The Washington times., 1920-11-22
PRIEST
WAS DUE HERE
Alleged Victim of British Con-
stabuIary Prospective Witness
Before Irish Commission.

The Rev. Father John Griffin,
whose body, riddled with bullets,
was found yesterday in swamp in
Galway, Ireland, was on his way to
this city to testify before the Ameri-
can commission on atrocities in Ire
land, when he was kidnapped by
Black and Tans last week
FEAR FOR MRS. McsWINEY. .-..
Information received by the COM
mission, which was sitting at the
Hotel Lafayette. last Saturday. that
Father Griffin had been kidnapped
and his fate in doubt. caused much
surprise. as the British government
had assured the American investi-
gators that their witnesses would
not be molested. Much fear now is
entertained for Mrs. Muriel Nc
Swiney. widow of the martyred lord
mayor of Cork, who plans to sail for
Washington day after tomorrow.
So grave is the apprehension fol-
lowing this new outrage by the Brit
ish forces in Ireland that the COM
mission here has decided to keep Sc
cret the names of Irish witnesses
who have been asked to come here
to testify.
Father Griffin was an eyewitness
to many of the atrocities in Galway
and was expected to give important
testimony. Although many priests
have been ill-treated by the British
forces in Ireland recently Father
Griffin was the first to lose his life
in many years and one of the few
killed since the priesthood was pro-
scribed under penalty of hanging in
Elizabethian days.
Father Griffin was personal
friend of Francis Hackett, associate
editor of The New Republic, who re-
Gently Investigated conditions in Ire
land, and who testified before the
commission last Friday. Mr.. Hackett
characterized Father Griffin as "a
very courageous man."
FOUND BY SEARCHING PARTY.
The body of the priest was found
in a swamp by the roadside in Darna,
Galway, according to Dublin dis
patches. Volunteers had been search.
ing for him since he was kidnapped.
A bullet wound in his head and sew
eral in his body showed the cause of
his death.
When Father Griffin was kidnapped
he wore his black cassock, his cleri-
cal cap, and an overcoat. His slayers
dug a shallow grave and placed the
body in it. Parts of the cassock and
overcoat protruding from the ground
led to it's discovery.
News Of the murder OF Father Grif-
An spread quickly through Galway
and crowds gathered at the parish
church where his body was placed,
uncoffined, on the high altar. Throngs
passed the bier while the rosary was
recited by several priests in the YES
try. At masses at st. Joseph's Church,
where Father Griffin was pastor. The
priests omitted the regular sermons
and confined themselves to n eulogy
OF the dead priest. The congregation
was urged to pray for the repose Of
his soul and to pray for his murderers
who, they claimed will meet their just
reward.
TELLS OF DEATH THREATS.
Father O'Meehan, a curate at Sc
Joseph's Church. with whom, Father
Griffin lived said yesterday that he
had received many death threats
since last May and that he did not
dare sleep in his own house. He said
that, so far as he knew. Father Grif
fin did not receive any threats. when
Galway was pillaged by the "black
and tans" a few weeks ago, Father
Griffin engaged himself in caring for
a