LATE SIR H. WILSON.

Grey River Argus, 28 June 1922, Page 5

LATE SIR H. WILSON.

THE INQUEST. I WITNESSES’ NAMES. SUPPRESSED. TAXI-DRIVER GIVES EVIDENCE. LONDON. June 26. The Wilson inquest was held at the Westminster Coroner’.s Court. Major Wilson, a brother gave •evidence that deceased had received police protection, and did not know when it was withdrawn. The taxi-driver (name withheld) stated that he drove Sir Henry Wilson home. When they reached Eaton Place, Sir Henry walked towards the door. Witness started to drive off when he hoard a loud bang. He looked round thinking the noise was a tyre bursting, but saw' Wilson standing on the kerb. ‘‘l saw,” witness added, “a man with a revolver in his right • hand standing in the road three yards i yond Wilson. I saw the man fire, and ' second and third shots followed quickly and Sir Henry Wilson fell downwards on the pavement. I did not sec a second man. I drove off and did not see Sir Henry Wilson draw his sword. A servant employed at Lady Wilson’s gave evidence that ( after the shooting, she spoke to Sir Henry who tried to reply, but could not. A street labourer stated that Sir Henry Wilson did not appear to hear the first report. After the second witness saw ' big man three yards on Wilson’s right side, and a smaller man four yards on the left side. Ho heard numerous reports as though both were firing. Sir Henry Wilson was shot at several times while standing and doubled up in front of the door. Witness then related the chase after the murderers. Mr MacDonald, accused’s solicitor, remarked that on his advice, the accused were not attending the Court that day. Other evidence was given on the lines of cabled reports. A verdict was returned of wilful murder against Connolly and O’Brien who were committed for trial. LONDON, June 26. The inquest on Sir Henry Wilson reveals that the assassins were armed with service revolvers. Sir Henry had eight bullet wounds in the body, and one in each side of the chest. Botn were fatal. The Coroner paid a tribute, to the inspiring bravery of the law-abiding Englishmen, who though unarmed, chased the murders. i ■ ASSASSINS LONDONERS. I NEVER BEEN IN IRELAND. LONDON, .June 26. The Homo Secretary, Mr E. Shortt, speaking in the House of Commons, said ’ that Sir Henry Wilson’s murderers were. Londoners. There was no evidence that they had ever been in Ireland in their lives. — A MENDACIOUS STATEMENT. LONDON, June 26. Mr Churchill, in the House of Commons, in‘a statement on the Irish situa- ! tion, declared that all the horrors in I Belfast were due to the I.R.A. in north- ' ern territory, and the extreme partisan efforts to force Ulster under Dublin j rule. Ulster would be effectively supI ported at all costs against coercion. The I more Sinn Fein kicked against the I pricks, the worse it would be for them, j but as Ulster had been strengthened j it was her duty to prevent unlawful rej prisals. Any Southern attempt to in- ' vade Ulster would be repulsed by the Imperial power. A MILITARY FUNERAL. , PROMINENT WAR LORDS PRESENT LONDON, June 26. I Though shorn of much of its pa- • geantry, owing to rain, there was an j imposing military display at lieldMarshal Wilson’s funeral. Tho brilliant uniforms of great military and naval dignitaries were covered by ■ cloaks and mackintoshes. The funcial proceeded from Eaton Place to the Embankment, thence to St. Paul’s. The route was densely crowded. The cortege, escorted by six batta-

lions o’ Guards and eight squadrons of Household Cavalry left Sir Henry’s residence, while the muffled drums of tho combined bands of Grenadiers, Coldstream, Scots, and Welsh Guards, rolled preliminary to Chopin’s “Funeral March.” A gun carriage bore tho coffin, draped with tho Union Jack, surmounted by Sir Henry’s plumed hat and sword. On every side of tho gun carriage were pall-bearers including Field-Marshals Lords Grenfell and Methuen, Earl Ypres, Earl Haig, Sir W. Robertson, Earl Beatty and Sir H. Trcnchaid. Then followed Sir Henry Wilson's groy charger. Tho Duke of

Connaught, representing tho King walked with Marshal Foch, followed by representatives of the War Office, Army Council, foreign .dignitaries and the High f. Tlx-7 to rest

the entrances to St. Paul’s standing with arms reversed. The service within was simple and impressive. The musical portion included the Psalm 23, Stan-

