The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-10-27
MRS. MacSWINEY
MADE SHARP
RESPONSES
Widow of the Lord Mayor
Resisted Continued At
tempts of Coroner to
Have Her Call Her Hus-
bands Occupation Other
Than Irish Volunteer.

London, Oct. IA jury OF lO men
sitter IL minutes deliberation to-day
returned an open verdict at the inques
over the body of Lord Mayor Mac
Swiney of Cork. who died in Brixtor
prison Monday from results of his 70
day hunger strike.
The verdict was that he had ded
from heart failure. due to dilated
heart, and acute delirium following
scurN y, which was due to exhaustion
from prolonged refusal to take food
Mrs. MaeSwiney, dressed in black
and heavily veiled, was the only wit
ness on behalf of the family, and was
the dominant figure of the proceedings.
Her oomposure was indicated by her
quick and pointed replies.
She successfully resisted the contin-
ued attempts of the coroner to have
her characterize her husbands occu-
patton otherwise than as "a volunteer
officer of the Irish republican army.
The inquest. which was held in the
prison governors office, was attended
by 95 persons besides the coroner and
jury These included Mrs MacSviney,
the lord mayors brother, Sean (Johnl;
his sisters. Annie and Mary; his pri-
vate chaplain, Father Dominic; his sec
retary, the town clerk and the city So
licitor of Cork; representatives of Irish
civic and political organizations, and
home office and other British officials
There was a crowd about the prison
entrance when the members of the
family. accompanied by Art O'Briep,
head of the London office of the Irish
SelfDetermination league, drove up in
a tsXicab. Mrs. MacSwiney stepped
briskly to the door, which was immedi-
ately thrown open, the constables
guarding the entrance, standing aside
deferentially The coroner arrived
shortly afterward and the party filed
into the governors room Of the prison.
Coroner Wyatt opened the proceed
ings with the usual formalities and
asked Mrs. MscSwiney if she wished TO
testify. She replied, Yes" laid her
veil back over her hat, stepped to the
end of the table, opposite the coroner,
and took the oath,
She said her name was Muriel
Frances MacSwiney. that she lived in
Cork and that her husband was Ter
ence James NscSwiney, aged 40
gWhat was he?' asked the coroner
can Irish volunteer
"Did he make a living by that!"
NO"
Had he any other occupation
He was a school teacher for a mum
Der Of years"
The coroner pressed the point, and
Mrs MscSwiney replied:
My husband did nothing for years
but work for his country"
Coroner Wyatt objected 10 the wit.
ness describing her husband a. an Irish
volunteer. to which she reioined:
Il don't see why. Ireland has an
army Of its own. Don't you call that
an occupation in your srmy?'
Yes" said the coroner. but that
Is different thing entirely"
quite, said the witness.
Solicitor Macdonald sought 10 ques :
ton Mrs MacSwney about the charges |
upon which her husband was arrested. 4
The coroner objected, saving he did not |
desire the inquiry to go into the cause
Of death Mr.. Macdonald said the fam
ily regarded the death as the result Of
the lord mayor's arrest and court mar
tial.
eHc went on hunger strike the day I
he was arrested. a. they had no right 4
10 arrest him. II was an ofense
against the laws of the Irish republic /
replied Mrs. MaeSwincy spiritedlv 20
rnoiher of Solicitor MacDonald's qucs-
lions.
Captain hsines. governor ~ the pris-
on. testified briefly. He was not ques-
TONED on behalf e the family.
Dr. Grifiii b. senior mcdical uiiiccr
~ the prissh. said he began attending
MacSwiney sept J. -He was then
weak and had cerfsin signs of tuber-
culosis IN the chest. addcd the physi-
cian.
D.. Griffith. read from book N
which BE- had noted history oi the
taze.
The coroner asked what Dr. Grigths
considered the direct cauze Il death.
The doctor Hrrlod Heart failure /
follow ing ssurNg doe % exhaustion
frar prol1nrcd refusal to take food 4
he iurr rCtuusd after an sbsence 4
q iE minutes sud iuroT rad the var (
1rts ~paath vas due 30 heart failure
,aasequent oa q refusal g food