Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-23
Death SENTENCE
FOR COL. LYNCH
Member of Parliament for Gal
way Convicted on Charge
IF High Treason
PUNISHMENT FIXED AT DEATH
Hs Fought for the Beers in the South
African War While Still Subject Of
shs British Government-Later Was
Elected to Parliament From One of
Che Irish Districts.
london. Jan. 2s.-colonel Lynch
was found guilty and sentenced to

London, Jan. 23.-Colonel Lynch
was found guilty and sentenced to
death.
London, Jan. 23.-When the trial Of
Colonel Arthur Lynch. member of the
parliament for Galway, on charges OF
high treason. was resumed today,
counsel for defense began summing
1up. There was no attempt to deny
chat Lynch supported the Beers. but
counsel contended his naturalization
was In no way prompted by treason
able intent and was solely for. the ad-
vantage he would thus secure for jour
aitstic purposes Subsequently defend
ant. actively supported the Boer cause
IA the belief that he was naturaltzed
burgher. Solicitor General Carson
maintained that Lynch Joined the Boer
army as discontented Irishman,
~thereby committing the most coward-
IL and most serious act OF treason
His naturalization was only a fiimsy
pretext.
Tho plea OF Colonel Arthur Lynch,
member OF parliament for Galway,
who Ii being tried for high treason,
that ne was g naturalizeds citizen OF
south Africa, at the time he took up
arms against the British. was thrown
out by the court, which held that the
naturalization act afforded no defense
4 III the present case. The court de-
clared that naturalization was pre-
ceeded by taking the oath Of alleg-
1ance to the enemy, which in itself
was treasonable act.
After reading the deposition OF an
American, Lewis Handley, who said
that Colonel Lynch had compelled him
70 take up arms in behalf Of the Beers
N Gsencoe, but who had got on thru
the intervention Of the American
consul, counsel for the defense submit
ted that the prisoner was protected
~ the naturalization laws.
ne claimed that man WAS entitled
to become an alien at any time. even
after the outbreak OF war. He re-
ferred to the war of Independence;
said there were at least 10000 men
of British birth In the American mer-
camille marine. and asserted that there
were 2O,00O,00o people living in Amer
lea who possessed the two national
ities.
Counsel contended that Colonel
Lynch took up arms in behalf OF the
Transvaai witout secrecy, and under
the mistaken belief that the naturali2a-
tion act permitted this. In any event,
counsel added, if the court decided the
prisoner was a British subject, he
ought to be tried In Australia. where
he was born.
The attorney general, Sir Robert
Finley, replying for the prosecution,
argued that Lynch procured natural
tzation for the purpose OF fighting
against his own country, and added
that even could naturalization cover
The prisoners subsequent actions, II
could not cover his anterior reason,
namely, adhering to the Queens en-
emy and declaring his willingness to
flght against her forces"
One OF the witnesses called sby the
defense was M. Letellier, editor OF the
LeJournal OF Paris. He testified that
in September, 1899, Lynch applied for
the position OF war correspondent for
the paper. and received the appoint
ment to go to South Africa. The pa
per paid his fare and received his ar
ticles.
Lynch maintained an impressive at
titude thruout the legal arguments.
He was neither pale nor nervous. all
1 though his conviction seemed newt
able, and the only penalty for trea-
son for which precedent could be
found in the law books was death.
His Irish sympathizers were not
alarmed. They asserted that the trial
was q sequel to the Galway election.
which carried Lynch into politics. and
that conviction would be followed by
an act Of royal clemency because un-
ionists politics and Irish policies would
require it.
Il After the counsel for both sides had
finished their addresses to the jury, the
lord chief justice summed up very brief
sly. He said IL in war a British sub
ject Joined the kings enemy, whatever
his purpose, he was guilty of an un-
lawful act. Naturalization during war
time afforded no excuse whatever fol
q subsequent act. There was abundant
evidence, he said, Of overt acts in aid
Ing the kings enemies.
In delivering sentence Justice Wills
said the crime of high treason, OF
which the prisoner had been fount
guilty, was happily so rare that 4
seemed to be almost an anachorism
Z No civilized community had yet failed
70 punish severely detection from 10y
alty, whether in the way of open war.
Z fare or secret intrigue. In the dark.
est hours of his country's fortune, wher
engaged in a deadly struggle. Lynch
5oine6 the ranks of it's foes and shet
the blood of his fellow subjects fight
for their country and sought to de
throne Great Britain from her plac'
among the nations. The only palliatiol
which could be offered was that 1t hat
i been. the fashion for some years t
i treat lightly matters of this kind, AM
had been encouraged to play with Sc,
dition and toy with treason. The ma
ton has treated with contemplation
indifference speeches and acts of sedf
tion. but is was one thing to talk Sc
dition and quite different thing =