Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-08-23
Assassin's Bullet
CONTINUED from Page One)


against the life of Michael Collins,
head of the provisional government
and commander-i chief of the Irish
National Army. The latest attempt
was a bombing outrage when his car
was ambushed last Friday afternoon
on the Dublin side of Stilorgen. The
official communication issued in con-
nection with this attack did not in
dicate whether Mr. Collins was in the
machine at the time The driver
ed, bomb and more than a score of
shots being fired.
In Dublin on April Il. while Mr..
Collins was on his way home after
having addressed a meeting at Mas,
county Kildare, he was attacked by
group of men, some with rifles, who
rushed his car and opened fire The
Collins party returned the fire and
one of the assailants was captured
Collins was not injured.
Mr.. Collins in addition to being
commander in chief of the National
Army. was finance minister in the
Dali Eireann cabinet He was one
of those who succeeded in obtaining
temporary injunction in New York
on Monday. restraining Eamon De-
Valera or his agents from withdraw
ing funds collected for the Irish Re
publican cause deposited in banks in
New York City.
Collins, always an ardent Sinr
Fener, was among those leaders who,
while holding for the fundamentals
of tradition for the freedom of Ire
land, still were willing to effect a
peace with Great Britain 1t be
came necessary in view of the recent
operations of the Irregular forces for
Collins to assume active charge of
the National army in the field and
for some time past he had abandon
ed the civil part of the government
for the military.
Americans recently arriving in
London from Dublin declared that
the assassination of Collins was
forecast in Ireland. 1t was planned
to secure the removal of the sole
remaining outstanding figure in the
Provisional government, and it was
said to be also in part measure
of repriSal against the shooting of
Harry J. Bolnd. the close associate
of Eamon De Valera by Free State
soldiers.
Agitation has been going on for
considerable time. and the walls
of Trinity College and other public
buildings bore the inscription Harry
Boland murdered"
Posters on telegraph poles insisted
that Boland was shot by Free Staters
when he was unarmed.
AS a measure of precaution extra
guards were thrown around the Ma
tional chief because of the determin-
alton of the radical elements to rid
the country of the strong men in
the Free State movement was an
accepted fact
OF a retiring disposition, and
known as a man who "dodged the
crowds" Collins. nevertheless. was
a most assidious worker, both In the
government and in the field. He
also was an orator of great ability.
whose speeches generally moved his
hearers.
With Arthur Griffith, Collins was
considered one Of the mainstays of
the provisional government in its in
ception. In the Dali Eireann after
the conclusion of the peace treaty
with Great Britain his ringing ad
dress upholding the stand of the men
who had gone to London and arrang-
cd the treaty embittered the republic
ans against him. More than once he
announced that he was proud that
his signature had been affixed to the
treaty which he believed would bring
happiness and prosperity back to the
Irish people. Indeed, he once assert
ed tn ebelief that an Irish settlement
might form the basis for real league
Of nations.
Collins prior to entering the fac
tions in Ireland favorable to peace
had fought with the Sim Feiners
against the Black and Tans and the
Royal Irish Constabulary, and was
one of the many Irishmen who for
long time were ION the run" from the
British.
When finally after bitter debate in
which he was heckled by Eamon De-
Valera and other leaders of republi-
cans, and the Dali Eireann ratified the