PIGOTT'S DIARY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 5, 24 May 1889, Page 7

PIGOTT'S DIARY.

(Cable dispatch to the New Yorlt World) Londov, March 23. — All eyes are anxious for a peep at Pigott's diary, especially the men who hive been persecuting Parnell. The Times and lhj Government are using in vain all their powerful resources to obtnn evea an inkling of the revelations prammed from its pages. The Irish members were planning toepiing a surpiise on Attorney • G neral Webster, by means ot tb<3 diary, and are not a little aunoyed witn Tim Healy fjr letting tbe cat out of the bag in his speech in the House of Ccmmonp. Mr. Healy vows that he did not positively sty that the diary waa secuied, but only that the Nationa'ists hoped to secure it. Mr. Healy himself knows nothing definite about the contents of the diary. With the exception of Mr. Parnell, Sir Ci.arles Ra«ell, Sjlicitor George Lewi*, and Henry Labouchere, it in doubtful it anybody has be^n permitted to look at it. Mr. George Lewis said to-day while discussing the subject :—: — Al> that [ cnu tell you is that the diary is in tbe bands of Mr. I'arnell'ss jlicitors and will be safely kept there till produced before the C mmission. All statements as to its contents are mere guesswork. No ocie will be allowed even a glimpse of it tilt it is put in evidence. A prominent Irish member of Parliament included in the Times indictment remarked to-day :—"lknow: — "I know fora certainty that the diary will fun ish some lively fun. It seems as though Pigott had shaped everything that he did with a \iew to make mischief for the people whom he delude! into trusting him. Everything be did, everything he said, everything that was said to him, and doubtless a great many things i hat were not said to him, he shoved into this diary. Its chief value to us wil! be to prove how much the Times depended on tbe assistance of the Government and the police to make out any case at all." Scores of stones are told as to bow the diary was obtained. But the following is believed to be the correct version : In one of his visits to Mr. Labouchere's house Pigott could not remember a certain name, but casually mentioned that be could have done bo if be bad brought bis diary with bim. The remark did not makemu^h impression on Mr. Labouchere in the excitement of the moment. But sitting next to Mr. Michael Davitt in Court a few days alter wards, it occurred to him agaio, and be told Mr. Davitt. The first chance that Davitt had be slipped off to King»town,went to Pigott's bouse and Boon got on tbe mck of tbe dairy. It was in the hands of a Dublin man, who declined to give it up without tbe payrrent of a large sum of money. Mr. Davitt came back here, raised the money and got the book. If the secret history of this great case is ever written, the quiet, tnergetc, personal woik of Michael Davitt will form an important part in v.