Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-12-08
FOUR REBEL CHIEFS
EXECUTED, MURDER
Of HALES AVENGED
Irish Republicans Captured in
Dublin Four Courts Last
June Put TO Death.
COURT MARTIAL TRIAL
EARLY THIS morning
Free State Foes Say War VIII
Continue So Long as There's
a Man Left.

Dublin. Dec. s.--Pory OConnor and
Liam Mellowes, together With two
other Irish rebels we're executed IN
Mountjoy prison this morning. % vas
officially announced.
An official army report states nat
tho four men were executed es a re-
prisal for the assassination OF Sean
Hales the deputy shot yesterday and
as a solemn warning % those associat-
cd with them "!n he conspiracy OF as
saesinatlon egainst the representa-
tives Of the Irish people"
Two other men executed were
named Joseph McKelvey and Richard
/ Barrett. both prominent Republicans.
The prisoners were tried by a mil
! tary court martial during the night.
| found guilty and sentenced 70 death.
/ The death sentence was carried out
az $50 o'clock this morning. Three
priests were present. Tho prisoners,
blindtoided, were marched % the place
OF execution. O'Connor had 70 be as
sisted 20 the scaffold.
Roderick CRory) O'Connor and Liam
Meliowes were leaders for the band
OF Irish insurgents that held the Four
Courts Building in Dublin IN IS stand
against the Free state troops last
June. Each was taken prisoner when
the building was captured after a
three-day siege.
Deputy Sean Hales and Brig. Gen
era! Patrick O'NIaiile. deputy speaker
OF the lower house OF the new parlia-
I
way 20 parliament session. Hales
died shortly afterward. O'Alaliie shot
in the head and arm. was operated
upon and it was stated late last nigh;
that his condition was not critical.
Hales was one OF Michael Collins
closest friends. His brother. Tom. is
on the other side-one OF The most
prominent OF the Irregular leaders
and Is reported 20 have acknowledged
himself responsible for the ambush
which resulted in Michael Coyins'
death last summer.
Both Rory O'Connor and liam Mel
loves had figured prominently in in
surgent activities and had been ar
rested n number Of times.
Me,lOwes. who had barely passed his
9th birthday. when executed. had the
more romantic career OF the two
Even when IN his teens he was an in
defatigable worker for the Republi-
can cause. lie organized the Finnah-
. EAreann. a body OF boys who pledged
their lives zoe a free Ireland and made
, q bicycle tour OF the country 20 com
piete this work.
In 1915 he was arrested BY the Brit
, ish. but escaped and a price os $1,000
was put on his head. Finally his hid.
p Ing place was discovered and sur.
r rounded. but he broke through III,
lines disguised as a nun and reachel
, the sea coast where he shipped as
stoker and after a stormy voyage. ar.
, rived in America. During the latel
days OF the World War he lived II
. The United States. but in 1919 return
, ed 20 Ireland 20 engage again in IN,
% hght FOR the republic.
Rory O'Connor was educated 20 3,
4 an engineer, completing a course il
! Dublin University. after which he ~
, ceived an appointment IN western
! 1 Canada. The possibility og entering
p the Irish hght for freedom apparent,
; changed his. mind az the outhceak @
- | the World War, when he suddenll
a left his lonely camp in Canada, cross
ed the ocean and became one OF III
central figures in the famous Easte
a rebellion OF 1915. He was capture,
but later released under the amnesty
The startling swiftnesS with whlc
4 the Free State government acted q
n consequence OF the assassination @
Deputy Hales caused great sensa
ton among Dublin citizens used a
they are TO sensational happenings.
iii Through today's executions the II
I regulars lost two OF their princip,
leaders and two other important a
| though less known men. AL tour SUI
| rendered after their destruction OF "a
| Four Courts, IN the seizure of whic
III O'Connor and Mellowes took a ieadin
n part.