The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-10-23

MYSTERY HANGS
OVER DEATH BED
OF MAcSWINEY
Relatives Fear Mayor i,
Dead Because Of Strict
Censorship.

London. Oct 2s.-Grave reports
were in circulation at noon today
regarding the condition Of Terence
MacSwiney. lord mayor OF Cork, on
the 72nd day Of his hunger strike
In Brixton prison. A statement is
sued by the Exchange Telegraph
company at that hour declared the
lord mayors last moments were at
hand.
The bulletin OF the Irish Self
Determination league on the lord
mayors condition. however, stated
the league has been informed that
he was in about the same state as
recently. He was unconscious, its
information said.
However" added the statement,
the home Office has placed an en-
barge on the use of the telephone
for communicating news to the out
side and has forbidden the lord
mayors sisters to visit him"
The home ONCE explained the de-
NAL OF admission to the lord may
or's sisters as being due only to the
belief that their visits interfered
with the careful nursing which the
prisoners extremely delicate con-
dition required.
May Prolong Life.
The league announced that Mrs.
MacSwiney, while permitted to see
her husband, was allowed to re-
main only short periods. A new
angle OF the case developed today
in that the lord mayor now is re-
tanning the food administered by
the doctors, indicating that 1t is be-
ing assimilated. This. 1t is be-
lieved, may prolong MacSwiney's
life for some time.
Veil Of Mystery.
London, Oct. 23.-(United Press).
"A veil Of mystery today hung
over Brixton prison where Lord
Mayor MacSwiney was entering the
72nd day OF his hunger strike.
Prison officials clamped down q
strict censorship regarding his con-
dition. This led to the belief at
I, Sim Fein headquarters here that
! MacSwiney was at least in an ex-
tremely critical condition.
Relatives OF Lord Mayor Mac
.Swiney fear aasts. Aho6x Ind that the
officials Of Brixton briyon are sup
pressing the fact, according to a
statement by his brother. Peter
MacSwiney Of New York this after
noon.
Peter, leaving the prison. said the
authorities had refused permission
.. for any OF his relatives to see the
lord mayor since 6 o'clock Mary
and Annie MacSwiney. the lord
mayors sisters, and Father Domi-
nick. his chaplain, emerged from
the prison shortly before Peter and
explained the officials had not al
lowed them to remain at MacSwin-
ey's bedside, although his wife had
been granted this privilege.
Tae home Office later informed
! the United Press that the sisters
we're excluded from the prison be-
cause they might interfere with
physicians feeding MacSwiney dur
/ ing his periods Of delirium. 1t was
stated other relatives had not been
| excluded but their visits would be
restricted in the future.
! London, Oct 23.-(United Press)
Annie and Mary MacSwiney, sis
ters Of Lord Mayor MacSwiney,
whose death was expected momen-
tarily. Joined him in his hunger
strike today
! Their action followed exclusion
by officials Of Brixton prison from
his bedside because, 1t was explain
ed, they might interfere with the
! forcible feeding of the lord mayor.
| Burn Shops.
Cork. Ireland. Oct 23.-Several
shops were burned and the windows
of the principal business concerns
were smashed last evening at Ban
do, In the vicinity Of this city, neal
the scene Of yesterdays ambush Of
military lorries. in which an officer
and a private were killed and five
soldiers were wounded, one oi
whom died later. 1t Is reported the
village Of 1nnishannon also was
considerably damaged.