The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-09
WOMANFA|NTS
AT GRIM TALE
Spectator Swoons When
Mayors Wife Tells Of Suffer.
ings in Brixton Jail.

Dressed in deep mourning, which
accentuated her pallor. Mrs. Muriel
McSwiney, widow Of the Lord Mayor
of Cork. took the witness stand to-
day before the Commission on Con-
ditions in Ireland to testify con-
cerning British government in Ire
land. The hearing room was packed
to the point of suffocation and many
persons were unable 10 secure en-
trance.
NARRATEs CHILDHOOD.
Mrs. McSwiney began her narrative
by telling the commission of her
childhood in Ireland. Always, she
said. she had been Impressed, even ~
q child, by the intense poverty exist.
ing in Ireland.
II always had Republican ideals"
she told the Committee. Il was sent
to England to school, and yet the
Irish would come out even over
there"
WOMEN SOB AUD1DLY.
Many Of the women At the hearing
sobbed audibly when Mrs. Ncewiasy
told of her husband sending hsr
from Engiand two weeks before
that the child might be born on
Irish soil.
She said that she had been In the
habit OF visiting her husband every
day. while he was In England and
that two weeks before the child was
born Terrence McSwiney had told
her that he wished the baby to be
born in Cork, because some day
"shs might have to, nsht for Ire-
land"
Mrs. Mcswiney said that she went
20 Cork. where the baby was born.
and that when II was six weeks
old she took the infant to Dundalk.
where Mcswiney had been trans.
ferred to prison.
SAW BABE IN PaIsON.
''The nrst glimpse ne had Of our
baby" said Mrs, Swiney with q
choke in her boice, was in prison-"
Mrs. McSwiney said that her hus-
band was first arrested on Novem-
ber Z, 1917. for wearing an Irish
Republican uniform.
While he was in Jail in England,
in June, 1917, they were married.
and he was released the following
November. Their baby. Mura, was
born in June. 1918.
Mrs McSwiney wears a ring which
she told her hearers was 4 symbol
that she spoke Gaelic, and anyone
speaking Gaelic should address her
In that tongue rather than In Eng
lish.
she sasA that when Msr. wss
born the ring was Gfven to A~r.
bat that abe lad to take IL swsy
FROM the child ~ they were afrniA
she might swallow It.
WOMAN FAINTs AT STORY.
whes Mrs.. Mcswiney, reeo.nted
the last trial and death "f her Aus-
band, msny Of the audience were cry-
| Ing and one woman tainted and hsA
t. be removed from the room
Mrs. McSwiney told her story with
remarkable calm. and only once did
tears come to her eyes. That was
when she read excerpts from Terence
McSwiney's last speech. ..
| II knew at the time of his last
trial that he was going to de-" she
said. And / became reconciied
to it"
| One of the charges against Nc
Swiney, she said. was that OF sedition
because of a speech he had made
This same speech. she said. he re-
peated in the court room of the last
trial. ....,...... ........F L.
| in this" she continued, "he said"
1--WE ask no mercy and we accept
no compromise
IL knew from that he was doomed.
He told the court that he would bs
free within a month, either alive or
dead from a hunger strike.
BUOYED UP NY MAYOR.
During the long days OF his hun
ger strike In BriSton prison felt
that couldn't 10 on with II, but I
was helped and buoyed up by my
husband. He radiated happiness and
lcontentment even when dying.
"My husband never had any desire
for vengeance against England. He
never hated any one. All that he
wanted was for England to get out
Of ireland and be 1re'and's friend
Mrs. McSwiney said that after his
first release And return TO ireland
lhe wns elected vice lord mayor. He
succeeded to the lord mayoralty
upon the assassination Of Lsrd
4 q