The New York herald., 1922-11-25
CHILDERS' EXECUTION
STRENGTHENS MORAL
FORCE OF FREE STATE
General Belief Govern
ment's Firmness Will
Help Bring Peace.
REPRISALS f EA Il + ID
De Valera Chief Aid Calm
as He Is Put Against
Jail Wall.
FAMILY NOTIFIED LATER
Michael Collins Declared Rebel
Leader Was 'Ireland's
Evil Genius
FAMILY NOTIFIED LATER

Special Gable to THE NUw YonK HERALD.
Copyright, fose. BY TIE NEw YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Dublin. Nov. "a.
E-rskine Childers, chief lieutenant OF
Eamon de Valera and one of the NOV
ing spirits OF the present civil war in
Ireland, was placed with his back
against a stone wall in Kilmainham
Jail this morning and executed by a
firing squad of twelve men. following
the verdict Of military court which
had found him guilty OF Illegally pos
sessing an automatic pistol. The vol
ley fired consisted Of eleven ball car
tridges and one blank. Childers was
composed as he faced the squad.
Michael Comyn, one of the counsel
for Childers in the habeas corpus pro-
ceedings, was permitted to see the
condemned man In his cell yesterday
following the rejection OF the motion
by the Master of the Rolls. Childers
broke down then as he realized that
practically all hope had gone.
Late In the evening the army authori-
ties sent him word that he would be
executed in lie morning. He was al
lowed the services OF the Church OF
Ireland clergyman. but none of his fam
lily was informed. To-day the Adju-
tant- General sent a formal notice Of tho
execution TO the wife. Mrs. Molly
Childers, formerly of Boston. Mass.
who. though an invalid. has been one
of the stanchest opponents Of the treaty.
Two Of childers's sisters and a son. a
student. kad been attending the court
hearings.
Heavy Loss to Rebels.
The loss Of ChiIders leaves the anti
treaty party crippled because he was
regarded MS their intellectual giant. De
Valera can now only turn TO Austin
Stack. r. J. Ruttiedge and James
Robinson. who are stubborn. but do
not possess the same uncanny keenness
as Childers. who was largely responsible
for the celebrated Document No. 2"
and also for De Vaiera's later policies
Of postponing the election and having
the constitution presented at the cleo
ton. thus making the treaty only an
indirect issue. As the editor OF the Re-
publi Of ireland Childers kept in the
forefront the argument that the treaty
was signed under duress.
Many leaders Of the Free State be-
licved all along that without Childers,
whom Michael Collins called "1reland's
evil genius" De Valera would have lined
up with them and there would not have
been any conflict after the signing OF
tho treaty. There are hardly dozen
men outside OF prison now who can
seriously interfere with peace.
The execution Is accepted here as
proof that the Government is deter
mined to use strong hand. for Child
ers IL the first prominent opponent to
be sent TO death. The question is being
asked whether the army will not now
arrest De Valera and bring him to trial.
Free state Position Aided.
The general feeling in the street is
that the Government has greatly
strengthened its position by its firm
ness. The irregulars have already
threatened 10 get William r. Cos
grave and Richard Mulcahy. in whose
hands Chiidcrs fate practically rested.
Dublin is dishgured tonight with
posters bearing the legend Move UP.
Mick. make room for Dick" The army
authorities feared the consequences IL
Chflders were not executed. believing
that any change in the sentence wouiu
destroy the morale in the ranks
DUBLIN. Nov. 80 ASSOCIATED Press /.
Seven Of the eight men who. with
chiIders were principals In the habeas
corpus proceedings. have been sentenced
10 terms ranging from five years TO
twelve months imprisonment. The
eighth man was found not guilty Their
names have never been made public.
I>oSpoN. Nov. "a (Associated Press).
The tragedy of Ersklnc Childers has
shocked and startled England even more
than the death Of Michael Collins. His
mother was an Irish woman. The
Chiiders family came from distin-
guishcd line. His father gained fame
as an Oriental scholar.
Childers's wife Is the daughter OF the
late Or. Hamilton Oagood Of Boston.
". s. A., where her mother still lives
Childers was mysterious figure In
Irish events Of recent years and his &C.
tivities have never been fully revealed.
He was SO years old and "A nephew Of
the late Hugh Culling Eardley Childers.
Chancellor OF the Exchequer under
Gladstone. lie was educated at Haley
bury Academy and Trinity College.
Cambridge lie served in the South
African War and was with the naval
air force during the European War
being awarded the Distinguished Service
Cross. He attained fame as the author
OF the German spy story The Riddle
Of the Sands" and also wrote Ger
man Influence on British Cavalry"
1t was TO Childers that Winston
Churchill referred I'm n speech as that
mischievous. murderous renegade. that
Englishman who Is inspired by an equal
measure of hatred. both for this island
and for the one In which he now has
taken up his abode"