The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-10-25
MACSWINEY DIED
IN BRIXT0N JAIL
THIS MORNING
Death Ends Hunger Strike on
73d Day
SENTENCED FOR 2 YEARS
Lord Mayor Of Cork Had Been Convict.
ed Under Defence Of Realm
Act.

LOndcn, Oct Z5.-Ierence MacSWln'
ey, lord mayor of Cork died at Brixton
prison this morning, following a
hunger strike of 73 days.
His death followed a hunger strike
of ever seventy.three days and eclips-
es any in the annals of the medical
world. MacSwiney who had been I'M
conscious several days did not recoy.
er his faculties before he died
Father Dominic his private chaplain
and brother John MaeSwiney were
with him when the end came. His
brother asked the privilege Of com
municating with other relatives not
present but the officials, it is said, re-
fused him the use of the telephone.
His wife, her parents and two sisters
of MacSwiney arrived at the prison
at $50 He will be buried in Ireland.
The cause OF death was heart failure,
according to the Home Office announce
ment MacSwiney was forty years old.
Cork, Oct 25. Associated Fever
ish interest in possible Developments
is caused by the death of MacSwiney
mingled with grief in which his death
has plunged South Ireland.
Although people appeared stirred to
the highest degree of bitterness it is
regarded as extremely improbable that
there will be any outbreaks or disor.
derly demonstrations here.
1t is expected however, that there
will be considerable extension and in
tensification of the Guerilla warfare
against police military forces which
are anticipating reprisals and doubling
vigilance especially in remote dis
tricts.
MaoSwiney's hunger strike was be.
gun on August IL when, with ten Of
his associates he was arrested by sol
diers in Mork while attending a ses
sion of Sim Fein court. After trial
by a courtmartial under the regula
tions cf the Defence OF the Realm Act
he was found guilty of sedition and
sentenced to two years Imprisonment
which he was serving in Brixton Pris
on in London.
MacSwney, then an Alderman Of
Cork, was elected Lord Mayor of the
city az a special session OF the Cork
Corporation on March 30 Of this year
He was a well known Sim Fein lead
er and, prior to his election, had beer
deported and imprisoned severa
times, one of the latest notable in
stances of his confinement havinl
been in 1916 in connection with the
British the Irish Easter revolt
When arrested on August u. Mac
Swiney managed to escape to the
street from the back of the City Hall
which soldiers had surrounded, bu
was captured outside. He was takeI
to the military barracks and came NJ
for trial on August 16 The court
martial found him guilty of haynl
control Of the secret police cipher o
I having In his possession a documen
likely TO cause disaffecton, namely,
copy of a solution of the Cork Cor
poration pledging allegiance to thu
/ Dali Eireann, the Irish Republican
Parliament, and OF having made
seditous speech on the occasion o
! his election.
Already weak at the trial because 0
! his refusal to take food, MacSwine,
disputed the jurisdiction of the court
saying II am the lord mayor Ct thl
city and its chief magistrate. dc
clare this court Illegal and those taI
ing part in It liable to arrest unde
the laws of the Irish republic"
The day following his trial. Tor
Mayor MacSwiney was deported I
England aboard a destroyer. under
heavy military escort and was lodge
in BriXton pail The government al
nounced on August 19 that hewas SCI
fenced TO two years imprisonment.
MacSwineys hunger strike brough
numerous solicitations and protests [
the British authorities. many of th
appeals being from sympathizers (
the United States. Even a threa
from the Sim Fein in Ireland. that. I
the event of his death, a general strik
and serious disturbances would pr,
vail throughout the island. An appei
was taken directly to the King br
this also proved unayailmg.
During his Imprisonment, the Tor
Mayer received numerous messages
announcement and also petitions [
abandon his strike. He replied to III
latter that if he gave up his fight h
would give away Irish liberty" an
that he would rather die than d
that
Replying to reports that sustenanc
was being given Mayor MacSwine
the British Home Office declared "
he IS being fed we do not know II
, while members of MacSwinv's mi
+ denied cotegorieally that food ha
, been given him.
, Peter MacSwiney, of New York.
brother of the ord Mayor. Is an of
eia' of the American Commission II
Irish Independence.