The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-09-02
James Connolly's Little
Daughter Tells the Story
OF Her Fathers Death

Daughter Tells the Story
OF Her Fathers Death
A frail, slim girl, little more than a
child, but with courage and deter
mination rare in even those of matur-
er years, arrived in New York few
days ago, having eluded the vigilance
of England's port wardens, crossing
first the Irish sea and later slipping
past the watchful eyes of the inspect
Ors and secret service agents at Liv-
erpool She is Nora Connolly, daugh-
ter of the Irish hero-martyr, James
Connolly, commandant of the rebel
troops in Dublin during the most
eventful Easter week that Ireland has
known since Brian smote the Dane"
at Clontarf, says Irish World.
The story told of her fathers treat
ment by the British authorities is the
most infamous to be found even in
British annals. Told in her simple,
unassuming way, it is a powerful ar
raignment of English rule in Ireland.
1t is chronicle of events that will
shock the conscience OF civilization as
it has not been shocked since the ex-
posture of British and Belgian atroci-
ties in the Putamayo and Congo.
That such wanton cruelty could be
perpetrated in the twentieth century
is almost unbelievable and England's
apologists cannot explain away the
malice of the vengeful ferocity of her
military officials in dealing with Il
wounded fOeman who had honorably
surrendered wearing the uniform Of
his own country and having scrupu-
lously observed every tenet of interna
tional law governing his situation.
Description Of connoIIy's Execution.
Speaking of her fathers execution,
Miss Connolly said:
"They took him on stretcher from
Dublin Castle early Friday morning,
May ~, because he couldn't walk on
account of his wounds, and carried
him to Kilmainham Jail, four miles
away.
They propped him in a chair be-
cause he couldn't stand, and then
shot him dead. Then they took his
body to the Arbor Hill barracks,
threw it into common trench with
the other dead patriots and covered
his body with quicklime.
"They refused to give up the body
vide coffin.
That was my fathers end
Father had been directing opera.
tons, with the postoftice as his head
quarters. On Saturday he was wound
ed in the foot, the bullet breaking
the bones. He pulled himself back
to the postoffice but it was not until
he was captured late that day and
taken to the makeshift hospital in
Dublin castle that any attention was
paid to his wound.
following Monday that my mother and
my younger sister saw him. Before
they were permitted to enter the
room both were searched for poison
and weapons, SO that father could not
obtain means to commit suicide, they
were told. They were both obliged to
give their word of honor that they
would convey no messages to father
nor carry any from him.
Mother and l we're told we could
see father the next day. That was
Tuesday, at 2:30 O'Clock in the after
noon. When we arrived at the Castle
We were told to come back at $50
o'clock. ..."
Then we were taken to fair.sized
room, in which there were Is soldiers,
with rifles and fixed bayonets. They
had mattresses on the floor as we'll.
so they must have slept there. In
little antero0m off that there were
three other soldiers, also with rifles
and fixed bayonets.
I'm the room where father lay was
an officer in full uniform, sword and
revolver in his belt Eighteen armed
soldiers and an officer to guard one
man, and that man in bed and una BILE
to move
II shall never forget the effect ia.
Tiers appearance had on me. He was
SO wan and weak in voice and Just
able to lift his head from the pillows.
Oh, he was so weak and in such pain.
He wanted us to ask Sheehy Skeffing.
ton to publish his poems and give the
proceeds to us.
"'You know, he said, they have
just finished communicating me-
Given Five Hours Notice.
Thursday, at midnight, mother and
l were awakened by motor ambu-
lance that had come to take us to
Dublin Castle. We arrived about
1880 o'clock. 4 suppose you know
what this means?' said father. Mother
had been hopeful. She did not be-
lieve they would shoot wounded
man. But l felt that if they would
court-martial a helpless prisoner they
would not hesitate to shoot him.
Father said. 1T means I die at