of an anscrupa* logs man but was not a party in any conspiracy. The American Senate has passed a motion expressing sympathy with Mr Parnell in ths nation brought in Ireland by Mr Parnell against ths Times. The Times is opposing the jurisdiction of the Dublin Court,