Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1916-08-03
EASEMENT DIES ON
SCAFfOLO
Continued from Page -

since taken from him by KIM
Georges order--for his many year,
of service for Great Britain as consu
and consul general, Roger Easement
assumed leadership, at period o.
his country's crisis, in the recent
| Irish rebellion, the plans for which
were laid while Easement was in
Berlin, where he was reported tt
have negotiated with the German
imperial authorities.
British naval supremacy brought ar
abortive close to Easements plans
The German tramp steamship or
which there was transported an armed
expedition from Germany nearly to
| the west coast of Ireland in April
of this year was blown up by its own
crew when the latter foresaw that
ii was inevitable that the blockadlng
English warships would capture it.
The crew were made prisoners. The
tramp had been conveyed from Kiel
by German submarine, from which
Easement and companion landed
on Irish soil. where they were taken
into custody before their plans ma
tured
In May. Easement was given pre-
liminary hearing and was committed
for trial on the charge of high
treason. Late in June the trial was
begun, Easement pleading not guilty
and uttering denial that he had
worked in Germany's interests and
that he had accepted. German gold
as q bride.
The courts verdict was guilty, and
the sentence of death by hanging
was, after appeal by his counsel, con
firmed by the court of criminal APP
peal late in July.
The London press generally APP
proved the fate legally fixed for
Easement, but in America persistent
efforts were made to save the noted
prisoner from death. In Washington,
resolution was introduced in the
Senate which would have President
Wilson intercede with the British
government, and numerous petitions
received at the White House from
many sources asking that a plea for
clemency be cabled. In England, the
Manchester Guardian and a number
of other papers pleaded for mercy
and petitions asking for a reprievt
were circulated in London. Adher
ents of John Redmond forwarded t
Premier Asquith a petition signed
by six bishops, twenty-six member
of Parliament and fifty-one other pei
sons, including number of educs
tors.
Pope Benedict interceded in Case
ment's behalf, endeavoring to obtail
grace for him from the British gov
eminent, influential Irish Nationalist
having urged upon the pontiff tina
the prisoner was not a traitor bu
was inspired by Irish patriotism.
Roger Easement, prior to the wal
established a reputation through hi
investigation of the Congo and Sout
American rubber atrocities committe
on natives by Belgian and BIRTHS
rubber hunters. The then Sir Roge
headed commission of inquiry tina
brought about reforms. In 1903 h
became actively identified with tn
organization of the Irish Nations
volunteers He was in the Unite
States when the war began an
addressed an open letter to the Iris
press advising lrishmen to renal
neutral. In October. 1914, he wer
to Norway and thence to Berlll
whence came the news that startle
the reimbursement was plottin
what his country looked upon as hig
treason. His friends, recalling h
years of service in Africa and Sout
America, claimed for him that I'll
tropical sun had unbalanced hi
mentally. Easement was born G
September /, 1864.