SEDITION TRIAL

Southland Times, Issue 22210, 30 December 1933, Page 5

SEDITION TRIAL

“FANTASTIC CHARGE”

COMMANDANT CRONIN ACCUSED

STRUGGLE IN CELL

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) London, December 28.

Mr McGuckin, Commandant Cronin’s counsel, at the resumption of the trial declared that the prosecution had sinisterly omitted the charge against Cronin of the possession of ammunition, replacing it with a fantastic charge of sedition because those in charge of the investigation knew Cronin’s declaration that the ammunition was not there half an hour before the raid was true. The prosecution was venting its political spleen on a gentleman whose honour was known. He added that the allegation of membership of unlawful associations had failed because the National Guard had been dissolved in October, while the Young Ireland Party was not banned until three days after his arrest. Cronin, in evidence, said he saw no ammunition in his offices before the raid. He told Sergeant Hughes: I believe you or your agent placed it there. I protested that a detective was exposing a revolver as though the gun was also going to be ‘planted’.” He added: “While in prison the Governor and two or three military police came to my cell and said they had orders to collect blue shirts. I replied that they must take it forcibly, whereupon the police, after a struggle on the floor, in which one knelt on my .chest and another on my knees, tore off all my clothes, including two shirts. I was severely bruised, necessitating a doctor. I hunger-struck for two days, but desisted when the charge was preferred.”

Cross-examined Cronin denied that a letter declaring that the ban on the National Guard should not be a deterrent to its activities was seditious as the ban was unjustified. It was the duty of the people to resist and denounce tyranny, whether it was committed by the Government or the mob.