New-York tribune., 1922-11-25
See Irish War
I'm Execution
OF Cllilders
tceasina.d from gag. one,

saying that Childers was removed on
Sunday to Kilmainham prison from
Mountjoy, and it is presumed he was
1918 uprising also wera shot. Mrs.
Childers is quoted as saying he asked
TO see two Catholic priests, but this
was refused him. He was visited, how
ever, by the Protestant Archdeacon Of
Kildare. he having been a member of
the Church of Ireland.
Childers's end recalls the night dur
INK Che black and tan" terror, when
Piaras Beasiai, then on the run, called
names Of trustworthy journalists to
meet Childers, who had just taken
over the dictatorship Of publicity for
Dali Eireann on the arrest of Desmond
Fitzgerald.
Some republicans at that time OBJ
tected to an Englishman being at the
head of the Irish publicity department,
but General Beaslsi, who was a friend
and eonfidant Of Michael Collins 81
fenced the critics by saying he would
trust Childers with his life.
Known only to the leaders, Childers's
work before the truce was not under
stood by the public and his hostility
to the treaty and the press campaign
against him made him unpopular In
England and Ireland. His arrest, trial
and the legal proceedings growing out
OF them made him better known than
ever before. / am Informed that all
Dublin is stunned by his execution.
DUBLIN. Nov. 25 (By The Associated
Press).-The extreme penalty of mill
tary law was paid in the early hours Of
this morning by Erskine Childers.
Childers was sent to his doom, pre-
sumabiy at the hands Of firing squad,
IN the Portobello barracks here after
conviction by court martial of having
possessed without proper authority an
automatic pistol, In violation of the Or
der OF the constituted government.
The sentence Of death was earriad
out at o'clock. The condemned man
had been brought to trial on November
IL, but when the verdict of the court
martial was rendered and he was con-
aemned to death efforts were made in n
eivil court to overthrow the findings of
the military authorities and save the
prisoners life.
For several days arguments in
ha6eas corpus proceedings were held
oelore the master Of the rolls, but the
master on Thursday decided he had no
jurisdiction and that therefore the
prisoner could not obtain relief In his
court. 40 A'A'
Execution Method Not Stated
although an appeal TO higher court
was immediately taken Richard Null
cahy' fhe minister of defense, appar-
shuy had only awaited the decision Of
she MASTER OF the rolls to confirm the
court martial's death sentence and nr.
der its immediste execution.
The official record OF the execut,oc
vas not issued until Ave hours sftar
ohiiders had met death. 1t constituted
merely citation of the fact that fhe
prisoner had met his fate.
me statement did not even set forth
no" the execution was effected, but il
Is generally assumed that Childers
was shot, and his friends are con-
vlnced that he faced the firing SQUAD
like the brave man he ajways 800 baS
proved himself to be.
AS no details Of the recent eracu.
saen OF four men for offenses s{mi-
lar to that of Childers have ever haan
published, it is assumed that for the
present at least, nothing will be made
peDno regarding the Childefs case
1ne action OF the authorities In pro-
appeal from the decision Of ths ynastsr tar
OK the rolls could be heard has nat
WIN oosa strong approval and strong
concentration, according 70 the poiit;s
cal isarnings of the people.
Believe Army Is Suffic,en.
Confidence Is expressed in govern,en,
circles that the Free State arnI js
able to deal with any situation that
may arise IN consequence Of the nut
ting TO death one of the stauncb hest
members Of tho anti-rovernyaapS -.
tien.
In thebe circles it was declared to-
Day when the idea was broached that
the execution Of Chiiders might make
the inSerneeine strife wilder, that the
Lrssgnlars already had shown a dis
position 60 do all the harm possible
and that they could do no worse
seven OF the eight men, who. with
OhllaeTs, were principals in the habeas
corpus proceedings, have been SEN
fenced to. terms ranging from Ave
years penal ssrvisude TO twelve months'
imprisonment. The eighth man was
found not guilty. The names OF these
men have never been made public.