The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-10-25
PRISONER
SUCCUMBS
TO HUNGER
Famous Irishman's Life
Comes to End on 74th
Day OF Fast in Prison
ny LLOYD ALLEN

Swiney died In Brsxton at $40 a M.
today. The lord mayor OF Cork died
without rcgaining consciousness AT
the dawn OF the 7tth day OF his hun
ger strike.
With MaeSwiney. as he died. were
Father Dominic. his religious advts-
er. and his brother John. John re-
mained IN the Brixten prison thru.
out the night. and WIS not permitted
to leave until sss. Until that tim-
he was not permitted 10 communi
cate with other relatives
Macswtney begnn sinking at mid
night last night Officials refused TO
permit the priest To notify relatives.
according to sinn Fein announce.
ment The lady rnayorcnH and Mac
Swiney's sisters. Annie and Mary.
visited the prison. at > p. m They
stayed IS minutes.
MRS. Mn~sNyINEY
Is FRUSTRATED
Friends took charge of Mrs. Mac
swiney. who wns prpstrntcd when
told of her husbands death. she was
removed 10 n private home. where
they could care for her.
A small crowd hung around the
rates 70 nrixton pri~ou during the
forenoon II surrounded cab In
which ono Of the late lord mayors
sisters. Annie. drove up at II o'ciock-
The woman was weeping.
Extra guards were summoned to
Rrixton. Fears demonstration might
be started seemed disSipatcd when no
unusual crowds materiAiixed Those
that assembled appeared more curl
Gus than excited
An inquest probably will be held
today. prison officials said The In
vestiEation was expected 10 BE- pure
" formal. with two prison officials
testlfying 10 the cause Of death.
RELATIVES BARRED
FROM PRISON
The prisoners wife visited tho bed.
side Saturday afternoon, but the two
sisters had not been allowed TO soc
their brother since Friday. They
were denlcd admission saturday. and
remained In tho prison waiting room
all day without food. They finally
were ejected late at night.
NacSwiney's death was believed
near Thursday. when he became de-
firious. His body was racked with
tremorr. which continued even after
he had reeained consciousness Physi
clans gave him his first food as he
lost control Of himself. They gave
him beef extract and brandy.
The prisoner ragged when he reccv-
cred and knew from the odors that
he had taken food. Thereafter he
was fed whenever he lost conscious
ness. Aitho the food was retained.
physicians had little hope that he
would recover. His mental attitude
was against II. and he wore himself
out raging against being fed.
Physicians protested the procew OF
feeding Macswiney made Is advisable
to iar relatives
FORCIBi.E FEEDING
Is CONDEMNED
The last outsider 10 see him was
Art OBrien. OF the Self Determina,
ton league. o'Brien issued a state
ment saying the feeding OF Mac
swiney waa unnecessary violence.
After lying in comparative comfort
for almost 70 days OF his strike. Mac.
swiney's last days were painful and
narrowing.
Previously Macswiney had lain on
his bed packed In hot water bottles.
contentedly receiving visitors and
peacefully contemplating the effect
Of his act on the cause Of Ireland.
Then came HIS delirium and his
first feeding. There were several
dellrioua spells. during which Mac.
gwlney raved and shouted OF the
Irish republic. driving imaginary
troops and presiding over imaginary
Irish courts.
The lady mayorezs apparently
knew death WAS coming when she
saw her husband Saturday "Its
too terrible. ! can't talk about II any
more" she said when she left the
prison late In the afternoon.
Macswiney. said 20 be suffering
from lung trouble when arrested on
August ~. went on a hunger strike
Immediately. He was convicted Aug
ust 10 by a military court on charges
OF preparing and having In his pos
session seditious literature.
Eleven ouher irish republicans
about the same time went on a hun
ger strike two days earlier in the
Cork jail. when Macswiney was de.
ported 20 England 10 he pinced In
Brixton Jail shortly after sentence.
he was so weak he had 10 be carried
aboard the steamer. n wna believed
then he would die within a few
weeks.