The Washington times., 1922-08-24
COLLINS LIFE
AS BOY TOLD
BY A BROTHER
Fighter From Birth, Says Pat
rick, Chicago Policeman.
Sees Honor in Death.
BY PATRICK J. COLLINS,
Sergeant OF Police OF Chicago, and
Brother Of Michael Collins.


Publishing Company.
Reproduction Prohibited.
CHICAGO, Aug. 24.-Far out at
sea we could see the liners on their
way to America. Mike would say
that he never would leave the old
country.
He was full of the dreams that
came to him after he heard ut
mothers knee OF the stirring things
hat her people had done for Ireland
IN the seventy years that preceded
mis- birth.
don't remember much of the
tales she told because / was fired
with the ambition to come to Amer
lea. But Mike used to dream and
dream while she talked to us on a
winters night around the fire in the
old farmhouse near Clonakilty.
The earliest recollection ] have OF
my brother dates back to the October
night in 1891 that he was born.
was only six years old at the time,
but ! can remember how my father
came to me that night and put me
to bed early. The next morning,
when / woke up. my father told me
/ ndQ a ne" hAo
name was to be Michael.
Was Fighter As Small Boy.
We played about the countryside
as other boys did. We went to the
national school together. Mike was
a fighter and l can never remember
an occasion when he cried for help.
He was inclined to go his own way
and mind his own business.
There was only one person that
Mike feared and that was father
with his blackthorn stick. Near our
home was a high hill on which we
used to fight sham battles. When
Mike played It was always a fight
between the Irish and English with
the hill representing Ireland. He
would throw himself into the mock
combat with such fury that we often
feared he would injure one Of his
opponents.
Naturally there was considerable
noise when one of the affrays was
on, and I can well remember father
coming over the hill with his black
thorn stick to quiet the combatants.
The old home, which was ten
room. two.story house. Is no longer
standing. II was burned to the
ground by the black and tans. They
turned every stone in their effort TO
catch Mike.
Our boyhood comradeship was
broken when / was fourteen and was
given the opportunity to come to
America with Uncle Thomas OBrien.
a brother OF mothers. l remember r
the conversation ! had with Mike
when II was decided that could
come.
Il will go to America and get into
politics as all the Irish do" said.
Would Never Leave Ireland.
That's the talk Of the country.
side" replied Mike, who was then
eight years old. IF you get into
politics and get a job sweeping the
streets, you'll be lucky. l am never
going to leave Ireland
came to America and stayed
here. From letters l learned that
Mike left home at the age Of four
teen TO enter the British postal
service. Later he went into the
banking business. He was con.
sidered one Of the brainiest young
fellows in that line.
Ten years ago l wrote him saying
that he could get a good job here
and avoid all the danger attending
the rebellion. After much CORE.
spondence. he arranged to come on
the steamer st. Paul. AT the last
minute he changed his mind.
His death is a sad blow to me.
I felt that It was coming, but 1
did not realize what a shock Il
would be until I was told Of it.
Put Blame On DeValera.
/ blame the radical element.
blame DeValera. While he was in
the United States living a life of
luxury, poor Mike was hunted
through the countryside like a
dog for six long years.
There are no regrets coming
from the Collins family. We felt
with Mike that he had his life
work cut out for him. He stood
by his principles and fought for
them.
The one regret we all will have
Is that mother was not alive to
see the place attained in the his
tory Of the world by the boy she
used to tell the old stories to.
How proud she would have been to
know that Mike gave his life for
Ireland just as her own ancestors
had.