The Washington times., 1922-09-11

shops; he posted civic guards and
enlisted the help Of civilians and
priests. He pleaded with the crowds
and enlisted the help Of civilians and
priests. He pleaded with the crowds
and persuaded them to return to
their homes. But by Tuesday eve
ming the crowds were getting out of
hand. Everyone feared the worst.
Ny husband called a meeting for
that evening to organize a civic
police. We met at $50 and had tea.
/ went home by a roundabout route.
for / was anxious about my seven
year old boy. l never saw my hus-
band again.
1T was between 7 and s o'clock
that evening that my husband passed
Portobello bridge on his way home.
At this point Lieut.. NJ. G. Morris.
Eleventh East Surrey regiment, was
in charge of a picket. Recognizing
my husband from the circulated de-
scriIltion of him, he ordered his
arrest. He was unarmed. carrying
walking stick, and was walking
quite alone in the middle of the
road. At Portobello Barracks,
whittier two soldiers escorted him.
he was searched and questioned. No
papers of an discriminating character
We're found on him.
Lieut.. s. V. Morgan, Third Roval
Irish Rifles, the adjutant at Porto
bello Barracks, reported the arrest
to headquarters. saying there was
no charge against my husband, and
asking whether he should release
him. Orders were given to detain
him. But the charge sheet-pro-
duced at COlthurst's court-martial-
showed the entry against my hus-
bands name was no charge.
Told he was to be detained over
night, he asked that l be informed,
but the request was refused. No
message was ever allowed to reach
memo notification of his death-no
announcement of his first or second
burial-were ever issued.
AT bout midnight Captain
Bowen, Colthurst, came to Lieut..
w. p. Dobbin. Third Royal Irish
Fusiliers, captain of the guard, and
demanded that my husband be turned
over to him. This, OF course, Dob
bins had no right to do, but he did
II. Colthurst had my husbands
hands tied behind his back, and then
led him out with a raiding party
along the Rathmines Road-the
raiders firing at houses as they went
along.
Boys Jaw Smashed.
Opposite Ratnmlnes Catholic
Church the column came upon two
boys who had been attending the
service that evening and were re-
turning to their homes. Colthurst
stopped and asked them II they did
not know that martial law had been
proclaimed and that they could be
shot like dogs.
The elder OF the boys, J. J.
Coade, a lad of seventeen, made no
reply, but started to walk away
Bash him. Colthurst ordered, and
soldier broke the boys jaw with
the butt end of his rifle, knocking
him down. Colthurst whipped out
his revolver and shot him dead. The
body was later carried to the bar
racks.
My husband protested against
this wanton murder, and was told
by Colthurst to say his prayers, as
he probably would be the next.
Evidence as to what happened
next is conflicting, although 1t is
abundantly plain that Colthurst com.
mitted another murder a few mo.
ments later. The official inquiry
report on this subject had this to
say:
THE evidence of the different
| witnesses can only be reconciled by
inferring that more than one case
of shooting occurred during the
| progress of Captain Colthurst's 3
party
No Justification.
None of the evidence offered to
us afforded any justification Of the
shooting of Coade; II Is of course a
delusion to suppose that martial law
confers upon an officer the right to
take human life, and this delusion
had, in the present case, tragic con.
sequences.
"All evidence of those atrocities
was omitted at Colthurst's court
martial. 1t was only against the
strongest protests from the military
that Sir John Simon insisted that
testimony in this matter be pre-
sented to the commission holding the
inquiry. But nothing was ever done
about two other murders which re.
| sponsible eyewitnesses declared
Colthurst committed later In that
| week. The commission ruled that
they werc not within their scope.
AT Portobeilo Bridge, Coithurst
posted part of his men under Lieut.,