The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-11-28
|M'SWINEY
/ SISTERS GREET
Unable To Speak Because
of Weakness Due to
Hunger Strike
MARY NODDED AND
ANNIE COLLAPSED
Former Released From
Prison After 23rd Day
Of Fasting

Press Miss Mary MacSwiney, VINO
was released from Mount Joy prison
Yesterday. the 23d day Of her hunger
strike. met her sister, Annie, in a pri-
vate hospital in this city last evening.
Annie. weakened by several days OF
fasting outside the prison gates, col
lansed when she saw her sister, but
quickly recovered and was taken 70
another hospital on a stretcher.
The release came as surprise TO
the citizens generally, although y mad
been expected in well informed circles
Marx was very weak.
The popular surprise over the re-
lease of Mary MacSwiney was largely
because early declarations from gov
ernment quarters were so unequivocai
against permitting the prisoners hun
ger strike to sway the authorities from
their course.
II was pointed out, however, that
she was really military prisoner, ana
that Minister of Defense Mulcahy was
privileged to take whatever action he
deemed expedient, He had been
close friend Of her brother, Terence
MacSwiney, the Cork mayor, who died
from hunger strike in Brixton prs.
on, England, two years ago. and mad
lived with that family in Cork.
Eventually, it develops, the argu-
ment that the release of Mary Mac
SwInev would set precedent and
might influence many of the thou
sands of prisoners held by the free
state to emulate her Example, was set
aside. 1t was held that hers could be
well treated as an exceptional case and
it's precedent be limited to those wom-
en- whose brothers perished through
hunger strikes in the conflict with the
British.
In the pleas for clemency, the city
of Cork was the most insistent- In
Dublin the interest was slight except
among the republican sympathixers
and the newspapers paid little atten-
ton either to Mary MacSwiney's hun
ger strike, or the prayerful fast of her
sister Annie, outside Mount Joy pris-
ON gate. American interest, however.
was known to be keen and this tended
to influence opinion here.
The scene between the two sisters
when they met last evening was a
touching one. As Annie was being
carried away from the prison gate her
stretcher was stopped by her request
at the nursing home and she was TAX
en- upstairs TO see the released prison
er.
The one In bed. the other in the
arms of a friend, the sisters gazed at
each other mutely for q second. Mary
MacSwiney moved her head freely in
recognition Annie, however, tongue
less and motionless, continued to stare
at her sister for another moment, then
collapsed and was borne away. Not
word was spoken. In the private
hospital to which Annie was taken
she revived soon afterward.
A reporter for the Irish Independent
who interviewed Annie quoted her as
saving that after three OF four days
hunger striking person loses all de-
sire for food, but that the feeling of
hunger is followed by an almost IN
tolerable weakness or general indiffer-
ence.
II lost all craving for food. she
said, "and my attitude towards II be-
came like my desire for a million
pounds. / would like it but ! wasn't
particularly concerned at not having
/ it."
Annie said she experienced none Of
the painful sensations generally sup
posed to accompany such a prolonged
| fast.
The interviewer suggested she must
have found the nights very cold, but
Annie answered "No."
"sfy friends were wonderful she
went ON. They were incesssnt in
their watchfulness. Whenever il grew
cold they gave me extra blankets and
hot water bottles and when | dozed
they changed the bottles 30 carefully
they didn't waken me"
: Speaking of her sisters release, An
ME said:
Il was wild with joy when I was
told she was being taken to a private
nursing home but l refused to leave
the prison gate until one Of my friends
actually had seen her brought into the
home. Then was taken 20 sec her.
Asked how her sister looked, Annie
said:
"She was lying on her back, with
her ewes closed, looking very tired. She
smiled when she opened her eyes and
saw me. but I thought her face looked
rather small and pinched.'
WAITED RorFrn OvFp