Omaha daily bee., 1920-11-27
Sim FEN; !,
l
Arrested
Arthur Griffith, Mouthpiece
of Home Rule Element In
Absence of DeValera,
Taken by Police.
MacNein Also in Custody
BY The Associated Pres


founder of the Sim Fein organiza-
ton; Prof, John MacNeill, Sim Fein
member of Parliament for London
derry City and the National uni
versity of ireland, together with
number of others. including Prof.
MacNeilrs son, were arrested today
by the auxiliary police.
Mr.. Griffith was to have addressed
meeting of the Irish Self-Deter-
mination league at Manchester next
Sunday.
Sim Fein Mouthpiece.
In the absence in America of
Eamonn De Valera, president of the
Irish republic, Arthur Griffith has
been probably the most active
spokesman in Ireland, for the cause
OF Irish freedom. Last night in an
interview he charged the policy of
reprisals in Ireland was determined
upon by England more than year
ago and inaugurated last March with
the assassination of Lord Mayor
MacCurtain of Cork.
Arthur Griffith came into promi-
nence in 1917, when he presided at
the opening of the Sim Fein confer
ence in Dublin. In bye-election in
June, 1918. he was elected to the
House of Commons for East Cavan.
Like the other Sim Fein members,
however, he refrained from taking his
seat after the general election.
Now Is Vice President.
Last year he was elected one OF
the vice presidents of the Sim Fem
organization During the hunger
strike of Lord Mayor MacSwiney OF
Cork he was the author of an appeal
to President Wilson and all the
heads of the governments on behalf
of the lord mayor.
Prof. John MacNeill is professor
of law in the National University OF
Ireland. In May, 1916, he was found
guilty by courtmarrial of COM
guilty by court-martial of COM
year, and was sentenced to life i'm
rrisonment, but was released during
1917. In the general election OF
1918 he was chosen to Parliament as
a Sim Feiner, but did not take his
seat.
Taken From Bed.
A statement issued from Dublin
castle, the seat of the government,
with regard to the Griffith arrest
read:
Arthur Griffith was arrested at his
residence in St, Lawrence road at
3 a. m. A large quantity of litera-
ture was taken from his house. No
arms were found. He was in bed at
the time, and was taken away in a
motor lorry. He made no state
ment. His arrest was effected with
out trouble"
Inspector Is Shot. Z
Inspector Madden. who has been
active against the Sim Fein move
ment, was shot while walking along
a street in Cork today. He was not
wounded seriously.
The court-martial which is trying
Directors Martin Fitzgerald and
Hamilton Edwards and Editor P. ].
Hooper of the Freeman's Journal
under the restoration of order in
ireland act, today found the defend
ants not guilty on four charges
first, making false statement; sec
ond, spreading report likely to
cause disaffection; third, making a
statement intended to cause disaf-
fection, and fourth, making state
ment likely to cause disaffection.
Judgment now will be promulgated
on two charges-first, unlawfully
spreading false report, and second,
spreading a report intended to cause
disaffection to- his majesty.
No Formal Charge Filed.
London. Nov. 26.-The Irish
cffice, in stating this noon that Ar
thur Griffith had been arrested in
Dublin at q. o'clock this morning,
said no formal charge had yet been