The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-08-25
SLAIN IRISH CHIEF
BODY IS IN DUBLIN
CITY MoURNs LOSS OF THIS
GREAT LEADER
THRONGS PAY TRIBUTE
General Collins Remains Escort
ed Through Streets By Mill
tary Cortege
IAssociatcd Press Dispatch. !

DuDll0, august 24.-DrapeQ IN
the beloved Ti color OF Ireland,
the coffin containing the body OF
Michael Collins, slain chief OF Ire
lands new Free State government,
was landed here TO-DAY from the
steamer Classic ana borne through
the streets amid an impressive trl-
butte from the aSSemb led multitude.
Generl Collins body was met at
the dock by large throngs of mour-
ners. including Richard MulCahy.
CHIEF or staff and other prominent
representative OF the army. The
body was taken on a gun carriage,
preceded by band OF plpers 10 St
Vincent's hospital.
Prayers were said as the pro-
cession pased IN silence. broken
only by the distant crack OF snlpers
rifles in various parts OF the grief
stricken city. the Cortege was
marching in slow time with the
muZzles of their revolvers protrud-
ing from the holsters. A detach-
ment OF civic guards followed
they were the only armed uni
formed men in the procession.
Armored Car Brings Up Rear
Immediately behind came an
armored car bIistling with rifles
held al all angles, comprising an
incongrouS ending 10 the mournful
procession. Several men who were
wounded In the fighting near Ban
don, County Cork, Tuesday night,
when Collins lost his lie. accom-
panied their beloved leaders body
on the sea voyage to Dublin.
From midnight last night crowds
had hAHn p9thpTinU tho north
quay 10 witness the arrival OF the
Chassis, which docKed at two o.
clock this morning. Scenes typical
OF the nations sorrow marked the
progress OF the coffin from the
steamer through the long avenue of
troops which reversed arms to the
waiting gun carriage.
Throngs Bareheaded People
Regular officers draped the plain
oak casket in the Free State colors
and placed it on the wooden plat
form built on the eighteen FOUNDER
gun carriage. The dead generals
charger was led Tiderless alongside.
The members OF the provisional
government and deputies OF the
Dali Eireann together with the
members of the headquarters stan,
Immediately followed. Then came
the throngs of bare headed men
and women. many of them making
no effort to restrain their tears.
Among the little band of fighting
men who made the last stand with
Collins and who followed the body
of the slain hero through the Dublin
streets with lowered heads and
tear blinded eyes, was a boyish fig
ure wearing a ragged civilian coat
and A tweed cap. Across his
shoulders he carried a machine gun,
the same gun with which he said
afterward he poured hail of lead
into Collins attackers.
Tells Ambush Story
After the procession was dismiss
ed he told an interviewer, in a shy
diffident manner and in a voice
often choked by emotion, a viva
story of the fatal ambush.
The car in which Collins was
meet the ambushers fire. There
were at least $50 of them against
twelve of us. IT was about nine o.
clock when we passed through the
village. We had not gone over 4OU
yards along the road when form
both sides we were caught by a
deadly cross fire of machine guns.
General Halted Car
The driver of Collins car want
ed to drive at full speed but the
general ordered him to halt and
told us to take cover. He took
command of the whole situation and
directed the fire against the at
tackers for nearly an hour. Two
machine guns kept up an incessant
firing at Mick's open car up to
then no one had been hurt and it
began to look as though the irreg-
ulars were going to scatter in order
to risk no more casualties.
ut was druing lull in the at
tackers fire that Mick noticed a
sniper creeping on hands and knees
some distance down the road be-
hind him. Mick Immediately went
about a dozen yards In his drec-
ton with the object of stopping
further movement in de rear Of
the party. At that moment heavy
firing swept across the, road from
both sides. The gun in the whlppet
armored car which r. followed, had
damned, lessening the. effect OF our
fire.
"The sudden burst of shooting
caused Mick to turn around for a
few seconds and the next moment
I saw him fall to the ground shot
through the head. AS he lay dying
he shouted words of encouragement
10 his men to go on firing and not
mind him. Immediately there were
cries of My God Mick is shot Men
rushed to his assistance. Although
bleeding freely from a terrible
wound he lived fifteen minutes
during which he continued to fire
his revolver"