SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST MR PARNELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1848, 22 April 1887, Page 9

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST MR PARNELL.

-» (Reuter's Telegrams.) London, April 18. The Times to-day publishes a fac simile of a letter of Mr Parnell's dated May 15, 1882, in which the Irish leader explains that the only course that the Nationalist party could pursue was to denounce the Phoenix Parkmurderers. He expresses regret at the death of Lord Frederick Cavendish, but declares that Mr Bourke only got 'his desserts. The person to whom the letter was addressed is not stated, but it is generally supposed to have been Egan. April 19. In tho House of Commons last nicht, Mr Parnell declared that the letter published in yesterday's Times and ascribed to himself was a forgery. (Special to Pre^s Association.) 'London, April 18. A tremendous sensation has been caused by the publication of Mr Parnell's letter. In an article dealing with it, the Times says that the published views of Messrs Sexton and Healy on the Phoenix Park crimes are mere unblushing denials of the accusation that the Parnellites were associated with the murderers. It believes Mr Parnell feared his life would be endangered if he publicly denounced the perpetrators of the murders. The Times challenges him to explain the' letter, and calls attention to a speech he delivered two days after the tragedy, in which he suggested that the deed was committed by enemies of the Land League. It further points out that in this speech Mr Parnell professed the Uimost abhorrence of the heinousness of the crime committed by the enemies of Ireland, andin conclusion charges him with having been associated with the murderers. A great scene is expected in the House of Commons to-night. , Mr Parnell in the House of Commons declared that the letter published in the Times is a villainous, barefaced forgery.