The Washington herald., 1916-05-04
-Four Successive Firing Squads
RingDown Curtain on 'Eas-
ter Republic of Ireland
CHIEF LEADERS ARE SHOT
Sir Roger Easement Hears
Shots from Cell in Grim
Old Town of London.
CBy Correspondent of Sun News
Servfee0

Seryiee.)
London, May 3-As the sun rose over
the high, grim walls Of the Tower OF Lon
dan today, it witnessed, Gown in the his
toric execution courtssche last act Of the
drama OF the .Easter republic Of Ire
land" pIsyeSSto the tune OF rife bull
lets from Tour successive firing sGuads
that snufed out the lives Of the four
chief rebel leaders. who. eight days aEo.
had raised the curtain 10 Jet rebellion
play its piece OF terrorism unconhncd.
Patrick H. Pearse. the provisional
president OF Ireland" James Connolly.
commander and general OF the Irish
republican army" Thomas J. Clark and
Thomas MacDonagh, court-martisled and
convicted OF treason. were shot TO death
to pay the penalty Of their Easter dream.
Easement Hears shots.
In a cell not far away from the scene
OF the execution sat Sir Roger Easement.
a prisoner in the Tower awaiting trial for
treason. The rife shots could be plainly
heard in the solitary prison room Of the
knight who was arrested few days be-
fore the rebellion broke out. while at
tempting 70 land arms from a German
auxiliary on the Irish coast
Shortly before Premier Asouith. in
opening this mornings session Of Par
liament had announced the fate OF the
four Sim Fein leaders, Augustine Birreu
chief secretary for ireland. handed IN his
resignation.
Premier AsQuith promptly accepted Il.
Birrell explained he was laying down his
once upon having been assured that the
resurrection had been qUeHed.
No other course is open % me- be
said The Unaninity Of ireland Is pre-
served. This was no Irish rebeuioz-"
Birrcn Bitterly Attacked.
Subjected to bitter attack in P,rV,-
ment and in the press from the nom.n,
OF the Dublin outbreak, Birrers pos,-
ton had become untonabls The ehs.,
grievance against him wus that on the
day the rebellion broke out he had s,.
sured the government and Parliament
that they could take II from him. the
situation Is well IN hand" The attacks
grew in scope and in fervor as the re-
hellion spread throught the week instead
Of subsidinE instantly. and there uer.
many who blamed him directly for tn.
whole situation, charging lack Of fore
sight and preparedness to meet such an
emergency. A motion demanding hi,
resignation is pending IN the hous. al
commons.
There have BEEN urgent demands "a,
the resignation Of Baron winbo-ns. lord
lieutenant OF Ireland. Sir Matthew
Nathan. BirrelTs under-secretsry. and
Gen. French, commander OF the Irisb
forces, are expected 70 resiFn at once.
following their chiefs example.
John Redmond leader Of the Irish Ma
uonalists, appealed to the government
this Cfternoon not to treat unduly severe
the masses concerned IN the revolution
ary outbreak.
All England was sstir tonight over
the news OF the execution OF the -four
rebel leaders Premier Asouith told
parliament that all four were sigma
tories to the document proclsinninE tn.
Irish republic" The three other sir
natories, S. MacDisrmad. z. Cesunt
and Joseph Plunkett the prim. min
lister added. were sentenced to three
years in prison because OF extenustinF
circumstances.
The total number Of rebel prisoners
runs into the thousands. According 20
official reports. about 500 have already
been placed in English prisons since
the outbreak Of the revolt About 900.
including some leaders OF local revoltS.
arrived today. Others have been taken
from Dublin TO Belfast.