Evening star., 1920-10-27
MACSW|NEY'S WIFE
CALM AT INQUEST;
DOCTOR TEST|F|ES
Widowed Lady. Mayoress
Only Witness for Family.
Verdict in IL Minutes.

LONDON. October PA jury of ter
tion this morning, returned an oper
verdict at the inquest over the body
of Lord Mayor MacSwiney of Cork
who died in Brixton prison early Mon
Gay from the results of his seventy
ee-day hunger strike.
The verdict was that the deceased
had died from heart failure, due tt
dilated heart. and acute deliriun
following scurvy. which was due tt
ia Ike food.
The widowed lady mayoress. dressed
In black and heavily veiIed was the
only witness on behalf of the Mac.
Swiney family. and was the dominan,
hSure of the proceedings. Her com.
posure was indicated by her quick an(
pointed replies.
Mrs. MaCSwiney successfully re-
sisted the continued attempts of the
coroner to have her characterize her
late husbands occupation otherwise
than as volunteer officer of the
Irish republican army"
Present Mt Inquest
The inquest. which was held in the
prlght, sunny office of the prison gov
ernor. was attended by thirty-fiye
persons besides the coroner and iury
These included Mrs. MacSwiney. the
DEAD lord mayors brother Sean (John)
ms SISTERS Annie and Mary. his private
chaplain. Father Dominic; the lord
mayor secretary. the town clerk and
clly solicitor of Cork. representatives
OF Irish civic and political organiza
tons. and home office and other Brit.
lsh government officials.
me Evening News today printed
the Following statement. which, it saws
was made by the deputy lord mayor OF
Cork: u VI
We are leaving behind us in Won,
capltal many of our patriots who will
see that the debt of your government
is fully paid. The English govern.
ment may think they have stif1ed us
but there will be reprisals, and soon
"a London dispatch Tuesdav said
reputation of twenty-one members
OF the corporation of Cork, headed
py Deputy Mayor OCallaghan. had ar.
rived that morning to attend the Lon
don services for the late Lord Mayor
MacSwiney and accompany the fun
eral party to Cork)
IAN Irish Volunteer.
The lady mayoress said her nams
was Muriei Frances MacSwiney. and
that she lived in Cork Her husband
was Terence James MacSwiney, aged
forty. ee'
What was he?" asked the coroner
An Irish volunteer was the an
swer ah-
Dlo ne make living by that?"
NO. answered Mrs. MacSwiney.
had he any other occupation?"
he was a school teacher for a num-
per OF years, replied the lady mayor
The coroner pressed the point and
MIS-. MacSwiney replied:
My husband did nothing for wears
! but work for his country"
coroner Wyatt objected to the wifi
dnG Nrth l.
scriolng her husband az an Irish
volunteer, to which she rejoined.
II don't see why; Ireland has an
army OF Its own; don't you call that an
occupdt tlon IN your army?''
les said the coroner. but that is
anferent thing entirely
of the witness. epi'
Solicitor Macdonald sought to oue,.
uon the lady mayoress about the
charges upon which her husband vas
arrested The coroner objected to
1 tnis. saying he did not desire the in.
&ui.y 20 go beyond the cause of
death. Mr.. Macdonald said the fau,j.
~ regarded the death as the result of
tne iord mayors arrest and court
Onense Against Ireland"
ne went On a hunger strike the
Gay ne was arrested, as they had no
right to arrest him; it was an offense
against the laws of the Irish repub-
nc. replied Mrs. MacSwiney. spir-
eeuiy, 10 another of Solicitor Mac
Donald's questions.
capt Haines, governor of the pris-
on, testified briefly He was no,
questioned on behalf of the family.
Dr. Gr1fhth's. the senior medical of
ncer OF the prison. said he began at
tending MacSwiney September /. He
was then weak and had certain signs
OF tuberculosis in the chest" added
the physician.
DR.. Griffiths read from a book in
which he had noted history of the
case. '"'
He said the prisoner had consistert-
ly refused food all The tine he was
In prison; that his body had deterio.
rated slowly, scuryy developing DC.
tober II. and the patient becomine
worse until he had an attack of acute
delirium on October 20. growing very
reStlve and requiring two officers tC
hold him in bed. He then became IN.
conscious. On October % the hear,
became weakened and dilated. upor
winch the attendants administereS
food
There was some slight improve
ment, continued the doctor. Then
! between 2 and o'clock in the morn.
ing OF the 25th. was called to him.
Instruction to Jury.
Coroner Wyatt. in instructing the
jury. said that if it found the de.
ceased had deliberately killed himselt
1t should return a verdict of self.
murder; second, il 1t found his mint
was SO unbalanced that he did no
realize what would be conseouen
upon his refusal of food. it shoult
find his death was due to suicide t
while of unsound mind or third. il {
found the prisoner did not intend I,
kill himself but. owing to his ply
sical condition. death ensued, the jur,
should return open verdict
During the inquest the solicitor
representing the treasury department
revealed that five days before Mac
Swiney's death, the home office docto
read to him a statement signed b,
Secretary Shortt. as follows:
THE secretary OF state solemn,
warns you that you will not be re-
leased. and that you alone will be re-
. sponsib1e for any consequences which
fSmay ensue on your persistence in re
} fusing food"
To this Lord Mayor Macswine,
merely replied he had been told tina
previously.
Body WIN Lie in state.
Relatives Of Terence MacSwfney, Lat
lord mayor OF Cork. who died in Brfxtol
prison Monday morning following
hunger strike, were today compile I'M
ARRANGEMENTS for the funeral of tn
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