The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-05-12
TWIN CITY NEWS
HEROIC DEATH OF
GEORGE coNNERY

'To die for ones country is sweet
and becoming" the old maxim of the
Romans has served for ages to tenn
per the horror of the soldiers fate.
To die in the path and performance
of any public duty is akin to the
tribute which the soldier pays to his
country, while lacking it's spectacular
aspects. The policeman is the soldier
OF the time OF peace whose duties and
functions have become so familiar that
we frequently fail to discern their
Importance and appraise their proper
values. Only when a sudden trag-
edy like that of George Connery &C.
ours do we take time to consider
how valuable public servant is the
dutiful and conscientious patrolman-
how much we owe to him for our day
to-day tranquility and peace OF mind.
We are sometimes prone to feel that
it is sufficient on our part it he gets
a fair remuneration for his services.
But we would get better and juster
conception of his function in the la
comic order if we would eliminate the
factor OF monetary compensation and
hold each citizen in his turn to the
duty of preserving the peace in his
community. Then would we come to
a, realizing sense of the position of the
ordinary patrolman, and perhaps quick
en- our interest and sympathy in his
responsibilities.
To the illustrious roll of Minneap-
ellis municipal heroes the name of
George Connery is the latest addi-
ton. Brutally done to death in an
automobile in which he was endea-
voring to bring the occupants to the
police station for violation Of the speed
ordinance, his body was not found UNI
til eleven days after the arrest, in a
secluded spot in Anoka county, more
than ten miles from the point in Min
neapolis where Connery had been
summoned by fellow officer to help
control the situation. Being of nat
urally kind disposition, he doubtless
took the matter lightly and regarded
his prisoners as merely technical vi
olatOrs of the law. Had he reason to
suspect the character of the desperate
hellions he had to deal with he would
probably have been more guarded in
handling them. They were quick to
take advantage of his kindly treatment
and the result was q bullet wound and
fracture of the skull which eventu.
ated in his death some time after his
brutal captors threw his body in the
woods and drove back to st. Paul.
A Catholic Death.
T. 1t was eleven days afterward, on
Sunday last, that Connerys body was
found by following out directions CIV
en- by some unknown informant to the
the military authorities at Fort Smell
ling. The wounded man had made an
effort to write farewell message to
his wife and children in the little
note book he carried with him. He
was so weak that he could only imper-
fectly scrawl the words, "Mollie, dar-
ling, goodbye" The message to his
children was hardly legible. But
more important and interesting even
than these messages of writing is the
circumstances that, true to his Cath
olic faith and training even in the last
few minutes of life, he had taken his
Crucifix and so placed it that his eyes
could rest upon the form of his Re-
deemer to the very end. Deprived OF
the consolation of human hands and
hearts, he sought and doubtless found
more perfect help in the momentary
contemplation of the sufferings of
Jesus. What noble inspiration! It
would be hard to conceive of any
thing that a man could do under such
conditions that would more convinc-
ingly reveal the sincerity Of his faith
and the depth of his affection. Who
can doubt that in these few golden
minutes of consciousness, he mercy
sought and mercy found" The rec
ord of his life may have been ordin-
ary. but the record OF his death is OF
SURPRISING brightness and extraordin-
airy beauty. 1t will be cherished by
bis friends and by his Church as long
as memory lasts.
The funeral took 1lace on Tuesday
morning last at st. Clements Church,
and was in keeping with the tragic
circumstances that had made such a
profound impression upon the whole
community. 1t was attended by May
or Van Lear, Chief of Police Harthill
and a large delegation of his fellow
patrolmen and host of friends and
relatives. R. ]. Fitzgerald, pastor OF
st. Clements, spoke eloquently of the
career of the heroic officer, drawing
many lessons therefrom for the emu
lation of his companions. 1t was the
largest funeral that had ever been
held at st. Clements, attesting the
popularity of the deceased as we'll as
the profoundly sympathetic impress
sion caused by his tragic demise.
IRISH AMERICAN CLUB GAVE
PLEASANT DANCING PARTY