The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-08-23
DEATH OF COLLINS
"A HEAVY BLOW
TO IRISH FREEDOM
|" Forgive Them, z La st
Words Uttered By Col
Inns, and Shortly After
He Had Been Hit By Bull
let-Lived Only a Few
Minutes

London, Aug. % tBy the Associated
Press THE assassination of Michael
Collins at Bandon, Cork, yesterday,
comes directly on the heels Of the an.
nouncemcnt by the Irish irregulars of a
policy Of ambushes and raids in their
fight against the free state govern
ment.
Collins was shot down from ambush
only few hours after he had been
given an ovation by the residents of
Cork city which was freed less than
two weeks ago by the military under
Collins command. The place where he
fell is part Of the constituency which
he represented in the Dali Eireann.
Forgive them
These were the last words Of Michael
Collins uttered few minutes after a
bullet fred by an irregular had pierced
his skull. They were addressed to Ma
jor General Dalton.
The assassination occurred last night
between Macroom and Bandon, about
20 miles from Cork City.
Collins was accompanied by members
of the free state headquarters staff,
who were visiting various military po-
fitions in the south of Ireland.
Large members Of republican irreg-
ulars ambushed the commander in the
chiefs party en- route TO Bandon. An
armored ear, which was accompanying
the national army officials, inflicted
heavy casualties upon the irregulars.
just as at attack was beaten the bull
let struck Mr.. Collins and he expired a
few minutes later.
A Central News dispatch from Dub
lin, says that is reported that Major
General Dalton himself was slightly
sinjured during the fight in which Col
lins was killed
The Times prints under the caption,
"The Hour for leadership" tribute
TO Collins as the successor to Arthur
Griffith as directing head Of the fight
for the free state which assumes unex-
pected timeliness in view of his assas-
sination.
I'm the public eve ii says, Michael
Collins is man Of energy and obvious
ability whose dash and personal disre
gard for danger have endeared him to |
young Ireland General Collins shoul- |
ders no doubt are broad and his frame
strong. but the yoke that now lies
upon him is heavier than that which
Parnell bore and beneath which Red
mond fell"
Commenting upon the assassination
Of Collins, the Evening Standard says
it was only few days ago that the
commander.i in chief. alluding to the la
mented death of Arthur Griffith, re-
marked on the malignant fate which
seemed TO pursue Ireland at every crisis
in her history. The Standard contin-
ued:
"The assassination of Collins him
self is an even heavier blow on the
part Of this harsh and perverse destiny.
for while the Irish commsnderin-chief
was capable in some measure OF repair
ing the loss of Grifiith's statesmanship
il is difficult to see who is TO fill the
place of Collins"
The Standard thinks the danger to
Ireland Is not the return of Eamonn
De Valera to power. What threatens
most" il says. is not the strength Of
the free states enemies but the weak
ness Of its supporters"
The newspaper considers DE Valera
~ broken beyond repair.
The Pail Mall Gazette and Globe
says IL rs unfortunate that the latest
blow Of the republican movement had
been broken in the field.
A few weeks earlier De talera's fol-
lowing would have gained new and in
fictitious courage from the disappear
snce Of their most formidable oppo-
nents-
The Evening News SAYS: ~The kill
ing Of Collins adds another chapter to
the melancholy story that Irishmen
are writing Of themselves IT
i sad thing for the better lrish that
their leaders should have been sscri-
iced in q minor encounter in this
Il n 1~.rmt.w