The Washington times., 1922-08-24
COLLINS ONCE
DARED REBELS
To SHOOT HIM
I'VE Cannot Take RESPONSE
bility," Harry BoIand Replied
to Challenge.
BY HAYDEN TALBOT,

Universal Service Special Correspondent.
Copyright. 1s22. by Universal service.)
(Mr. Talbot was the last newspaper
man to interview Michael Collins,
the slain leader OF the Irish provi-
sional government)
LONDON, Aug. 24.-"If de Valera
and the rest of you uncompromising
treason, there is only one decent
thing for you to do. You know what
a traitor deserves-death. Why don't
you have me killed?'
These are the exact words used by
Michael Collins in sidewalk con-
versation with Harry Boland less
than three months ago.
Collins related the incident to me
during my last visit to Dublin fort
night ago.
Feared Consequences.
Now. Mick, be reasonable" Bo-
land replied. You know we cannot
afford to have you killed. We would
not dare to take the responsibility
for such a thing"
To this Collins retorted:
Nonsense. The best thing the
Irish people do is to forget. Within
a week they would have forgotten
me. I am altogether serious. Boland.
You know perfectly well the impulse
Of the movement you call treason.
able.
Destroy me and your idealistic
colleagues can go ahead with your
republic without opposition worthy
OF the name"
When l expostulated with Collins
for apparently inviting assassination,
he said, chuckling:
We'll, several of them will have
headaches If they try it,"
Although details of the crime are
still lacking, I can state positively
that with Collins at the time of his
death there was at least one man
second only in poise and craft to
Mick himself.
Unless the death which was meted
out to Collins also struck Joe
O'Reilly, it is certain that for every
cartridge in O'Reilly's brace of re-
lying cold in death.
O'Reilly, whose worship of Mick
was idolatrous, slept in the same
bedroom with his chief since the 1916
rising. Throughout the black and
tan terror he was Collins alter ego.
Deplored Recklessness.
Going to my last interview with
the big fellow" as he was nick
named by his followers, at a secret
meeting place on the outskirts of
Dublin, I knew I had arrived at the
right place when I discovered big
Rolls Royce by the roadside with
O'Reilly lounging in the rear seat.
Inside the building I came upon Will
liam McCann. Collins private secre-
tary. He was unusually perturbed,
and declared:
1T is a pity how reckless the big
fellow is getting. He seems to have
no thought at all of the devils wait
ing behind every bush and tree to
have a shot at him. This big auto
mobile identifies him everywhere he
goes. 1t is just the same as carrying
brass band around with him."
Only q few nights later his car
was ambushed and destroyed at
Stillorgan, although Mick was not In
1t at the time.
There is one aspect of yesterdays
crime which is we'll understood
among the men left in the govern.
ment and the high command Of the
Irish army. 1t Is the inevitable after
math of Mick's murder. Only Col
Inns stood between certain of his fol.
lowers and their engaging in a form
Of individual reprisals which he knew
would speedily send Ireland down in
a welter of deadly fueds.
Looks for Reprisals.
Now with his restraining hand re.
moved 1t may only be matter Of
days before avenging hordes Of his
devoted young followers will hunt
down the republican leaders like
De Valera, Erskine, Childers, Austin
Stack and Liam Lynch.
"1f Mick Collins went to hell in
the morning would you follow him
there?" demanded Mary McSwiney
ut one early sitting OF the Dali
Eireann.
Fifty men, the eldest not day