The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-07-12

of the prison a week or two before.
He refused to speak for any time prior
to that. He at first denied that there
were underground cells in the prison.
We had been furnished, however, with
a plan showing their location, and
upon our insistence we were allowed
entrance. We found great number
gof cells underground, too narrow for
human occupation, without beds or
covering for the prisoners, no ventila-
tion; pitch dark and extremely cold,
although the weather at the time was
not severe. The chief warden ad-
smitted that these cells were at times
occupied by prisoners.
Our information, we'll authenticated,
is to the effect that large number of
political prisoners were taken out of
the underground cells after we had de-
manded admission the night previous.
We found one of the political prison
ers still in solitary confinement. He
presented pitiable spectacle. The
miserable cell was cold and badly ven-
tilated. He was in an unkempt con-
dition, highly nervous, palpably un-
dernourished, and had a wild glare in
his eyes indicating an extremely dan
gerous mental state.
He tried to speak to us, but was
quickly silenced by the warden.
T. The political prisoners In this jail
without exception, are men of highest
position; Journalists, lawyers, busi-
ness men, skilled tradesmen and labor
ers. Many of them, confined for
months, have not been informed of
the charge against them. All of them
are denied the right of trial by jury.
When charges are made-often of the
most trivial character-bail is denied
They were all emaciated and ap-
peared to be suffering from malnutri-
ton, OF the. thousands of German
prisoners we have seen in France,
none of them showed such wretched
physical condition or had counter.
ances SO marked with pain as the pris-
oners in Mountjoy.
AS we were leaving the prison we
were attracted by shouts in the rear
of the main hall of the prison. Look.
ing around we saw Pierce Beasley,
one of the political prisoners, an Irish
journalist of the highest standing and
one of the most beloved men in Ire
land, being hustled through the back
doorway by hurley prison guard.
Beasley cried out: Il want to call
your attention to the fact that this
brute who has me in charge is about
to punish me for saying Long live the
republic!'" We immediately protest
ell against the assault on Mr.. Beasley.
The governor of the prison hastened
back to where the men were, and after
6 hurried whispered conversation with
the guard, returned and said that we
could be assured that no punishment
would be inflicted upon Mr.. Beasley.
Upon our return from. the prison
we were furnished with detailed state
ments of others who had been con-
fined in the prison exposing the vilest
atrocities committed against pris-
| oners.
Having received information that
| there were large number of pris-
oners confined in smaller prison in
the town of Westport, County Mayo,
which place was infested by troops,
and that cruelties and barbarities were
being practiced upon them, we an
nounced out intention after leaving
Mountjoy Jail, of visiting Westport.
Shortly before the departure of our
train upon the following evening two
policemen appeared at our apartments
and handed us an unsigned typewrit-
ten letter, notifying us that we would
not be permitted to enter the town
of Westport, the only reason given be-
ing that it was within a military
area" We proceeded, nevertheless,
to Westport.
AS we approached the town COM
pany of soldiers met us about three
miles out and the lieutenant an
nounced in surly tone, that under no
circumstances would we be permitted
to enter. We demanded to see the
colonel, to whom we showed our pass
ports, repeated the message Of Lloyd
George delivered through Sir William