29 JUNE 1991, Page 11

One hundred years ago

MR. Henry Campbell, M.P., Mr. Par- nell's private secretary, was accused by the Cork Herald of "hiring houses for the immoral purposes of his master," and brought an action for libel. He utterly denied doing anything of the kind, asserted that some letters over his signature taking houses for Mr. Parnell were forgeries, and declared that he knew nothing whatever about Mrs. O'Shea, or Mr. Parnell's relations with that lady. The Dublin jury gave him a verdict and £250 damages. Mr. Parnell — who, by-the-way, was married to Mrs. O'Shea on Thursday by the Regis- trar of Steyning, near Brighton thereupon wrote a letter to plaintiff's solicitor, in which he states that Mrs. O'Shea wrote the letters herself, and signed them with Mr. Campbell's name, Mr Campbell having given him (Mr. Parnell) permission to use his name. Mr. Campbell, Mr. Parnell admits, had probably forgotten the whole matter. Mr. Parnell adds: "I asked Mrs. O'Shea to conduct the negotiation because I was shortly going to Ireland, and for the same reasons that I have frequently charged her with the conduct of vastly more important matters and negotia- tions;" which is supposed to allude to the Kilmainham Treaty. The defendants in the libel suit intend, they say, on the strength of this letter, to move for a new trial.

The Spectator 27 June 1891