The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-03-15
CO|!!o7 DEF|ED BY
4 Dublin ARTIST
Jack Morrow Refuses to Recognize
Any Tribunal. Unless Appointed
by the Dali Eireann.


by the Dali Eireann.
Charged under the Defense of the
Realm Act, with having had in his
possession confidential military docu-
ment and the likelihood that he would
make their contents known, Mr.. Jack
Morrow, a prominent Dublin artist,
was tried before a general court mar
tial at Ship Street Barracks on jan.
uary %.
Lieut. Col L. James, D. C. O., Pre-
sided; Capt. T. j.. Atkinson, o. B.
E., was Judge Advocate, and Capt.
McWilliam, of the Connaught Rangers,
prosecuted.
Sergt. Burton, of the &c" Division,
testified that he, accompanied by De-
tective Officer O'Brien and Constable
Conlon, visited the home of the &C.
cused man on September 5th last, and
in a search of the premises discovered
in a desk the secret documents. The
following day he arrested Mr.. Nor
row. 1t was brought out in testimony
that the material found in the desk
comprised five special (police) crimes
circulars of various dates, relating to
disloyal bands; unlawful drilling and
seditious publications.; public meet
ings; police duties; the contemplated
destruction of the Irish harvest by fire
and otherwise in conjunction with the
U-boat campaign. In addition, there
was a War Office memorandum relat-
ing to action to be taken in connec-
tion with cattle drives.
The artist, when arranged, asked
If the court was appointed by Dali
Eireann (the Irish National Assem-
bly,, and the Judge Advocate replied
by declining to enter into what he
termed a political discussion. The ac-
cused also requested that the docu-
ments be read, but this Captain At
kinson refused to comply with, be-
cause of their confidential nature.
Mr. Morrow contended that there
was no evidence to prove that he in
tended to make the contents of the pa
pers public, and asserted that it was
against the fundamental principles of
English law and every foreign law to
base an accusation of criminal con-
duct on presumed intention. For
these reasons, and because of the fact
that he had forgotten about the pa
pers being in his home, he maintained
that he should not and could not be
convicted.
Mr.. Morrow refused to recognize the
jurisdiction of the court over him or
any other citizen of the Irish State.
Cali law" he said, "rests upon the
will of the majority Of the people. All
authority comes from the people. But
even if this court were not constituted
without any authority from the Irish
people. and if the law under which
am charged were the law of my own
country, 1 say that I could not be
convicted of any offense. You have
not justified even by your own law,
my arrest and Imprisonment. l mere
ly go into this examination of your
serio-comic charges against me to
show that not only has this court no
authority from the Irish people, but
has almost as little in this case from
it's own law"
Mr., Morrow then reviewed his try
ing experiences since he was first
placed under arrest. He stated that
he was confined to a cell in Bruins
wick street station for thirteen days
without sufficient air or proper eXer-
else. These conditions resulted in a
breakdown, and by doctors orders
he was removed to hospital, where
he spent seven weeks. Just before the
Christmas holidays he was released
from Mountjoy prison and, returning
home, found his wife was seriously ill.
He remained at his home for about
month, when he was again appre-
hende1