The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-22
MASKED MEN
KILLED MAYOR
Black Faced Marauders Entered
Home and Ended His Life
With Bullets.
TWO CHILDREN BORN DEAD
Sister.in-laW Breaks Down in
Telling Of Tragedy at
Irish Hearing.

A graphic word picture of the
death Of Thomas MacCurtain, Sim
Fein Lord Mayor Of Cork, who was
shot at his home by six men, their
| faces blackened and wearing long
white robes, was related before the
American Commission on Conditions
In Ireland today by Miss Susan
Walsh, sister-in-law Of the slain offi-
cial.
/ PROMPTS HER SISTER.
| Miss Walsh and her sister, Miss
! Anna Walsh, arrived in Washington
last night. Anna Walsh was not
called upon to testify. She remained
in the audience and frequently
prompted her sister in her narration
OF the story of MacCurtain's death.
Related with extreme simplicity,
but each word burning its impress
upon the minds Of the spectators and
members OF the commission, the story
of an eyewitness to the murder Of
the Lord Mayor was the most inter-
esting since the testimony of Mrs.
Muriel Mos winey.
During her testimony, Miss Walsh
| broke down. Members OF the COM
, mission urged her to be calm and not
let her feelings get the better Of
her. Many persons in the audience
wept.
KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS.
According to Miss Walsh's testi-
mony. the MacCurtain family, con-
sisting of Mr.. and Mrs. MacCurtain
and their six children. the Walsh sis
ters and brother, were asleep when
six men, their faces blatkened with
robes, broke into the house They
dragged NacCurtain downstairs. de-
spite the protestations of the women.
Let me get the babies" shrieked
Susan Walsh. She was at that mo-
ment Knocked into unconsciousness,
she stated. by one of the raiders.
HEARD TWO SHOTS.
Upon regaining consciousness, Miss
Walsh testified, she heard the re-
port of two shots, and saw Mac
Curtain writhing in pain in O corner
of the room. Miss Walsh's brother
appeared on the scene at about that
time. The raiders fired at him. but
their aim was bad.
MacCurtin, with the death pallor
| already spreading itself over his
race, feebly said, Il am at deaths
door"
Wishing to rally his spirits. Mrs.
MacCurtain and the Walsh sisters
said he would get better, that he
was only wounded.
Tom, If you do die. you are dy-
| ing for Ireland" burst out III.
brother boyishly
A priest came and administered the
! last rites of the Roman Catholic
Church, and Thomas MacCurt ain
passed into the Great Beyond with a
| smile Illuminating his countenance.
wEEPS on WITNESS STAND.
When Miss Walsh told how the
| children were shrieking with fright,
she broke down and wcpt. One Of
| the commissioners gave her n glass
of water and urged her to be calm.
Miss Walsh said two children were
! born to Mrs MacCurtain within a few
minutes of the death OF the Lord
| Major. Both children were dead
In giving the names Of the chil-
dren of the Lord Mayor. Miss WaIsh
spelled them out in Gaelic. HollinRR-
worth Wood, of New York. a member
of the commission, asked her for tie
English translation of the names
'I am loath to give the Anglicisri
version OF the names" said Miss
Walsh. However, ] will do So"
"Stop" said her sister Anna. from
the audience. tom said before he
died that the children should not
change their names from the Gaelic
to the English"
Frank 4. Walsh, counsel for the
witnesses, issued statement in
which he denied edit itDrials appearing
in certain newspapers that the mem
bers of the Royal Irish Cons abulary
who testified before the commission
were not really identified with that
branch OF the British service, but
were impostors brought here to cir
culatc Irish propaganda.
Walsh said he will produce evidence
that the men were actually in the
constabulary service.
WITNESSED ATROCITIES.
Declaring that IL a referendum ~ere
taken II would be found that the
mass OF British public opinion was
not behind the government In It's
present policy toward Ireland" Miss
Ellen Wilkinson, Of Manchester, one
OF ten women who Investigated con-
dltions in Ireland for tho Woman's
international League, testified beforr
the American committee on condi
tIona In ireland yesterday afternoon.
Miss wilkinson followed Mrs. An
net ". Robinson. another member -
,Contlnucd on Rage 3, column -