The Washington times., 1921-03-14
S|NNFE|NERS
PUT TO DEATH
Crowds Pray at Doors Of Mount
Joy Jail as Executions
Take Place.
BY DANIEL O'CONNELL,
International News Service.

Ntwb ScTNiCSs
DUBLIN, March 14.-Six young
Sim Feiners were executed at
Mount Joy prison this morning for
completely in attacks upon crown
forces in Ireland.
Thomas w. Heelan and Patrick
Moran, who were convicted of par
ticipating in the killing of British
officers in this city on November 21
-"bloody Sunday"-were executed
first.
QUELLs TALK OF PEACE.
The executions caused a tremendous
sensation and have had the effect Of
quelling talk of further peace nego-
tiations for the time being.
Business was at a standstil1. Even
the postoffice was closed Outside OF
Mt. Joy prison thousands were gath
saered. Many kneit in prayer and the
sobs and cries of lamentation nlled
the air.
Inside the prison, within a few
hundred feet of the spot where the
six condemned men met their death,
was Arthur Griffith, Sim Fein men,
ber of parliament, vice president of
the Irish republic. and head of the
Sim Fein organization. He is
prisoner.
REPRIEvE EFFORT FAILS.
Attepts to secure a reprieve for the
six Republicans failed. Word was re-
ceived from London early today that
the home office and the Irish office
would not Interfere. The authori-
ties then made the final arrange
ments for executions. 1t was decided
that the men should be killed In
pairs, beginning at o'clock. After
Wheelan and Moran, two others of the
condemned men were ordered to their
doom at o'clock. and an hour later
at o'clock-the final couple met
death.
ALIBI WAS DISREGARDED.
The highest feeling was aroused
over the execution of Moran, who was
formerly head of the Union of Gro
Gerry Clerks in Dublin. His friends
declared that he had been convicted
before a British military court on the
fimsiest kind of evidence, and that
the testimony of his friends, who,
sworn to an alibi. was disregarded.
Whelan has two brothers in the
United States. One of them is said
to be a soldier in the American
army He was accused of shooting an
English officer to death on the morn
ing of Bloody Sunday" but evidence
was given at the court-martial that
he was attending mass at the time he
was alleged to have committed the
murder.
The other four condemned men
Thomas Bryan, Bernard Ryan, Frank
]. Flood and Patrick Doyle-yere ac-
cused of participating in an ambush
The scenes about the prison pre-
scented the deepest tragedy and
pathos. Some had erected tiny affairs
upon which candles burned while
mourners prostrated themselves and
wept and prayed.
Crowded close to the gates of the
prison yard was Mrs. Wheelan. aged
mother of one of the doomed men.
She had come all the way from Con-
nemarra, in County Galway, and wore
the quaint costume of the peasant
women of that district. Tears rolled
down her wrinkled cheeks.
ALL WALKED TO DEATH.
As the minutes passed the tension
crew greater; the cries of lamenta-
fion grew louder and the feeling of
the multitude struck deeper. Many
women tainted.
The first word OF the executions
was brought from the prison yard by
Canon Waters. He had administered
the last rites. He said all the pris-
oners died like heroes. All walked
70 their death bravely and unassisted.
There was no faltering.
When the prison keeper appeared
with a notice, which he posted an
nouncing that the executions had been
carried out in accordance with the de-
cree of the courts, groan went
through the crowd. Mrs. Doyle, wife
of one OF the dead men. who had risen
from a sick bed with her two weeks
old twins at her breast, collapsed
The brothers of two OF the executed
men fell in a faint and were carried
TO the hospital amidst the hostile MUIR
murs of the crowd.
Large numbers OF troops. supported
nv tanks, had been massed al pit the
prison during the night but Gs the
multitude increased in size thi, morn
ing the soldiers were recalled :, their
barracks for fear OF collisions with
DC civilians. only the regular po-
Nce were left on duty.