ford’s anthem’, “I Heard a Voice from Heaven,” and Goss’s “If Wo Believe that Jesus Died,” also the hymn, “O, God, Our Help.” The service was conducted by Canon Alexander, the Bishop of London assisting.* The congregation remained standing while the Dead March was played, then came the Last Post and Reveille. While the coffin was being lowered there was an affecting scene. Women and even soldiers wept. After the service, Lady Wilson, leaning on Marshal Hoch’s arm, left the Cathedral. •Sir Jas. Craig and the members of the Northern (Ulster) Government attended a memorial service in Belfast Cathedral in connection with Wilson "s death, simultaneously with a St. Pauls i service. Twenty thousand shipyard workers in Belfast ceased work at noon as a tribute to Wilson. Mr Chamberlain, replying to a ques- i tion in the House of Commons, said his ! information regarding the revolvers with which Wilson was murdered led : to the supposition that they did not form part of tho arms handed over to ■ the provisional Government. The records were being searched. Mr Shortt (Home Minister) stated j the raids by. police in London which followed the assassination showed there ■ was nothing to reveal the existence of i any organised plot to use firearms or bombs against any particular person. • Marshall Foeh’s wreath for Sir 11. Wilson was inscribed': —“For his best friend.” Telegrams of condolence were received from the Italian and Slovakian Ministers of War, and from the Chief of the Japanese General Staff. LATE SIB H. WILSON’S VIEWS. LONDON, April 28. Field-Marshal Sir Henry Wilson “let himself go” last night, when he was the guest of the Trinity College (Dublin) Dining Club at the Grand Hotel. Northumberland Avenue. “I. don’t believe in shaking hands with murderers,” he said, “I don’t believe it can lead to anything except disaster. It is going on again now at Genoa. There, again, I don’t believe it will lead to anything but disaster. “For myself, what I think is most, likely to happen in Ireland—what ceitainly I would do if I were de Valera—1. would declare a Republic about a week before the elections.” POLICE PROTECTION OF WILSON. LONDON, June 26. Rt. Hon Mr Shortt (Home Minister), replying in Parliament to a question, said it was incorrect to say that any order had been given for a discontinuance of the police protection arranged for Sir 11. Wilson. A special officer was placed at the War Officer’s disposal, where necessary, for the protection of the Chief of tho General Staff. When Sir H. Wilson vacated that position, police protection was discontinued. BRITISH AND IRISH LABOUR. Tile executive of the Labour Parry has adopted a resolution expressing abhorrence of Wilson’s assassination, and deploring any policy of violenc-e in Ireland, against which British Labour had always protested. ’The resolution of the Party also congratulated Ireland’s workers on the success they have achieved at the Irish -elections. LADY WILSON’S STATEMENT. Lady Wilson has issued a statement as follows: —“I hope in time to thank I thousands of kind friends throughout the world for the sympathy which I feel around me, but still more to thank

them for the wonderful tribute to my beloved husband, who died for the Empire he loved so well. SINN FEINERS IN ENGLAND. The police have made vigorous preparations to counter a possible campaign of Sinn Fein terrorism in Bri.tain. Scotland Yard’s flying squadron is actively searching for arms. To-day it found an incendiary bojnb in a house at Fulham. It arrested a man. A strange outbreak of incendiarism occurred in Surrey and Essex, resembling incendiary outrages in Surrey last year, which was traced to Sinn Fein. There were fires every night last week, beginning at Romford, where haystacks and sheds were burned, over two thousand sterling damage being done last night alone. The police arc mostly armed now. Police are patrolling the districts with motor cars and bicycles.

WILSON’S ATTITUDE TO NEW ZEALAND. Mr Ronald McNeill (Ulster Unionist) narrated his last conversation with Sir H. Wilson, 24 hours before his death. Wilson was about to visit Glasgow, and McNeill said ho urged care, saying “You may be shot out there!” Wil son had replied:—Well they may miss you!” He (McNeill) said:—“yes, but they may hit. you!” ‘Wilson in his whimsical way replied:—■ c *Tes, they may, but it is much nicer to be shot at by them than to shake hands wi>h them! ’ ’

I BRITAIN’S SECRET SERVICE. ' Rt Hon. Mr Shortt (Homo Minister) defended the British Secret Service, which, he declared, was more efficient : than it was a year ago. The Secret. Service had advised, he said, that robberies of arms and incendiarism might bo effected, but it was hoped that the | capture of a gang which had been i caught would end this. The Government had been also advised that there fcaxiMd be no organised murder in Brit-

ain. He warmly repudiated a. charge that be had ignored information that Wilson was endangered. The Home Office had received no such information. LLOYD GEORGE’S ATTITUDE. Mr Lloyd George, in closing the debate, paid a warm tribute to Sir IlWilson’s courage, devotion, imagination and resource. The Premier declared: ’ “The Irish Treaty will be justified, whatever befalls. If a. reconquest, oi Irelanr becomes necessary, Britain will have advantages which she did not possess when the Ti\:;ty began, but it is essential that the seizure of the Four Courts in Dublin should be ended quick ly.” He said that a communication had been sent to tho Southern Irish Government on the subject, and a serious situation would arise if that Government failed to carry out its duty: but he would rather say no more, as there must be developments in a short, time. Sir H. Branbury’s motion was then negatived, as cabled.