DEATH SENTENCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3244, 17 May 1916, Page 27

DEATH SENTENCES.

STATEMENT BY MR ASQUJTH. LONDON, May 11. In the House of Commons Mr As. quith emphasised the Government's dqsire to allay the bitterness in Ireland. He appealed tor a greater approximation and a greater feeling of sympathy between all the parties. Infinite mischief could be done by a word calculated to obstruct or impair the chance of a happy and desirable consummation. It was quite true nine out of 10 Irishmen were on the side of the law. When they remembered that the casualties amongst the 1305 including 304 killed, their sympathies ought to be entirely monopolised by the unfortunate and misguided victims of the unhappy criminal insurrection. Mr Asquith explained the circumstances of the principal death sentences. He said that five out of the seven who were shot had signed the proclamation. Seven others had commanded the rebels. The third class consisted of murderers, of whom only one suffered death. The death sentences of two other signatories to tha proclamation had been confirmed. Of these, one took a most active part in the rebellion. It was unfair to ac- , cord these men preferential treatment, as their five comrades had been properly executed; therefore he did not see why he should interfere with General Maxwell's decision. As far as he knew, there was no reason to resort to the extreme penalty in other cases, unless those of murder, whca there would be a trial in open court. TWO HUNDRED CORPSES. LONDON, May 11 Two hundred corpses were found in tha ruins of rooms, on the roofs, against chimneys, and the yards and lanes of Dublin. MAJOR SKEFFINGTON'S END. LONDON, May 11. Major Skeffington refused to be blind** folded. He remarked to the officers* "You will find you are making a inisn take." He then put his hand before hi* eyes. The bullet perforated his hand. H« died with a smile.