The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-01
DETAILS Of IRISH
LEADERS, ESCAPE
ARE MADE KNOWN

( ,L1s
PARIS, March 1. (By the Associated
Press. )---Wfiile the newspapers of the
United Kingdom are still speculating
over the mysterious escape from Lin
coin prison in England OF Edward Do
Valera Sim Fein leader, the manner
In which he executed his escape Feb,
has been known here. 1t was related
to the Associated Press by Sean
O'Cealligh, prominent Sim Feiner,
here asking the peace conference to
recognize the provisional government
Of the Irish republic"
AFTER the midnight arrest OF Ed
ward de Valera near his home in
Greystofle," Mr.. O'Cealligh began, "he,
with IL comrades, was sent to Lincoln
prison, the other Sim Feiners being
distributed. Because Of De Valera's
Importance, the strictest watch was
maintained upon the prison.
/. after the general elections were
over the first meeting Of the republic
an members OF the Irish parliament
!. was held Jan. Z. A committee was ap-
pointed to take charge Of the question
of the release of incarcerated comrades
and the first result was the escape OF
De Valera.
''The committe selected men for the
Job who had been tried by fire. The
first task was to survey the prison
and discover possibilities Of force
ful coup. The prison was isolated.
lust outside the back gate was small
patch on which the prisoners were al
lowed to exercise under guard. This
place was surrounded by barbed wire
entanglements.
s'Seyeral armed wardens watched the
prisoners and at sunset troops were
thrown about the prison Because OF
this, it was decided to be unwise to
try to rush the place.
sThe next move was to communicate
with de Valera, One Sim Feiner,
working on a garden plot, attracted de
valera's attention by singing Sim Fein
songs In Gaelic, in which he told the
leader an attempt would be made to
rescue him.
'.This man appeared several days
later and sang ballad in which he
told de Valera that the rear exit was
the most feasible for the attempt ask
ing de Valera to secure an impress
sion OF the key. The impression was
secured. This was wrapped in paper
with a stone and thrown to the singer.
"While this was going on four Sim
Feiners had escaped from the Usk
prison in Wales and this caused the
authorities to double guards OF all the
jails The sentries about the rear OF
the prison were grave menace and
the committee tried to find girls in
the neighborhood to influence them. A
telegram was sent to Dublin for two
handsome young women, both cultured
university graduates, who arrayed
"A. -. ahR ri NrnrGad
Irieh channel
III t'The girls deliberately set out to
f1irt with the soldiers and came to
know most OF the guards. De Valera
was informed by code In letter that
Feb. 8 was set for his escape and the
procedure to be followed was out
lined.
''on the eve Of Feb. four motor
cars packed with Irishmen were sent
wandering about the country near Lin
coin as decoys for the police, At 4
o'clock the prisoners were brought in
from their exercise. They then had a
three-hour period for wandering about
the prison before being locked up,
TN the dusk, shortly after o'clock,
the girls appeared and enticed the
guards from the rear OF the prison as
far as possible. Then two Sim Fem
ers quickly cut path through the
barbed wire.
"At 5 o'clock de Valera, with Nc
Garry and Millroy (the two Sim Fem
ers who escaped with de Valera) saun
tered to the back gate. Their friends
outside crept up and opened the gate
with the false key while the sentries
continued their filtration with the
girls. An automobile was waiting and
de Valera was whisked away to Lon
don, while the police chased the de-
coy motors.
"Where Is de Valera now? I cannot
state. but. he win be here on time
when he q wanted