New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-03-01
SINN FEIN LEADER
FOILS BRIT|SHERS
A Little Song, Little Bread and
Cake Of Soap Leads to Freedom
HOW DE VALERA ESCAPED
IN True Storybook Fashion, Irish
Leader Secures An Impression of
ff'~oh hey on Piece of Soap and,
throws 1t to .Accomp.iccs.

1hroWs 1t to Accomp,iccs.
Paris, March 1 (By The Associated
rreSs' Nv hlle the newspapers Of the
United Kingdom are still Speculatine o
over the mysterious escape from
Lincoln prison, in England, of Ed
ward DE Valera, the Sim Fein leader,
the manner in which he effected his
break from captivity on February 3
mas become known here. 1t was re-
lated to The Associated Press by Sean
O'Cealligh, the prominent Sim Fem
ef. VINO is here asking the peace con-
ference to recognize the provisional
government Of the Irish republic" ;"
having crossed the channel on a pass
port secured by a subterfuge.
Closely Guarded in Prison.
After the midnight arrest of Ed
ward DE Valera near his home in
Greystone,' Mr.. O'Cealligh began,
he, with u comrades, was sent to
Lincoln prison, the other Sim Feiners
arrested being distributed in order to
avoid concentrating them at any one
Jail. Because of De Nalera's import
ance, the strictest watch was main
tanned upon the prison. No friend
Or relative was allowed to see him or
his comrades, and the most stringent
censorship possible was maintained
over their mail.
The feeling in Ireland is intense
because these men. against whom no
charges have been made, should be
kept in prison. Included among the
prisoners in the various jails were 81
members of parliament. After the
general elections We're over, the re-
publican mem bers Of the Irish parlia-
ment met and a committee was ap-
pointed to take charge of the Ques-
ton Of the release of the incarcerated
comrades. The first result of that
committees activity was the escape
of De Valera.
Music Did Have Char,S.
THE first task was to survey the
prison. Just outside the back gate
was a small patch of ground on
which the prisoners were allowed to
exercise under guard. This place was
surrounded by a series of barbed
wire entanglements. One Sim Feiner
started working on q, garden plot neAx
the prison. He attracted De Valera's
attention one day by singing Sim
Fein songs in Gaelic in which he told
the leader that an attempt would be
made to rescue him. The warder's
suspicious were not aroused because
1t was not uncommon for Irish work !
men to be about the prison.
This man appeared again several |
days later and again sang a ballad in
which he told De Valera that the rear
exit OF the prison was the most feast !
bic for the attempt, and asked De Va !
lera to secure an impression of the |
key to the gate.
impression Taken Of Key
The impression of the key was Sc |
cured, [ am not quite sure of the
but I presume it is the same
as the one I myself employed at one
time, which was making a paste Of |
bread and soap and then distra citing
the warder's attention while the KEY
was being slapped into the paste for
p second. The impression was
in paper with a stone and
thrown to the singer in the garden
plot.
'While this was going on four
Sinn Feiners escaped from the Usk
prison in Wales and this caused the
to double the guards of
Ill the jails and postponed the re-
ease Of De Valera. in Lincoln prison
he inmates were counted continual,
Y and the strictest watch was
Vampires i'm on Plot.
THE sentries about the rear Of
ne prison were a grave menace to
he plans and the committee tried to
ind girls in the neighborhood who
;ould be employed to influence them.
lhls attempt was given up however.
Ind finally q telegram was sent to
dublin for two handsome young
women both highly cultured uni
-erslty graduates, who arranged
themselves as shop girls and crossed
he channel.
The girls deliberately set out to
llrt with the soldiers and soon came
o know most of the guards. De
|alera was informed by code in q
etter that February 3 was set for
lis escape and the procedure to be
ollowed was outlined as much as ,
possible.
On the eve Of February four /
motor cars packed with Irishmen
we're sent wandering about the coun {
ry near Lincoln to serve as decovs
or the police. At 4 o'clock the
r1soners were brought in from their {
er1od Of exercise. They then had a {
,-hour period for wandering about ,
ne prison before they were locked {
. for the night, t
Sirens Accomplish Purpose. E
LII the meantime shortly after 4
CLOCK the girls appeared and en-
'ceo the guards from the rear Of the /
.nSoh as tar as possible. Then two Il
'nii felners quickly cut Il path I
hrough the barbed wire. /
At fVe O'Clock DeValera. with Nc Il
Eonttnued on Ninth Page)