The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-10-25
FALLEN A VICTIM
To HIS FANAT|C|SM
After Seventy Three Days of Misery.
Terence McSweeny's Self -Tortur-
ed Body is at Rest
CAssociated Pressl

Sweeny, lord mayor of Cork, died in
Brixton prison early today after a.
73-day hunger strike. He had been
unconscious for several days and did
not revive before he died. His pri-l
vate chaplain and brother were the
Only visitors allowed at the deathbed.
Heart failure caused death, a state
ment of the prison physician said.
Guards were placed around the prison
to prevent a demonstration, but no
civilians were waiting. This is said
to be the longest fast in medical his
tory.
STORY OF STARVATION
The story of the self-starvation of
Terence McSweeny probably will be-
come one of the most moving chap
tiers of the centuries-long history of
the Irish struggle. The campaign in
England for McSweeny's release from
prison has been apart from all politi-
cal and party considerations and even
the king was drawn into it.
Two notable controversies, one con-
stitutional and the other theological,
have arisen from the case. The first
was whether King George could prop
eIly evercise his pardoning prerogaZ
tive independently of against the adj
vice of his ministers. The second was
whether the Catholic clergy, repre-
senting a church which holds suicide
to be crime, could consistently ad-
minister the sacraments to hunger
strikers.
The human aspect of the lord may
or's hunger strike was the one that
chiefly Interested British people and
compelled the sympathy of even his
hardest political enemies. Mrs. Nc
SWeeny and his brothers and sisters
were treated everywhere with respect
and on their side had nothing but
good to say of the jailers and police
with whom they had to deal.
Any way out of McSweeny's i'm
prisonment except his death would
have been welcomed by the whole pub
lie, but his family were as firm as
McSweeny in refusing to listen to any
end except release or death. There can
be no doubt the Irish republicans be-
lieved McSweeny had given their
cause the most valuable service in his
power and that. like John Brown, "he
will trouble you more than ever when
you have nailed his coffin down.
McSweeny's hunger strike was be-
gun on August 18th when, with ten
of his associates, he was arrested by
soldiers in Cork while attending ses-
sion of Sinn Fem court. After
teial by courtmartial under the regu-
lations of the defense of the realm
# act, he was found guilty of sedition
and sentenced to two years imprison-
ment, which he was serving in Brix-
ton prison in London.
McSweeny, then an alderman of
Cork, was elected lord mayor of the
city at special session of the Cork
corporation on March 80 of this year.
He was well-known Sim Fein lead
er and, prior to his election, had been
Geported and imprisoned several
times, one of the latest notable in
stances of his confinement having
been in 1916 in connection with the
Irish Easter revolt.
Already weak at the trial because
of his refusal to take food, McSWeens
disputed the jurisdiction of the court
saying: II am the lord mayor of this
city and its chief magistrate. / de.
clare this court illegal and those tax
ing part in it liable to arrest under
the laws of the Irish republic"
The day following his trial, Lore
Mayor McSweeny was deported e
England aboard destroyer, under 1
heavy military escort and was lodgee
in Brixton Jail. The government an
nounced on August 10 that he wa.
sented to two years Imprisonment.
McSweeny's hunger strike brough
numerous solicitations and protest,
to the British authorities, many of th,
appeals being from sympathizers il
the United States, even threat from
the Sim Fein in Ireland that, in th
event of his death, general strik
and serious disturbances would pre-
vail throughout the island. An appea
was taken directly to the king but thi
also proved unavailing.
During his Imprisonment the lor,
mayor received numerous messages o
encouragement and also petitions t
abandon his strike. He replied to tn
latter that if he gave up his fight h
would "give away Irish liberty an
that he would rather die than d
that"
Replying to reports that sustenanc
was being given Mayor McSween,
the British home Office declared IF h
is being fed we do not know it,
while members of McSweeny's famil
denied ca.egorically than food ha
been given him.
Peter McSWeeny, of New York,
brother Of the lord mayor, and a
official of the American commissio
for Irish independence.