SIR H. WILSON’S ASSAILANTS TO DIE.

Grey River Argus, 20 July 1922, Page 5

SIR H. WILSON’S ASSAILANTS TO DIE.

LONDON, July 18. Field-Marshal Sir IL Wilson’s murderers have been sentenced to death.

PRISONERS BOTH ADMIT SHOOTING WILSON.

(Received Julv 19, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 18. At the trial of Dunn and O'Sullivan, when they were asked how they would plead, both answered: “I admit shooting Sir Henry Wilson.” Judge Shearman said he would treat that as a plea of “not guilty.” The men are of a very different type. O'Sullivan has a fresh complexion, and an open forehead, while Dunn has a low forehead, rough hair, colourless eyes, and hard mouth. The Attorney-General, in opening tlie prosecution. asked the judge to permit all the witnesses to be called by numbers, instead of by their names. The judge: “That is rather unusual.” The Attorney-General: “There is a valid reason. An assurance has been given to the witnesses that their names will not lie given in the open court.” The judge: “That alters matters.” Tlie witnesses gave evidence similar io that in the Police Court proceedings, and described the. tragedy. JUDGE BARS PRISONER’S STATEMENT. The opening of the defence was sensational. Mr Artemis Jones asked that Dunn be allowed, to read his statement to the Jury from the dock, before the Counsel addressed the Court. The statement was first handed to Justice Shearman. The judge said it was “a political manifesto, justifying the right to kill; was merely anarchist propaganda: and he could not aliow the Court to be used for such a purpose.” He said Dunn could give evidence. An argument arose over this between the judge and the defending counsel. The counsel stated that, in view of the judge’s attitude, the prisoners had instructed counsel to withdraw from the case. The judge then said: “The prisoners have now placed themselves in the position of undefended prisoners.” He must treat them accordingly. PRISONERS’ BRIEF SPEECHES. After the verdict of guilty had been returned, Dunn spoke. He said he was proudly conscious of being an Irishman. His motive for killing \\ ilson was no different from those motives animating the men who fought in the European War. “I am no mean assassin,” he added; “I received no monev for this business.”

Dunn asked that his sentence be postponed for fourteen days, “in order that his motives might be judged by a Court of Arbitration, motives which dealt with rights and wrongs that had rid the human world of a scourge.”

O'Sullivan, folding his arms, exclaimed, in a loud voice: “What I have done. 1 have done for Ireland; and for Ireland, I am proud to die!” Dunn then clasped O’Sullivan in a farewell, wjiile they were being removed from the dock.