EXECUTIONS IN DUBLIN.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17634, 11 December 1922, Page 7

EXECUTIONS IN DUBLIN.

RORY O'CONNOR AND MELLOWES SHOT. AN ACT OP REPRISAL. [By CWble—Pwaa AMociatio&-X3opyrig;M.) (Australian and Z. Cftble AstociiaiionJ LONDON, December 8. Rory O'Oonor and Liam Mellowes, captured at Four Courts, Dublin, in July, were court-martialled during the night on a charge of unlawful possession of arms, and sentenced to death. The sentences were carried out at Mount joy Prison this morning. O'Connor was one of the most prominent leaders of the 1.R.A.. and was responsible for the seizure of the Four Courts. Mellowes was an ex-member of the Dail Eireann and participated in the 1916 rising, after which he escaped to America, where he was one of the most bitter opponents of the treaty. The official announcement states that the executions were a reprisal for the assassination of Mr Sean Hales, member of the Free State Parliament, and a solemn warning to those engaged in the conspiracy of assassination against the representatives of the Irish people. The Free State Army Council has issued a proclamation that all persons found in possession of arms and ammunition will be immediately courtmartialled and the sentences, including death, will be carried out immediately.

Rory O'Connor in his college days as a student of engineering at Dublin University, was a prominent member of the Young Irelana branch of the United Irish League. Later, he went to Canada as an engineer, and worked on the construction or sornb of the Dominions chief railway lines. After the outbreak of war, O'Connor returned to Ireland, joined the volunteer movement, and took part in the Easter rebellion in Dublin in 1910. He was arrested and imprisoned, and when released he threw all his energies into the Republican cause, and took an active part in the guerilla warfare against the British forces. O'Connor was an uncompromising opponent of the Treaty, and the provisional government 'of the Free State. He assumed the leadership of the Republican forces, and took possession of the. Four Courts in Dublin. He was captured with Liam Mellowes and others when the Four Courts surrendered to the Free State Troops under Michael Collins.

Liam Mellowee was formerly a mem ber of the Dail Eireann for Galway. Ho bitterly denounced the Treaty in the Dail last January, when he became editor of the propagandist paper "The Republic of Ireland," which was established to advocate absolute independence for Ireland. He was assisted by a committee which included such "out-and-out" Republicans m Burgess, Stack. J. J. O'Kelly, Erskine Childers, the Countess Markievicz, Miss MacSwiney and Mrs O'Callaghan. Subsequently he became "Chief of Staff" to "General" Rory O'Connor. I BITTER DEBATE IN DAIL. GOVERNMENT'S ACTION APPROVED. (Received December 10th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 9. On a motion to adjourn the Free State Parliament, Mr Johnson, leader of the Labour Party, said the assassination of Mr Hales was a dastardly thing, but the executions were most foul, bloody, and unnatural- The Government had announced, apparently with pride, that they had taken four prisoners and murdered them as a reprisal for the assassination of Mr Hales. Personally he believed the Government had killed the New State.at its birth. General R. J. Mulcahy, Minister of Defence, replying, said the executions were ordered because there were forces more vicious and insidious than any Britain had ever employed working against representative Government in Ireland. The Army Executive had expressed to the Government the need for exceptionally -drastic action. Mr Gavan Duffy, his voice chok ; ng with emotion, asked when "this Oorsican vendetta" was going to end. ' Mr Kevin O'Higgins, Home Secretary, said: "We acted coldly and deliberately after looking the whole situation in the eye. You cannot meet this situation with a measurng tape. A cer- . tain number of Irishmen are garroting this country. As for vindictiveness— Great Heavens! One of these men was a friend of mine." Mr O'Shannon (Labour), in a violent speech, concluded: "Ah, if Britain would only come back." Mr W. T. Cosgrave wound up a three hours' debate when the Government's action was approved by 39 votes to 14. GUNMEN'S LAWLESS ACT. DASTARDLY TRAIN OUTRAGE. (Received December 10th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 8. Rebels committed a dastardly train outrage at Dublin. As a night train steamed into the Lifiey junction, twenty youths, armed with revolvers, compelled the passengers in the front carriage to get to the rear of the train. They then ordered the driver and fireman from the engine, tprinkled the empty carriages with petrol, and set them on fire, without uncoupling the rear compartments. They then started the engine. The carriages were now ablaze. The terror-stricken passengers, including five women, Relieved they -would be burnt alive and, though the train was fully under way, jumped for their lives, several being badly hurt. The uncontrolled train fortunately found the points against it, and was diverted into a goods yard, where it was brought to a standstill. There was an astonishing spectacle as the train shot into the night, gathering speed every moment. A number of women and passengers' who had been unable to jump in time shrieked with fear from the windows, believing that a horrible death was imminent, either from fire or collision; but unknown to the passengers on the

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train, or those on the platform, the driver had escaped from the rebels, rushed along the line to warn the railway officials when tie saw the train in motion, and rushed back and jumped on to the footplate. The officials turned the engine into a siding, and the driver was able to pull the train up. INCIDENT IN A HOSPITAL. (Received December 10th, 6.6 p.m.) December 8. Masquerading as medical students, a party of armed men visited the Mercers' Hospital in Dublin, elhd made a desperate attempt to rescue a patient who was." under arrest. An armed sentry questioned the men and would not allow them to enter the ward. A fight took place in which the sentry was wounded, but the prisoner was not rescued. The raiders made good their escape. JOUENALISTS THREATENED WITH DEATH (Received December 10th, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 9. The proprietor, the assistant-editor, and the leader-writer of the "Freeman's Journal," and also the editor of the "Irish Independent," have received letters from the "officer commanding the irregulars in Dublin," threatening them with death unless they leave Ireland by noon on December Bth. STRANGE SCENE AT BELFAST FOOTBALL MATCH. (Received December 10th, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 9. There were remarkable scenes at the Belfast Oval, when eight lorries of policemen drove up during a football match and searched every one of the 6000 spectators for arms, as revolver firing has been a feature of recent sports meetings in Ulster.